Terry Sawchuk on December 28, 1929 in East Kildonan, a working class, Ukrainian section of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He was an outstanding goalie in the NHL, primarily with my favorite team, the Detroit Red Wings. At age twelve, he injured his right elbow playing football, and, not wanting to be punished by his parents, hid the injury, preventing the dislocation from proper healing. Thus, the arm was left with limited mobility, and was several inches shorter than his left, and bothered him for his entire athletic career.
At age fourteen, a local scout for the Detroit Red Wings saw him and signed him to an amateur contract, and sent him to go play in Galt, Ontario. The Red Wings signed to a professional contract in 1947, where he quickly progressed in the developmental system, winning rookie of the year honors in both the U.S. and American hockey leagues.
He joined the Red Wings in the 1950-1951 season. He was nicknamed "Ukey" or "The Uke" by his teammates, because of his Ukrainian ancestry. Sawchuk led the Red Wings to three stanley cups in five years, winning the Calder trophy (rookie of the year) and three Vezina trophies for the fewest goals allowed. He was selected to the NHL all-star game his first five years in the league, had fifty-six shut outs, and his GAA (goals against average) remained under 2.00. (That's amazing) He was also called the greatest goalie ever by a rival GM.
During his career, Sawchuk won 501 games, and recorded 115 shut outs during his career. In 1971, he was elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame, and in 1994, the Red Wings retired his number 1.
Sawchuk struggled with Depresion throughout his life, a condition that often affected his conduct. After the 1969-1970 season ended, he got in a fight with fellow teammate Ron Stewart, where Sawchuk suffered from several internal injuries during the fracus from falling on Stewarts bent knee. Sawchuk's gallbladder was removed and he had a second operation on his bleeding and damaged liver. At New York Hospital in Manhattan, another operation was performed on Sawchuk's bleeding liver. He never recovered from the Operation and died soon after from a pulmonary embolism on May 31, 1970 at the age of forty.
Sawchuk was and still is one of the greatest goalies and competitors of all time, and remains my favorite goalie to this day.
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