The Last Mask-Less NHL Goalie - The Andy Brown Story

On February 20th 1972, minor-league goalie Andy Brown made his NHL debut between the pipes for the Detroit Red Wings against the New York Rangers. Two years later on April 7th 1974, the Canadian netminder earned his place in the NHL's record books by continuing the traditions of those that came before him longer than anyone else...
This is the story of the last mask-less goalie in NHL history.
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[@TotoFrancey]

What you fail to realize about Andy Brown is in his professional career -- even at the minor league level -- he never played on a team with a defense. Check out the stats on the goaltenders that came before and after him. The teams he played for either folded or didn't make the playoffs for many years after he left.

[@platoon1026]

Had tickets to a Flyers -Penguins game in 1973 first row behind the goal. I watched Andy Brown play without a mask for 2 periods. Impressive!

[@craigfazekas3923]

Igloo or Spectrum ? If it was the Spectrum, I was there, too. All of 6 years old at the time. I kept asking why the other goalie wasn't wearing a mask. My Dad then told me NONE of the goalies used to wear masks just years before. I was astonished. Edit: I should add the fact that Doug Favell was the Flyers' goalie that night, too.....

[@mckessa17]

@@craigfazekas3923 That is true, crazy if you think about it.

[@markdemell8056]

He was not a small goalie at 6 feet.

[@leonardbonitt3586]

I saw him play in the spectrum that season. Section C row 2

[@RichV20]

I remember watching the 1994 Rangers run to the Stanley Cup and wondering why Craig MacTavish was the only player never wearing a helmet. It was bizarre seeing it in action and the last link to Old Time Hockey. the 1994-95 Strike pretty much killed my love for the NHL with the city and logo changes and the dead puck era that followed.

[@russs7574]

I always loved Gerry Cheevers' mask. That's the one with all the stitch marks on it. He said that they represented all the stitches he didn't get because he wore the mask.

[@johncoronity2011]

Defenetly the most iconic mask ever it was a cool idea (and not just because I'm a bruins fan lol)

[@davidfox9947]

If you look at the history of scoring in the NHL in the 70's teams averaged close to four goals a game his numbers were not that bad.

[@rjwood6314]

The game was completely different in those days. Goaltending hadn't yet evolved i to what you see today. The days before leflour and roy were almost like a different sport

[@aaronjohnson3463]

@@rjwood6314 absolute nonsense. The 70's was the greatest era for hall of fame goalies. Today goalie equipment is so huge they virtually cover the whole net. Look at Bernie parent standing in goal with his tiny pads. I would happily play goalie in this era because the protection is ridiculous.

[@bestrong9873]

True

[@jogman262]

@ Aaron Johnson. I agree. Goalies today look like Transformers.

[@jeffberndt8699]

@@aaronjohnson3463 players are much bigger and shoot much harder, as a whole than in the “old days”. Similarly, if you watch a Gump Worsley vs a Patrick Roy, the technique is apples to oranges. Goalies back in the day generally tried to keep their heads above the crossbar. No goalie would stand that high now.

[@georgepavlov3350]

One note ...Andy’s father Adam Brown got an assist on Gordie Howe’s 1st NHL goal and was killed in car accident 1960 here in Hamilton Ont after leaving meeting to set up a Joe Krakauskas night for the former Major League Baseball pitcher who was one of the pitchers who pitched to Joe DiMaggio during his 1940s 56 game hitting streak

[@jpwjr1199]

I have to interject here. You obviously have great book knowledge of the NHL, but lack any contextual knowledge. Some of those stats you gave for Brown, while not stellar, were not nearly as bad as they sound now, when you factor in the huge differences between goaltending back in the early 70's and in 2020. I would bet that 892 or whatever save percentage would have been hovering around the league average in 1971 or 72 and not "horrific" in *comparison to his contemporaries* playing the same position. And it was probably *above average* for back up goalies. After he was traded to Pitt, which was a horrible outfit at that time, of course his stats were going to worsen.

