FeedJacques Plante In Full Concentration
January 30, 2009 in Jacques Plante, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers Tags: Camille Henry, Jacques Plante, Madison Square Gardens, New York Rangers, Tom Johnson
Of the gazillions of Habs’ photos in this crazy, mixed-up world of ours, this is one of my favourites. It’s 1958, Madison Square Gardens in New York, and Jacques Plante and Tom Johnson try to stop a Rangers attack, which I’m sure they had no problem doing.
The Ranger in front of Johnson is Camille (the eel) Henry.
The fans are paying strict attention. They were probably wishing their team was as good as the guys in white.
January 31st, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Funny how back then 75% of the fans in attendance wore suit and tie. Were they all business people? Or did they simply ‘dress up’ to go to a hockey game, as they would if they went to church?
January 31st, 2009 at 6:08 pm
James -
I think it was definitely a “dress up” event. You see the same thing in old photos of baseball games. The men in the crowd were usually wearing white shirts and ties and the women were in nice dresses. Whether going to a restaurant, a game (or both), people just didn’t think of leaving home without dressing up for “going out.”
I believe it was Sir John Gielgud who felt that things had gone to hell when people stopped dressing up for attending the theatre – and he meant “dressing up” as in formal attire!
Go Habs! and best regards to you Dennis from down Seattle way.
January 31st, 2009 at 6:13 pm
And I’m a big fedora fan.
January 31st, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Fans dressed up back then. Many, not all, men wore suits and fedoras, and the ladies wore furs and hats and necklasses. It was lovely. I remember this time. It was the thing to do for adults. When my dad took me to Maple Leaf Gardens, I wore my best church slacks and best shirt and coat. No baseball hats anywhere in the building.