Vintage NHL Photography

[AustonsNostrils]

The still photographs from game action in the 40s,50s,60s are surreal and ethereal, as if they were staged and lit, very theatrical. Not being a photographer I don't how that look and quality was achieved and why today's photos aren't as beautiful and dramatic. The lighting in the arenas must have been different, obviously the cameras used were different and used film so that must be part of it. And players without helmets makes a huge difference.

here's one, look at the dark hard shadows of the players.

Black & white photography is more dramatic but even the color photographs from days gone has that quality.

I do notice that the ice wasn't the pure white we have today.

Click to read more...

 

[Bart9349]

I'm impressed by the number of men in the audience wearing a suite and tie. Did fans even have team jerseys back then?

 

[tony d]

Don't think but yeah suits and ties where quite popular back then for sure.

 

[Killion]

The still photographs from game action in the 40s,50s,60s are surreal and ethereal, as if they were staged and lit, very theatrical. Not being a photographer I don't how that look and quality was achieved and why today's photos aren't as beautiful and dramatic. The lighting in the arenas must have been different, obviously the cameras used were different and used film so that must be part of it. And players without helmets makes a huge difference.... Black & white photography is more dramatic but even the color photographs from days gone has that quality.... I do notice that the ice wasn't the pure white we have today.

The NHL began (mandated actually) adding white paint to the freezing process starting in 1949/50 (previously it was just clear water frozen over the concrete base with the reds & blue lines, face-off-circles etc). This was done for 2 reasons; it made it easier for spectators in the buildings and at home watching the games on the then new medium of television to follow the puck. Additionally, more powerful lighting was required for the latter for black & white broadcasts which was then substantially increased in the mid-60's with the advent of color tv.... Throughout the 50's (and previously) & into the waning days of the 06 era prior to colorization & the wider use of color film by commercial photographers taking still shots, most NHL arenas/clubs had "official photographers". To compensate for the low level candle-light before 1949/50 & through the 60's Flash-Bulb racks were setup hanging from the catwalks above the ice surface & in some buildings on the tops of the stanchions that supported the boards & metal fencing followed by the use of glass. Some of the buildings, Montreal Forum & Maple Leaf Gardens for eg; really rather elaborate & operated remotely, the photographer wired right up with a Steam-Punk like switchboard looking down from from on high or at ice level (often a team of them) & hitting a switch that captured images at just the right moment (hopefully). The flashbulbs going off creating a phantasmagorical image of shadow & light, as though almost created by the imagination. The real Legends of the craft, active from the 30's through the late 60's were guys like Frank Prazak, Lou & Nat Turofsky along with a collection from Graphic Artists who's contributors included the aforementioned & various freelancers & accredited media photographers who worked for everyone from Life Magazine to Sports Illustrated, major daily newspapers & so on.... most collections residing in the HHOF where they can be found on-line....

www.hhof.com/htmlPhotoGalleries/gallery_turofsky001.shtml#x
www.hhof.com/htmlPhotoGalleries/gallery_prazak001.shtml
www.hhof.com/htmlPhotoGalleries/gallery_gartists001.shtml#x

 

[Canadiens1958]

Team Jerseys

Rather a recent phenomena, licensed jerseys started to catch-on in the 1980s once the NHL aligned its various marks and licensing programs. Through the 1970s the Canadiens did not even sell jerseys at the Forum on gameday. MLG with Doug Laurie's in the complex did but few if any were worn to games.

 

[Killion]

Rather a recent phenomena, licensed jerseys started to catch-on in the 1980s once the NHL aligned its various marks and licensing programs. Through the 1970s the Canadiens did not even sell jerseys at the Forum on gameday. MLG with Doug Laurie's in the complex did but few if any were worn to games.

In Toronto? NO ONE DID. Not a #7, Nothin. Not a #14. SFA. Recent phenomena.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

The NHL began (mandated actually) adding white paint to the freezing process starting in 1949/50 (previously it was just clear water frozen over the concrete base with the reds & blue lines, face-off-circles etc). This was done for 2 reasons; it made it easier for spectators in the buildings and at home watching the games on the then new medium of television to follow the puck. Additionally, more powerful lighting was required for the latter for black & white broadcasts which was then substantially increased in the mid-60's with the advent of color tv.... Throughout the 50's (and previously) & into the waning days of the 06 era prior to colorization & the wider use of color film by commercial photographers taking still shots, most NHL arenas/clubs had "official photographers". To compensate for the low level candle-light before 1949/50 & through the 60's Flash-Bulb racks were setup hanging from the catwalks above the ice surface & in some buildings on the tops of the stanchions that supported the boards & metal fencing followed by the use of glass. Some of the buildings, Montreal Forum & Maple Leaf Gardens for eg; really rather elaborate & operated remotely, the photographer wired right up with a Steam-Punk like switchboard looking down from from on high or at ice level (often a team of them) & hitting a switch that captured images at just the right moment (hopefully). The flashbulbs going off creating a phantasmagorical image of shadow & light, as though almost created by the imagination. The real Legends of the craft, active from the 30's through the late 60's were guys like Frank Prazak, Lou & Nat Turofsky along with a collection from Graphic Artists who's contributors included the aforementioned & various freelancers & accredited media photographers who worked for everyone from Life Magazine to Sports Illustrated, major daily newspapers & so on.... most collections residing in the HHOF where they can be found on-line....