[@mikeb8674]

Exactly. In the 70s and 80s, the difference between the top teams and bad teams was much greater than today; the Wings weren't really that good and the Penguins were worse. Brown's save percentages were worse than average, but Heron and Rutherford, his replacements, were barely better for the 1974 Penguins: Brown finished at .881, Heron and Rutherford at .885. (stick taps to Hockey Reference for the info)

[@kranibal]

I absolutely agree. A GAA of 3.53 was not that bad back then. Any goalie with a save percentage around .880 was not stellar but was decent.

[@jpwjr1199]

@@mikeb8674 It wasn't just the lack of parity. Look at a picture of Mike Vernon playing goal in 1986 and look at a picture of the same man, same size, playing goal in 1997. No further explanation is needed after that, really.

[@Exotic3000]

That is correct! I grew up in the 1970's. Back then, Pittsburgh was pathetic. I think Andy Brown did okay!

[@toddkatz9390]

Well put, jpwjr1199, OddManRush, willing to do as much work as he did to produce this piece, could have gone in several directions; unfortunately he chose the wrong one. Thank you for politely clarifying that and, in doing so, honoring this NHL and WHA legend's name. (One never knows what drivel gets repeatedly repeated on the internet in the "information" age.)

[@RobiSaintAntoineMatterjam]

I appreciate your making this video, as it was a nice memory refresher. I was a teenage goalie back when this dude was with the Penguins and was always fascinated by his refusal to wear a mask (even though the masks back then were super badass). Your disparagement of his numbers is, however, unfair. His save percentage was consistently in the 87% range, and while no standout among his peers, he was certainly a competent netminder. The Penguins sucked back then anyways, and his work was at least average. The modern era goaltender is a completely different animal: They are usually much taller than average, and the size, weight, and ergonomics of their high-tech equipment, along with many training efficiencies in honing the now-standard butterfly style pioneered by HOF Blackhawk goalie Tony Esposito, (brother of Phil, another HOF'er with the Bruins), have all combined to bring down goals-against averages by at least a point or so. It was just a different time, and AB deserves a lot of respect for being, as you say, either totally fearless, or a complete lunatic. I can not imagine facing a 100mph Bobby Hull slapshot off his banana-blade Northland. (I don't actually remember Hull's brand of stick, but Northland were more sturdy pieces of lumber than Sherwoods.)

[@argopunk]

Few wore any head gear at any position until into the 70s. Amateur and professional. My dad joined a beer league in the US during the late 80s (after moving from Canada) and took the ice without anything on his head. They approached and said he needed a helmet. Having never worn one in his amateur hockey life--1950s onwards--he told them he couldn't play wearing one. And just skated away from the game that day. If you grew up without one, it was near impossible for many to play with one. Hard to believe but true.

[@jeffthewhiff]

Being a Pens fan since the early 1970's, I can still remember when Andy played without a mask and thought he was crazy for not wearing one. Very cool video too!

[@justinbetland9792]

Anyone who has heard a slapshot hit the boards knows how psycho it is not to wear a mask. What's more puzzling is how he can even skate with balls that big

[@highonimmi]

even before the stick "improvements" you know that puck was screaming through the air. i definitely wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that.

[@Southboundpachyderm]

because back in that day you weren't supposed to shoot the puck into the goal off the ice and because sticks had no curve and were made from wood shots werent that hard. doesnt mean dudes didnt get clubbed in the face like terry sawchuck, a lot of it was just dumb macho shit too.

[@tweezerjam]

Heavily padded girdle

[@wolfwolf8131]

As a former goalie can confirm no mask sucks. I have a permanent indention in my forehead and that wasn't close to nhl power lol

[@phatbackbeat6553]

I’m 60 years of age ( in October ).., I’ve played goalie since the 1st grade.., this caught clip caught my eye.., I just subscribed !!!

[@jasong428]

The full color action photos from that era are very vibrant and fun to look at. Thank you for making this video.

[@projektkobra2247]

And the greasy long hair!

[@deanouellette1868]

As a 12-year-old, I watched the Bruins on WSBK-TV Channel 38 play the Penguins. Brown was the Pens' starting goalie, and I remember thinking he was absolutely insane.

