Stony Plain Names Arena For “Mr. Goalie”
18/10/2008 02:19
STONY PLAIN -- At first, Glenn Hall didn't much like the idea of having the local rink renamed after him.
When you have a famous face and live in a small town in Western Canada, you treasure being able to fit in as just another guy around town.
Hall, of course, could never be anything else. It's hard to imagine a more soft-spoken, unassuming great in any game.
And that's why, after all these years, Stony Plain mayor Ken Lemke explained, that they wanted to rename the rink the town built back in 1967 the Glenn Hall Centennial Arena.
If it was because he was simply a hockey legend living in their midst, they could have named the barn after him back when they built it in the first place.
No, they didn't do it for who he was when he played a record 502 consecutive games in goal without wearing a mask in his Hall of Fame career from 1955 to 1971.
They did it because of the way he was when he arrived, a kid from Humbolt, Saskatchewan, to play goal for the Edmonton Flyers in the old Western Hockey League from 1952 to 1955. For the way he fit in as one of them, living on his farm just outside town throughout his entire NHL career. And for the way he's been ever since, living here with the same sense of community.
Lemke, upon unveiling the large, classy sign for the building and an even more impressive 80-foot mural on the front of the rink, said the honor was to say thanks "for giving so much to our community."
More from the Edmonton Sun.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Glenn Hall was one of the greatest goalies of all time – and one of my absolute favorites. He holds a NHL record that will never be broken – 502 consecutive games in-a-row without wearing a face mask between 1955 – 1971, although late in his career with the St. Louis Blues, Hall finally capitulated and put on a mask. And, don’t forget – this was a man that had to face Bobby Hull’s slapshot in practice every day most of his career!