www.hhof.com/htmlPhotoGalleries/gallery_turofsky001.shtml#x
www.hhof.com/htmlPhotoGalleries/gallery_prazak001.shtml
www.hhof.com/htmlPhotoGalleries/gallery_gartists001.shtml#x

Very informative, thanks. The more I look at them the shadows give the shots so much drama, there are even shadows of the players and officials on the plain white boards.

There are NHL arenas now who have gone to 'theater style' lighting, where the lighting has been reduced/darkened in the seating area - I'd like to compare still photos from games in those rinks to those from standard lit buildings.

 

[DJ Man]

The NHL began (mandated actually) adding white paint to the freezing process starting in 1949/50 (previously it was just clear water frozen over the concrete base with the reds & blue lines, face-off-circles etc). This was done for 2 reasons; it made it easier for spectators in the buildings and at home watching the games on the then new medium of television to follow the puck. ...

As I recall, the white paint that aided black-and-white television was a bit too bright for color telecasts. When WGN began to do Black Hawks games in color in the later '60s (or was it early '70s?) , they had to get the crew to put more bluing in the mixture to reduce the glare.

 

[Killion]

Very informative, thanks. The more I look at them the shadows give the shots so much drama, there are even shadows of the players and officials on the plain white boards.

There are NHL arenas now who have gone to 'theater style' lighting, where the lighting has been reduced/darkened in the seating area - I'd like to compare still photos from games in those rinks to those from standard lit buildings.

Thats interesting, I'd not heard of that (theater style lighting) being used. Obviously they couldnt shutter down the lighting by much though as youve got a situation whereby stairwells are steep in the lower & upper bowls, so perhaps recessed lighting in the steps is included? I would think insurers rather concerned about the publics safety no?... Then again, higher premiums, the clubs can jack up ticket prices yet again, entirely plausible; "much better in-game experience see" & therefore acceptable yes?.... Also, an amusing story about Harold Ballard & Ralph Mellanby (then the Executive Director of Hockey Night in Canada) from the 60's when all of the NHL arenas had to upgrade their lighting to accommodate color broadcasts. Costly, and Ballard refused to pay for it at Maple Leaf Gardens, insisting instead that Hockey Night in Canada cover it. Well, Mellanby wasnt going to buck up & it was league mandated for goodness sakes. So one Saturday night just minutes before puck drop, Ballard confronts Mellanby in the Broadcast Suite ordering him to pay for the lighting upgrades "or else".... Or else what?.... Well, Ballard grabs a fire-ax off the wall & pointing at an octopuses garden of heavy duty cabling on the floor threatens to start swingin. Nevermind that he wouldve been electrocuted, turned into carbon right on the spot & I wish Mellanby had told him to just "g'head, let er rip Harold" & saved us all some 25yrs of grief that followed but no, he caved, agreed to find the $$$ for the upgrades.

 

[ICM1970]

I can remember reading somewhere that one occasion, Conn Smythe spotted a gentleman who showed up wearing a windbreaker (and not wearing a tie) and as a result sent him a reminder concerning the policy for men sitting in the lower seating areas of the Gardens. What annoys me a little is nowadays it seems that you just have to show up with your hair and face painted in addition to wearing the jersey and sweatpants (does not mean that we ought to go back to the Connie Smythe era, lol).

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Thats interesting, I'd not heard of that (theater style lighting) being used. Obviously they couldnt shutter down the lighting by much though as youve got a situation whereby stairwells are steep in the lower & upper bowls, so perhaps recessed lighting in the steps is included? I would think insurers rather concerned about the publics safety no?... Then again, higher premiums, the clubs can jack up ticket prices yet again, entirely plausible; "much better in-game experience see" & therefore acceptable yes?.... Also, an amusing story about Harold Ballard & Ralph Mellanby (then the Executive Director of Hockey Night in Canada) from the 60's when all of the NHL arenas had to upgrade their lighting to accommodate color broadcasts. Costly, and Ballard refused to pay for it at Maple Leaf Gardens, insisting instead that Hockey Night in Canada cover it. Well, Mellanby wasnt going to buck up & it was league mandated for goodness sakes. So one Saturday night just minutes before puck drop, Ballard confronts Mellanby in the Broadcast Suite ordering him to pay for the lighting upgrades "or else".... Or else what?.... Well, Ballard grabs a fire-ax off the wall & pointing at an octopuses garden of heavy duty cabling on the floor threatens to start swingin. Nevermind that he wouldve been electrocuted, turned into carbon right on the spot & I wish Mellanby had told him to just "g'head, let er rip Harold" & saved us all some 25yrs of grief that followed but no, he caved, agreed to find the $$$ for the upgrades.