[@sabertheglaceon256]

Well us goalies are crazy, as a lot say about us

[@andrewwoolner9845]

On 20 February 1930, Clint Benedict became the first goaltender in the NHL to wear a mask. Benedict wore a thick leather face pad for the first time while playing for the Montreal Maroons in a game against the New York Americans at Madison Square Garden in New York. He wore the mask to protect a shattered cheekbone and broken nose that he had suffered from a shot by Howie Morenz on 7 January 1930. Jacques Plante made it popular in 1959. Maing Plante the inventor is a HUGE misconception.

[@JohnMartin-yj3gv]

His last game in the NHL was nationally televised on NBC with Tim Ryan, Ted Lindsey and Brian MacFarlane. Pittsburgh at Atlanta.

[@adamandrews8534]

I don’t see it, but I can “true-up” online. No problem.

[@richardmourdock2719]

Glad you included the Indianapolis Racer stint for Andy Brown. I was a big fan of the Racers and Andy Brown was fearless..... His mask-less stint with the Indianapolis Racers makes the team notable, well that and the 17 year old kid the owner signed to a personal services contract to begin his pro hockey career. A kid named Wayne Gretzky who was so young as a pro hockey player, he actually graduated from an Indianapolis High School. Turned out to have quite a career. Pleased to say I saw him make his first professional goal and Eddie Mio was in goal at that time as Brown had left.

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

My first NHL game I ever saw was in the Civic Arena ,in Pittsburgh and my Dad had 4 comped tickets from his work. I really did see Andy Brown play Maskless and I was only 8 or 9 years old. Fell in love with Hockey, and played from 12 till 43.... Thru High School, College, and some Serious Competitive Men's Leagues. My Mistake.......I learned to make and Build Full Facemasks from Fiberglass......I couldn't find one anywhere in Pittsburgh.. Became a Serious Goalie Maven, with great sets of Goalie Equipment from 1980 thru about 2006

[@ccwilliams2]

Wow. I don't know if YT upped their analytics to Ninja level, but I still have a busted Northland stick Andy gave to me during practice. Saw him with the Racers a couple of times. The most memorable was a game where Toronto was shelling Indy (something like 9 to 3) and Frank Mahovlich tagged Andy on the chops with a backhand in the 3rd period. They sewed him up on the bench and he was back out to finish ten minutes later. Old time hockey...

[@stephenbush9896]

Saw him play with the Racers here in Cleveland against Crusaders in about 1974.

[@grantwilson4696]

A greatly unrecognized professional hockey hero, Andy Brown was the last of a breed. In his defense... the NHL & WHA teams he played for were not "power house" teams & he didn't have a lot of help in his end of the ice... so I don't believe his big league stats are a fair representation of his true abilities. I'd love to have an autographed picture of him to add to my collection. He's an under appreciated pro sport icon... you seem to bring us stories like this... which is why I'm one of those few who actually subscribe to your channel. Well done & thank you. :)

[@RodCalidge]

Well put. Not a single player in the HOF who did it without a team behind/with them.

[@grantwilson4696]

@@RodCalidge Nick, I never thought of that but.... now that you mention it... you're spot on!

[@russs7574]

Not a powerhouse? Those Penguins teams Brown played on downright sucked.

[@russs7574]

As somebody who has been a Pens fan since they entered the league, you are being too kind. That team that Brown backstopped for totally sucked. They had exactly 2 NHL caliber defensemen playing in front of him....Dave Burrows (who in his day was one of the best "stay at home" defensemen in the league) and Ron Stackhouse. OK, make that 2 1/2 because Steve Durbano was on that team, too. He was a total goon, and not possessing much in the way of hockey skills, but he could clear out in front of the net.

[@tictok9972]

I lived in Pittsburgh when I was a kid and went to games with Brown playing. He was a character!

[@donaldbrinks5115]

I saw Andy Brown of Detroit go head to head against The Gumper ( Gump Worsley ) of the North Stars at Olympia Stadium in Detroit.It was the final time two maskless goalies faced each other. Now they look like they are going in a rocket into outer space

[@quiricomazarin476]

Game date & score?

