Gilles Mayer
Encyclopedia
Gilles "Gil" Mayer was a Canadian
professional
ice hockey
goaltender. Mayer stood 5'6" tall, and weighed 128lbs.
to junior ice hockey
in 1949. He was the goalie of the Barrie Flyers
who lost the Eastern Canada
championship final series 5-4 to the Montreal Royals
, in April 1949 for the George Richardson Memorial Trophy
.
In October 1949 he was tied with Terry Sawchuk
of the Indianapolis Capitals
, each with one American Hockey League
shutout. In the 1951-1952 season Mayer wore #1 for the Pittsburgh Hornets. Mayer was selected to the AHL
all-star team for the 1953-1954 season. The same year he won a league title, a $300 bonus, and captured goalie honors with a 3.25 goals against average
. He allowed 146 goals in 52 games.
Early in the second period of Pittsburgh's game against the Syracuse Warriors, on February 6, 1952, Mayer was cut by a puck which struck his face. His nose hemorrhaged but he returned to the ice after thirty minutes. The Warriors triumphed 4-2 in a contest in which Mayer made several stellar saves. The deciding goal, in front of a crowd of 1,534 at Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse, New York
, was quite lucky. Kelly Burnett made a baseball swing at a high-flying hard-hit puck and knocked it 18 feet, still in the air, past goalie Gil Mayer.
Mayer shut out the Springfield Indians
on March 22, 1955 in the first round of the AHL playoffs. The Hornets benefited from goals by Bob Hassard and Jack Caffery.
He was traded to the Hershey Bears
on July 5, 1956. The Bears also obtained from Pittsburgh defenceman
Jack Price, centre (ice hockey)
Willie Marshall
, centre (ice hockey)
Bob Hassard
, and forward (ice hockey)
Bobby Solinger.
As goalie of the Cleveland Barons he sustained a broken jaw and missed three weeks of competition in 1959. He was hit by a slapshot
during practice which required four sutures. His jaw was set at Lakewood Hospital in Cleveland. He was replaced by Don Rigazio, a goalie for the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team. In 1959 Mayer became the first goalie in the AHL to wear a Goalie mask
. He was joined in 1960 by Gerry McNeil
of the Quebec Aces
.
Trainer Les Binkley replaced Mayer after he was hit behind the ear with a puck in a Barons' loss to the Buffalo Bisons
on October 30, 1960. Binkley ceded all three Bisons' goals, playing all the way after the fifth minute.
on December 1, 1949, after being called up from the Hornets. Toronto's regular goalie, Turk Broda
, was suspended for weighing 197 pounds. He had a weight limit of 190 pounds. Broda, 35, was the oldest active NHL goalie at the time.
Mayer had a natural weight of 128 pounds but tipped the scales at 166 pounds wearing all of his equipment. The 38 pounds of steel, wood, leather and wool costs $300 and requires 30 minutes for dressing and removal.
On October 21, 1954, Mayer was brought up from Pittsburgh to substitute for injured Toronto goalie Harry Lumley. As a replacement Mayer was all that could be asked and he was given practically faultless support by his fast-skating mates. The Leafs surprised a Montreal crowd of 14,004 by defeating the Montreal Canadiens
, 3-1, in a game which featured the 200th goal of Harry Watson
.
During a Toronto losing streak Mayer conceded a late first period goal to Ed Litzenberger
of the Chicago Black Hawks
on February 5, 1956. The shot from along the boards hit Mayer's pads and dribbled into the far corner of the net. It proved to be the winning tally in a 3-2 victory and the fourth loss in a row for the Maple Leafs.
(1949 - 1950) (G) 1 (GA) 2 (GAA) 2.00 (Svs) 0.00
(1953 - 1954) (G) 1 (GA) 0 (GAA) 0.00 (Svs) 0.00
(1954 - 1955) (G) 1 (GA) 0 (GAA) 0.00 (Svs) 0.00
(1955 - 1956) (G) 6 (GA)19 (GAA) 3.17 (Svs) 0.00
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
goaltender. Mayer stood 5'6" tall, and weighed 128lbs.
American Hockey League
Mayer made the jump from amateur hockey with the Lake Placid RoamersLake Placid Roamers
The Lake Placid Roamers were an independent, intermediate senior level ice hockey team from Lake Placid, New York. The Roamers were a farm team of the New York Rangers, and produced future National Hockey League goaltender Gilles Mayer...
to junior ice hockey
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
in 1949. He was the goalie of the Barrie Flyers
Barrie Flyers
The Barrie Flyers were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1945 to 1960, from Barrie, Ontario.-History:The Barrie Flyers junior team was founded in 1945 by Leighton "Hap" Emms. The franchise was soon affiliated with the Boston Bruins of the NHL. Barrie quickly became a...
who lost the Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada is generally considered to be the region of Canada east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces:* New Brunswick* Newfoundland and Labrador* Nova Scotia* Ontario* Prince Edward Island* Quebec...
championship final series 5-4 to the Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
, in April 1949 for the George Richardson Memorial Trophy
George Richardson Memorial Trophy
The George T. Richardson Memorial Trophy was presented annually from 1932 until 1972 by the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to the Eastern Canadian Junior "A" Champions. The trophy is named in honour of George T. Richardson, an Allan Cup winner with Queen’s University in 1909...
.
In October 1949 he was tied with Terry Sawchuk
Terry Sawchuk
Terrance Gordon Sawchuk was a Ukrainian-Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.-Early life and playing career:Sawchuk was born and raised...
of the Indianapolis Capitals
Indianapolis Capitals
The Indianapolis Capitals was an American Hockey League professional ice hockey team based in Indianapolis, Indiana from 1939–1952. The Capitals were a farm team for the Detroit Red Wings. Indianapolis won the Calder Cup in 1942 and 1950...