Here's what I was referring to, and now I see that Staples Center has the lighting I do remember it was the Kings I read that were using it.

"The Nets lights are different: Six flying trusses, suspended 75 feet above the court, will house 468 tungsten-halogen fixtures that will beam a warm glow squarely onto the court. Karen Goldstick, the principal at White Plains-based Goldstick Lighting Design, which was in charge of the project, said the effect is that the playing surface will pop like a stage—"theater-like," she said—and the rest of the arena will go dark. "You'll notice a big difference in color," said Goldstick, who also works as the NBA's official venue lighting consultant.

The halogen system is unique to Barclays and Staples Center, where the Los Angeles Lakers play their home games. After Staples Center introduced the lights as a temporary feature at the 2004 NBA All-Star Game, the Lakers liked them so much that they decided to keep them, Goldstick said."

 

[AustonsNostrils]

found a thread on here about it

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1957027

 

[Killion]

I can remember reading somewhere that one occasion, Conn Smythe spotted a gentleman who showed up wearing a windbreaker (and not wearing a tie) and as a result sent him a reminder concerning the policy for men sitting in the lower seating areas of the Gardens. What annoys me a little is nowadays it seems that you just have to show up with your hair and face painted in addition to wearing the jersey and sweatpants (does not mean that we ought to go back to the Connie Smythe era, lol).

Oh yeah... he'd patrol around at ice level in his spats & white fedora scanning the Reds (before Ballard converted a lot of those seats to "Golds") & Blues (2 rungs of lower bowl at Maple Leaf Gardens) looking for "Dress Code Violators". Dress Code being a shirt, a tie, a sportjacket or suit, preferably a hat & if female, a dress. Anyone not up to his standards would receive a letter reminding them of the Dress Code &... that failure to comply in the future could well result in "your loss of Seasons Tickets".... It wasnt just Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto of old, restaurants, even bars, theaters etc, Dress Code in effect. Many establishments keeping a stock of ties for men who failed to show-up wearing one or if no "tie rental" available well guess what? You could just take your business elsewhere.... Montreal also had a lot of "tradition" of that sort. Men would go to the same Barber as Maurice Richard on game day or their own, getting the same cut, have the same meal as maybe Jean Beliveau at home or go to the same restaurant each week, absolutely spotless in suit & tie for a game at the Forum. Back in the day, particularly in Montreal & Toronto going to a game at the Forum or the Gardens contained, was approached with the same kind of stoic sense of respect as going to a Church on Christmas Eve or a Synagogue during Passover. It was a "very special event".

 

[alko]

I can remember reading somewhere that one occasion, Conn Smythe spotted a gentleman who showed up wearing a windbreaker (and not wearing a tie) and as a result sent him a reminder concerning the policy for men sitting in the lower seating areas of the Gardens. What annoys me a little is nowadays it seems that you just have to show up with your hair and face painted in addition to wearing the jersey and sweatpants (does not mean that we ought to go back to the Connie Smythe era, lol).

Or this. And you are the coolest fan of all.

Just curious. When was the first time, that someone came to rink with paper bag?

 

[Killion]

Or this. And you are the coolest fan of all.

Just curious. When was the first time, that someone came to rink with paper bag?

Late 1978/79 Season if Im not mistaken, its origins in Harold Ballards indelicate & idiotic firing of Roger Neilson not to Rogers face mind you but to a TV interviewer after a loss. So Neilson asked GM Jim Gregory if this was true, that he'd been fired, and Gregory told him "ya, your done". Next morning, Neilson goes to the Gardens & starts packing up his office, Reporters hovering around, no Ballard, no Gregory to explain themselves and apparently no one to replace Neilson.... game a couple of days later.... So Ballard then re-hires Neilson and seriously, beyond bizarrely, asks Neilson to wear a paper bag over his head behind the bench, "No Name Coach"... that way, no one would know who it was and Harold looking like a genius... fires Neilson but this new guy with No Name & No Face, brilliant Coach. Doesnt matter who's behind the bench, its all about Harold see, his team, he's really the one responsible for their surge of the last couple of seasons... This all leaked to the press of course, the Fans having a Hay Day with it ever since.... Unfortunately for the Leafs & their long suffering fans Neilson was Fired for real later that season. Sad really. In his 1st year of 77/78 he Coached the team to the Conference Finals. Was building a decent team. But no one, not ever was going to outshine Harold Ballard as "Star" of the Toronto Maple Leafs. No player, no Coach, no one. All about Harold.