[@donaldbrinks5115]

@@quiricomazarin476 It had to be 72 or 73. How can I remember the date and score. Maybe I will contact Mickey Redmond of the Wings. He played in it.

[@williampostel522]

Saw him play for Baltimore in the early 70's. Fearless is the right word.

[@goodatnothing9034]

If you take into account That Marc Andre fleury mask fell of and he still made a save after that, then fleury is the last maskless goalie

[@Tenskwatawa4U]

Saw Andy play in Richmond VA, in a game for the Tidewater Wings (AHL) vs the Richmond Robins. Remember it well!

[@timothyboyle1908]

Ron Hextall’s record for penalty mins will nev be broken king 👑

[@teddyrobinson813]

Great video-been a hockey fan my entire life(60 yrs) and i didn't know this -thanks-now a subscriber.

[@johnlacey3857]

He wasn’t a superstar, but he was certainly no sieve either (how many recognize that reference?). In his career 62 NHL games he had a 3.79 avg... and one shutout. In those days 3.79 wasn’t spectacular but was still reasonably respectable. And heck... anyone who can say they played goal in the NHL and had even a single shutout has my immediate respect.

[@MySundin13]

Getting a shit out in the 70s and 80s were rare.... Defencemen were mostly just pylons

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

3.79 is pretty bad. Especially when a rout was 4-1.

[@johnlacey3857]

@@jamesdellaneve9005 Not in the 70’s. A rout was 10-1.

[@jamesdellaneve9005]

@@johnlacey3857 It’s true that the 70’s had an extra goal or two per game versus the 60’s. Then it went down again in the 80’s and 90’s. I blame the flyers for going to the clutching style of hockey. I stopped watching until a decade ago. I love the rule changes. No stopping it at the boards for nothing. No 2 line pass. Stay out of the goalie’s crease, less icing. One change I would love to see is using the international rink size. The guys are so fast now, they can’t take 2 strides before passing. Remember in the 1960’s and 70’s, guys could go half the ice and sometimes end to end.

[@bl9531]

@@jamesdellaneve9005 The best goalies in the league at the time, like Esposito or Dryden for example, were registering a GAA below 2.50, so yeah 3.79 was not great, which is why he was a marginal player who only played 62 games. Still, hats off to anyone who makes the NHL.

[@FieldMarshalFeels]

The comments are definitely worth a read. Tons of knowledge from people who watched hockey way back in the 70's.

[@donaldbrinks5115]

“ Way back in the 70’s “ ? Wow, I watched in Detroit “ way back in the 50’s” Too bad expansion had to come in 67 and watered it down to what we are stuck with now. Plus back then there were NO helmets and visors and we knew what the players looked like. Now they all wear them and have scruffy, shaggy beards and every one looks the same.

[@rodzilla47]

I met Andy Brown in Baltimore during the 70-71 season. I worked part time for Dominion hockey sticks and delivered a load of sticks to the Clippers on a game night. Andy and a few other players gave me crap about the sticks being late which wasn't really my fault. Dominion was always behind in production. In 1995 I had hazmat training at work and the instructor from Maryland was good friends with Andy who was still living in the Baltimore area. To put masks in context, I know of two Hershey Bears goalies that lost an eye while playing maskless.

[@russs7574]

Pens GM from the Mid-70's, Baz Bastien, (who was a star for the old Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL) lost an eye during training camp with the Maple Leafs back in the late 40's or early 50's.

[@russs7574]

So did the Penguins GM from back then, Baz Bastien. I think it happened when he was playing for the Pittsburgh Hornets, which was an AHL franchise, and for many years, the farm team of the Red Wings.

[@rodzilla47]

@@russs7574 I went with my uncle from Hershey to Pittsburgh in the mid 60's to see the Bears play the Hornets. Bear's goalie at the time was Claude Dufour who lost an eye a couple years later. Last season for him listed on Hockey DB is 66-67 when he only played 2 games for the Bears.

[@wolfgangnomi8837]

I remember watching a game on TV and he was in the pipes for Pittsburgh.....

[@Jremo.]