, each with one American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
shutout. In the 1951-1952 season Mayer wore #1 for the Pittsburgh Hornets. Mayer was selected to the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
all-star team for the 1953-1954 season. The same year he won a league title, a $300 bonus, and captured goalie honors with a 3.25 goals against average
Goals against average
Goals Against Average is a statistic used in ice hockey, water polo, lacrosse, and soccer that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender....
. He allowed 146 goals in 52 games.
Early in the second period of Pittsburgh's game against the Syracuse Warriors, on February 6, 1952, Mayer was cut by a puck which struck his face. His nose hemorrhaged but he returned to the ice after thirty minutes. The Warriors triumphed 4-2 in a contest in which Mayer made several stellar saves. The deciding goal, in front of a crowd of 1,534 at Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, was quite lucky. Kelly Burnett made a baseball swing at a high-flying hard-hit puck and knocked it 18 feet, still in the air, past goalie Gil Mayer.
Mayer shut out the Springfield Indians
Springfield Indians
The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existence for a total of 60 seasons from 1926 to 1994, with...
on March 22, 1955 in the first round of the AHL playoffs. The Hornets benefited from goals by Bob Hassard and Jack Caffery.
He was traded to the Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of...
on July 5, 1956. The Bears also obtained from Pittsburgh defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
Jack Price, centre (ice hockey)
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
Willie Marshall
Willie Marshall
William "The Whip" Marshall is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Marshall played his entire National Hockey League career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He would play in the NHL over the course of four seasons. Marshall is also the highest scorer in the American Hockey League and has played...
, centre (ice hockey)
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
Bob Hassard
Bob Hassard
Robert Harry Hassard was an NHL centre in the 1950s, and a long-time resident and coach in Stouffville, Ontario....
, and forward (ice hockey)
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
Bobby Solinger.
As goalie of the Cleveland Barons he sustained a broken jaw and missed three weeks of competition in 1959. He was hit by a slapshot
Slapshot
A slapshot in ice hockey is the hardest shot. It has four stages which are executed in one fluid motion:# The player winds up his hockey stick by raising it behind his body, sometimes raising the blade to shoulder height or higher.# Next the player violently "slaps" the ice slightly behind the...
during practice which required four sutures. His jaw was set at Lakewood Hospital in Cleveland. He was replaced by Don Rigazio, a goalie for the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team. In 1959 Mayer became the first goalie in the AHL to wear a Goalie mask
Goalie mask
A goaltender mask, commonly referred to as a goalie mask or a hockey mask, is a mask worn by ice hockey, inline hockey, and field hockey goaltenders to protect the head from injury. Jacques Plante was the first goaltender to create and use a practical mask in 1959. Plante's mask was a piece of...
. He was joined in 1960 by Gerry McNeil
Gerry McNeil
Gerald George McNeil is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who won two Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1950s....
of the Quebec Aces
Quebec Aces
The Quebec Aces, also known in French as Les As de Québec, were an amateur and later a professional men's ice hockey team from Quebec City, Quebec. The Aces were founded in 1928, and played until 1971. The team played home games at the Quebec Coliseum from 1930 to 1971.The Aces were Allan Cup...
.
Trainer Les Binkley replaced Mayer after he was hit behind the ear with a puck in a Barons' loss to the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
on October 30, 1960. Binkley ceded all three Bisons' goals, playing all the way after the fifth minute.
NHL
He played his first NHL game against the Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
on December 1, 1949, after being called up from the Hornets. Toronto's regular goalie, Turk Broda
Turk Broda
Walter "Turk" Broda was an ice hockey goaltender, playing his entire career for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League . Broda was born in Brandon, Manitoba to a Ukrainian family; joining the Maple Leafs in 1936.-Personal:...
, was suspended for weighing 197 pounds. He had a weight limit of 190 pounds. Broda, 35, was the oldest active NHL goalie at the time.
Mayer had a natural weight of 128 pounds but tipped the scales at 166 pounds wearing all of his equipment. The 38 pounds of steel, wood, leather and wool costs $300 and requires 30 minutes for dressing and removal.
On October 21, 1954, Mayer was brought up from Pittsburgh to substitute for injured Toronto goalie Harry Lumley. As a replacement Mayer was all that could be asked and he was given practically faultless support by his fast-skating mates. The Leafs surprised a Montreal crowd of 14,004 by defeating the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, 3-1, in a game which featured the 200th goal of Harry Watson
Harry Watson (ice hockey b. 1923)
Harold Percival "Whipper" Watson was a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing who played for the Brooklyn Americans, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Chicago Black Hawks, winning five Stanley Cups over a 14-year career in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:Born in Saskatoon,...
.
During a Toronto losing streak Mayer conceded a late first period goal to Ed Litzenberger
Ed Litzenberger
Edward C. J. "Eddie" Litzenberger was a Canadian ice hockey right winger from Neudorf, Saskatchewan. Tall and awkward in appearance, Litzenberger was donated to the Chicago Black Hawks by the Montreal Canadiens in his first year in the NHL...
of the Chicago Black Hawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
on February 5, 1956. The shot from along the boards hit Mayer's pads and dribbled into the far corner of the net. It proved to be the winning tally in a 3-2 victory and the fourth loss in a row for the Maple Leafs.
Career statistics
NHL totals: Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
(1949 - 1950) (G) 1 (GA) 2 (GAA) 2.00 (Svs) 0.00
(1953 - 1954) (G) 1 (GA) 0 (GAA) 0.00 (Svs) 0.00
(1954 - 1955) (G) 1 (GA) 0 (GAA) 0.00 (Svs) 0.00
(1955 - 1956) (G) 6 (GA)19 (GAA) 3.17 (Svs) 0.00