 

[LeBlondeDemon10]

Late 1978/79 Season if Im not mistaken, its origins in Harold Ballards indelicate & idiotic firing of Roger Neilson not to Rogers face mind you but to a TV interviewer after a loss. So Neilson asked GM Jim Gregory if this was true, that he'd been fired, and Gregory told him "ya, your done". Next morning, Neilson goes to the Gardens & starts packing up his office, Reporters hovering around, no Ballard, no Gregory to explain themselves and apparently no one to replace Neilson.... game a couple of days later.... So Ballard then re-hires Neilson and seriously, beyond bizarrely, asks Neilson to wear a paper bag over his head behind the bench, "No Name Coach"... that way, no one would know who it was and Harold looking like a genius... fires Neilson but this new guy with No Name & No Face, brilliant Coach. Doesnt matter who's behind the bench, its all about Harold see, his team, he's really the one responsible for their surge of the last couple of seasons... This all leaked to the press of course, the Fans having a Hay Day with it ever since.... Unfortunately for the Leafs & their long suffering fans Neilson was Fired for real later that season. Sad really. In his 1st year of 77/78 he Coached the team to the Conference Finals. Was building a decent team. But no one, not ever was going to outshine Harold Ballard as "Star" of the Toronto Maple Leafs. No player, no Coach, no one. All about Harold.

Not sure if this has a connection, but during this era "The Gong Show" was a very popular program and one of their staples was the "Unknown Comic", a guy who came out in a paper bag covering his face.

 

[Killion]

Not sure if this has a connection, but during this era "The Gong Show" was a very popular program and one of their staples was the "Unknown Comic", a guy who came out in a paper bag covering his face.

... indeed, I'd forgotten about that. Ran from 76/79 so yes, very likely the inspiration for Ballards idiocy, pretty good indication as to his viewing habits, total lack of cultural sophistication.... as an aside & as your probably aware the host & creator of that show Chuck Barris wrote a fanciful autobiography called Confessions of a Dangerous Mind... wherein he "claimed" he'd been a CIA Assassin during the 60's & 70's "in addition to" being a schlocky television producer, creating such shows as The Dating Game etc.... Of course the CIA totally denied it, absolute nonsense... made into a movie starring George Clooney some years back.

 

[alko]

... So Ballard then re-hires Neilson and seriously, beyond bizarrely, asks Neilson to wear a paper bag over his head behind the bench, "No Name Coach"... that way, no one would know who it was and Harold looking like a genius... ..

common, that cant be true.

 

[Killion]

common, that cant be true.

... completely true alko, not a word of a lie. Ballard. Real piece of work was Harold.

 

[alko]

... completely true alko, not a word of a lie. Ballard. Real piece of work was Harold.

Ok, in WWF (World Wrestling Federation, now WWE), it could be. But in ice hockey? And in the best world league?

 

[Killion]

Ok, in WWF (World Wrestling Federation, now WWE), it could be. But in ice hockey? And in the best world league?

Completely Off Topic for this thread alko however yes, yes it did happen & far far stranger happenings, events & activities even more bizarre than the Paper Bag Episode. Probably the only NHL owner who comes even remotely close to Harold Ballard in the entire history of the NHL in terms of full-on-crazy would be Major Frederic McLaughlin, founder of the Chicago Blackhawks who went through something like 13 Coaches in his 18yrs of ownership however he did manage to win 2 Stanley Cups during that period. McLaughlin was essentially just an eccentric and unlike Ballard didnt have a malicious streak in him a mile wide, wasnt an egoist to anywhere near the extent were talking here. And it goes way way waaaaay back. Harold, very strange childhood, youth, early adulthood, middle age, life really... in 1928 for example, Ballard was the "Manager" of the Canadian Teams entry in Hockey at the Olympics and somehow "managed" to appoint... himself... Harold Ballard rather than a player or any other number of you know, "real athletes" to carry the flag at the opening ceremonies. Harold Ballard Olympics. Star of the Games see?... in 1933, as "Manager" of the Toronto National Sea Fleas Hockey Team (Sr's) he embarks upon a drunken, debauched tour of Europe (arrested & jailed in Paris, trouble at borders etc), appoints himself "Coach" of the Sea Fleas & where for the first time ever Canada loses in the World Championships... All kindza krazy going on long before he got his hands on the Leafs in 72/73.... from behind bars btw having been convicted of dozens upon dozens of charges of fraud & theft (along with tax evasion) from Maple Leaf Gardens.