Really appreciate the channel keep the great videos coming !!!!

[@kellyfitz8821]

I remember him playing for the Ft. Worth Wings. I saw him play.

[@Tkuhn1]

Watched Brown play a game when he was with the Racers against our hometown San Diego Mariners team. It was really really weird seeing a goalie without a mask.

[@gregorymotta6628]

Andy was solid goalie in his day. If you had goals against below 4 you were decent goaltender. I remember Btown with the Baltimore Clippers in AHL. They played against my Providence Reds in the old RI Auditorium. He was a rock for those Clippers. Glad he had chance to at least play in NHL. Nice video 👍

[@31chizzle]

you read my mind!!! great episode!!!!

[@troll9111]

Wrong WHL logo, you used the one from the Western Hockey League (the major junior league) rather than the Western Hockey League (1952-1974) which used logo similar to the NHL'S black and orange shield.

[@RetroFan1992]

As a goalie I love this episode!!

[@mclovin9578]

As a goaltender, this story was enough for me to subscribe. Well done, friend. 👍🇨🇦

[@Mintman83]

My parents were X-ray technicians at Maryland general hospital and they gave a Baltimore clippers player an Xray every home game

[@TheSpud1129]

We had my next door neighbor suit up when I was in elementary and high school and play goalie to give us a break. He was of Native American descent - and didn't wear a mask. Tipped pucks, deflections, the man was unstoppable. Never flinched, complained, etc. Always made the save...it was damn near superhuman. I lost track of him and the family after high school - I hope that he's doing well and remembers how great he was.

[@donhuber9131]

Trivia comment. Rogy Vachon was the last maskless goalie to win the Cup(1969). The previous season, 1968, was the last time BOTH goalies involved in the Cup final, Gumper and Glenn Hall were maskless. Rogy, Gump, and Mr. Goalie all gave in to wearing a mask, setting the stage for Andy Brown.

[@quiricomazarin476]

Rogie as in Rogitien

[@hockeytidbits]

Lots of good info here, thanks.

[@hotfraulein]

It is interesting to note that Andy Brown raced stock cars in the off-season. That may have had something to do with not wearing a mask.

[@KennyMarkusa]

Actually it was super modifieds more dangerous than stock cars

[@dickdwagner2973]

he also raced super modifiers at Oswego N.Y.

[@rodmcleod6332]

He started in Late Models in the early 70s at southern Ontario tracks like Pinecrest, Cayuga, Flamboro and Sunset. He later ran the Super at Oswego and as a member of the Indianapolis Racers he was running a USAC Sprint Car.

[@leevanderwaskewitch7858]

This a new one for me. Good stuff

[@jimhaines8370]

My first ever hockey games came on visit to my grand parents and aunt in Johnstown Pa. and he was playing then still remembered his name when I tell people about this first games.

[@kenfischer123]

Andy Brown raced at Oswego Speedway in the summers.

[@razorwire3056]

When the NHL made helmets mandatory, they grandfathered players in... so Brad Marsh became the last player to play without a helmet... But at the time, they gave players an option.... they could sign a waiver to allow them to play without a helmet, but if they got hurt, the team and league would not be liable. I am not sure how many players signed that waiver but one for sure did.... Ken Wregget. Interesting thing about Wregget signing the waiver is.... his wire mask was attached to his helmet, so if he played without the helmet..... He never actually did it even though he signed the waiver.

[@jamesfahlstedt2232]

This man was fearless, for sure. I saw him driving sprint cars with USAC before they had cages.

[@henankan]

I thought you would mention Andy at some point. Awesome!

[@davidmurray5399]

He didn't play for teams that supported him very well. That means his stats aren't that bad considering.

[@russs7574]

As a long time Pens fan, I can tell you that they were pretty much league doormats back in that era.

[@TheBigjohn527]

Pen's fan. Had season tickets. I seen him play back in the day. As I recall "Fearless" Andy liked to drop the gloves, too. In 1973-74 he had 60 penalty minutes which then was a record for PMs by a goalie.

