Big Bill

Since a flying hockey puck travels a good deal faster than the human body, a topflight goalie needs the knack of being in the right place at the right time. It also helps to have perfect balance, knowledge of the tactics of the opponent streaking down-ice toward the net and a thoughtfully padded uniform. In the National Hockey League, the man who seemed to combine the necessary qualities better than anybody else this season was Toronto-born William Ronald ("Big Bill") Durnan, 34-year-old veteran of the Montreal Canadiens.

Big Bill Durnan was not the most graceful man on the ice. With the padding they wear, goalies seldom are. He seemed to get out of position a lot. This was deceptive on Big Bill's part. "Durnan fools you," said another National Hockey League star last week. "One second he leaves a big hole on one side of the cage, but the next he's in there on top of the puck. He knows he can move fast."

By moving fast, Big Bill had won the Vezina Trophy (for the goalie playing the most games on the team which allows the fewest goals) for four straight years. Last year he lost the trophy to Turk Broda, rough-&-tumble goalie of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but had cinched it again this season. On top of that, last week he set a modern record for consecutive minutes of play (309 min. 20 sec.) without allowing a score, beating Boston Bruin Frankie Brimsek's old mark by 77 min. 26 sec. and topping by 19 min. 8 sec. the standard of his idol, the Chicago Black Hawks' late, great Charlie Gardiner.

Bill Durnan was one reason why the Montreal Canadiens were in third place in the league and awaiting a crack at the Stanley Cup playoffs, which begin next week. Despite the pell-mell style of postwar hockey, with the emphasis on five-man gang attacks and wild scrambles at the goalmouth, hard-working Bill Durnan has achieved ten shutouts.

Last week, Canadien Coach Dick Irvin, a veteran of 41 years in hockey, called Big Bill the greatest goalie in hockey history. Said Durnan: "The greatest I ever saw was Charlie Gardiner."

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