[@buddyrich1]

Pens fan here, too. Saw him play a lot and yeah, he was Ron Hextall before Ron Hextall (and Andy was a teammate of Ron’s uncle Bryan).

[@russs7574]

Didn't have season tickets, but went to a lot of games back then. $3.75 to sit in the lower "D" section at the Igloo, and $5.00 a couple years later to sit in the general admission in the balcony at the end of the ice where the Pens shot in the second period. Not only Brown not wear a mask, but he was not hesitant to participate in brawls, either.

[@TheBigjohn527]

I was 16 then. Season tix for me were 1972/73 ... 73/74. Paid $240 for 40 games. Section D26, Row D, Seat 10. I was right behind the D26 sign facade. My buddy talked me into it. He sat in D26 Row A. Seat 3 (Remember Rows A,B & C had 9 seats total?) I got another buddy to get season tix that 2nd yr & he wound up next to me! Good times. You may of predated me, tix were cheaper by what you say. I think the E balcony was in by 1974. I still went to most home games the rest of that decade.

[@williamkomar2921]

Play hockey for forty years ..Goalie ; masks were very crude in the sixties and seventies. I've hade a couple shattered off my face. Got scars to this day. Good video.

[@anthonyedwards4975]

Hi William I know what you mean I got 5 stitches above my eye in my custom John Brown Mask & another 5 stitches above my other eye in my Harrison Mask....

[@williamkomar2921]

@@anthonyedwards4975 Hey Tony, read your reply thanx. By the 80's I was wearing a helmet , cage ; ala Dominik Hasek, but with a hanging throat protector. In the 90's a modern mask. Once I switched up in the 80's, ever got cut again...just one or two concussions.

[@anthonyedwards4975]

William what Masks did you wear???? I also wore a store bought Plante Mask for a few years.....

[@Halfhoff]

I remember seeing him play in Vancouver, maskless, in 1974.

[@johannystrom1724]

very good mini documentary.

[@stevenking6129]

I saw Andy Brown in Hartford when he was with Indianapolis. I was about 13 or 14 and knew all about the massless goalie but wasn't happy he was in net. As a goalie fan I loved the masks and didn't like his not having one. I had a few including one marked up like Cheevers. Anyway. Great memories

[@steveb2948]

Excellent

[@michaelmcbride3847]

I was 6 and 7 years old when he made his appearances in Fort Worth for the FW Wings. Don't remember the specific games he played (or even if I was in attendance) , but this video brought back great memories of seeing the Fort Worth Wings games.

[@csnide6702]

Fort Wayne was the Comets... Kalamazoo was the Wings

[@csnide6702]

I'm sorry ... read your comment wrong

[@unclescottysadventures1683]

Thats a great story!! Well done Brotha👍👍 Ive heard a lot of interesting story’s about Andy, His Dad played for Detroit as well. He claims he played hockey more than any thing to afford race engines, as he was a professional race car driver and that was his true passion😉

[@skeptock3205]

Brown was the last of a breed. Good that you mentioned next-to-last of that breed. Gump Worsley was one of the greats. Thanks for making this. Liked and subbed.

[@dungeonmaster6292]

Why would be put a mask on with only 6 games left?

[@thomasnigel8022]

My father was friends with Andy Brown's father Adam when he played with the Wings in the 1950's. Adam would later be traded to the Blackhawks and finish out his career in Chicago. My father also knew Gump Worsley from his days with the Rangers as my father had a cousin, Steve Kraftchek who was with the Rangers.

[@SteveCrisco-up8mo]

Any idea what happened to Andy Brown after retirement? My minor atom hockey coach, "Mr Brown" bears a resemblance. It was the year after Andy Brown retired..and coincidentally Mr Brown's son was our goalie.

[@BillDalby]

Andy Brown drove a supermodified race car in the summer at Oswego Speedway ny.brave man

[@rustynatoli8910]

I got to know Andy as a supermodified driver at Oswego New York.You had to be fearless to drive those cars back then

[@barbaraskinner6084]

I remember him racing a supermodified at Oswego Speedway in Oswego, NY, too!

[@petergeyer7584]

Dang! Check out the pillows on Denis Herron. You could take a nap on those.

[@RangersFan94]

Everyone's saying "he sucked", but he didn't play for any decent teams lmao he was right in the thick of the Wings' post-Howe drought, then went to an early Pittsburg that was just awful; might as well have been an AHL team. Honestly his numbers aren't all that bad considering, so it makes sense why he would get the starting position in PITT before Rutherford showed up.

[@mickeyjudge7298]

Pretty cool that he has this distinction. I saw him play in the minors, 67-68 season when he was the goalie for the Johnstown Jets vs my hometown New Haven Blades, EHL. 2-2 tie. Seems to me he was known to be a prospect back then.

[@haysbrickell9579]

It really is amazing goaltenders played without masks back in those days. They really had to be fearless. Also players were helmetless so the game has made a lot of progress safety wise.

[@kevmac1230]

I watched Andy play goal for Baltimore while at Providence Reds games.I thought he was pretty good and of course he was one of the last mask less net minders in the AHL along with the Reds own Marcel Paille.Nothing like Sunday night hockey at the Auditorium for a young goalie watching his heroes.

[@adamandrews8534]

I was lucky enough to see Andy Brown play for the Wings, who, by the way, were terrible in front of any of their goalies in the 1970s. Unfortunately he never was fortunate enough to play for a very talented team. Andy’s dad Adam played for Detroit many years earlier.

[@merccadoosis8847]

Watched him play a couple of games back then. Guy sure had guts to play that way. Gump Worsley was a big hero to me and many other puck fans back then. Andy well deserves the accolades he got and for being mentioned in the same breath as the Gumper.

[@richardmiddleton4634]

Good story! I never knew this. Always thought The Gumper was the last maskless goalie.

[@johnfast5852]

I thought so as well.

[@orbyfan]

That's Joe Daley at about the 4:50/7:20/8:50 mark; you also see him in his Detroit uniform at about 2:37. Daley didn't wear a mask in his early years, but you can find video of him wearing one in 1969-70. With Buffalo and Detroit from 1970-2 he was barefaced again, but donned the mask for good when he jumped to the Winnipeg Jets in 1972. I got Andy Brown's autograph in the hotel lobby before the 1975 WHA All-Star Game in Edmonton, and saw him play the second half of the game.

[@ricksaxe3120]

We had a nickname for Andy Brown when the clippers rolled into Rochester.He used to share his opinion of Rochester fans by yelling unpleasantries to the fans behind the net.We used to call him garbage mouth and 2 out of three periods we had so much fun chirping back and forth.Those were the days!!!

[@mckessa17]

Rochester Americans had cool jerseys. Don Cherry use to play for them

[@gregwiens9146]

I was part of the 80%. Fine.... Subscribed

[@petertuckergoettler5720]

Cool! Merci. Hockey Talk.

[@atomconvenor2029]

Loved the Gumper

[@robertdefresnes6830]

Awesomasqued Top Corner Save Video !?

[@colinlobo474]

I saw Andy Brown on a Sunday afternoon on NBC , back in 1972 or 73 . I know it was Detroit vs Pittsburgh . That was the only time i saw a goalie play without a mask . I also saw Gump Worsley , but he was wearing a mask when he was playing for the Minnesota North Stars .

[@KidsFund1]

The Craig Mactavish of goalies. Geniuses

[@gonuts4donuts]

Except unlike MacTavish, he didn't kill anyone while driving drunk.

[@KidsFund1]

@@gonuts4donuts shit happens. Then you win Stanley Cups

[@AnakinSANE]

their gloves and blockers were smaller as well, pads were slightly smaller, chest protectors were smaller, basically there was more open net to shoot on.

[@normworsley3181]

Yes I did.......where did you research your info for this video

[@zrtknl]

That is the wrong WHL logo at 1:47. That WHL logo represents the current junior league. The WHL league discussed in the video is a long defunct semi pro league mainly in Western Canada.

[@JohnMartin-yj3gv]

Correct, the original Vancouver Canucks and Seattle Totems!

[@paulgoode994]

Good interesting video Johnny Bower won the Stanley Cup without a mask in 1967 and I’m a Leafs fan Great hockey facts thank you.

[@Swoop187OG187]

And Bobby Baun scored the Cup clinching goal on a broken leg... I'm a Hawks fan, lol and amateur hockey historian - and vintage and modern hockey card collector.

[@ericw3229]

@@Swoop187OG187 You're a bit off. Baun's O/T goal was in game six of the 1964 finals it evened the series 3-3.The Leafs went on to win game 7 in Toronto to clinch the cup. Their 3rd consecutive cup. In 1967 Bower was hurt during the playoffs and Terry Sawchuk was the starter for most of the playoffs including the cup Clincher against the Canadiens.

[@christopheroliver2465]

Andy Brown's numbers were not horrific, as the narrator drones on and on. He was an average goaltender in the two top leagues (NHL/WHA) at the time. That makes him an above average goaltender in any age, especially when the average team scored almost four goals per game. Also, the teams that Brown played for were not known for their prowess behind the Blue Line. A fearless and entertaining competitor, Brown will be remembered as a " last of a breed" by us who were fortunate to watch him play.

[@davidgiza8022]

I can remember him in the AHL. He played against the Springfield Kings. He was plain bonkers playing without a mask.

[@457max]

Two years after Andy Brown left the Indianapolis Racers, Wayne Gretzky joined the team. Gretzky is only 62 years old.

[@adamandrews4107]

Enjoyed Andy when he played for the Red Wings! His dad was a Wing decades before. BTW, Joe Daley was a maskless goalie too!

[@tygrkhat4087]

You have the picture of Joe Daley at 2:37, who also played without a mask until he moved to the WHA's Winnipeg Jets for the 1972-73 season, when he donned a mask. So in the 1971-72 season, the Red Wings had two out of three goalies who didn't wear a mask. It always has puzzled me that no goalie adapted a catcher's mask to wear between the pipes. Now there are major league catchers who wear goalie-style masks, although MLB rules prohibit the wild designs like goalies wear.

[@richardsutherland5326]

Daley was maskless until 78 or 79 with WHA Winnipeg Jets

[@MrJohnnyDistortion]

Daley's leg pads appear HUGE in that picture.

[@pennsylvanianrrfoamer]

Do a video on the real-life Slap Shot, the Johnstown Jets

[@bobcarp1239]

Any Goalie who played NHL Hockey without a mask should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame.... THE DUDE'S PLAYING GOALIE WITHOUT A MASK!!!!

[@FrankeeLee223]

I remember watching AB play when he was with Baltimore Clippers. I wondered about when he was going to start wearing a mask back then

[@russelljack5790]

Pittsburgh was a fairly new team when Mr. Brown was playing for them.

[@andyd5492]

Saw him play at the Coliseum in West Springfield Mass. He went down for a save and someone skated over his nose. Got stitched up and got back in the net.

[@ToddKozinka]

Saw him play once in Vancouver

[@adammangold1392]

Could you do a video on that happen to the flames

[@hookstreet.]

If he suck around with the Racers, he would have been the last NHL goaltender without a mask to hoist a Stanley Cup with one of the legends of hockey in Edmonton with the merger in 1978.

[@matthewsilva8617]

My old man would love this guy..dropped 3 goalies in the late 70’s with slap shots to the face lol

[@Pariah_Larry]

Way faster than 80-90mph shots. Before they regulated the curve of the blade, Bobby hull registered a 123+mph shot. Might’ve been outlawed by the time he played but they were still allowed to have WAY more curve than now.

[@Classicrocker6119]

I had no idea that Joe Daley was maskless in the NHL as well. Interesting video.

[@davidburke2697]

My hockey book : "Drop the Pucks" is now available should you feel so inclined. Old time hockey from an amateur.

[@martym.6274]

My very first hockey game was in February 1971, Hershey Bears at Baltimore Clippers. Andy Brown was in net for Baltimore and we won 7-2. A maskless goalie and not one skater with a helmet. It was purely “old time hockey.”

[@analogman9697]

Actually saw Andy play against the Atlanta Flames in 1972.