Word: bigs
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1940-1949
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...more advanced batting practice, Dodgertown had three mechanical pitching machines, supposed to throw the ball at just the desired speed and-over & over again-at just the right spot. The Dodgers called one "The Bazooka," another "Iron Mike," the third "Overhand Joe." Last week Rickey introduced still another gadget-"Big Inch," a gravity-feed pipeline into which outfielders tossed the ball after shagging long flies. "Big Inch" conducted the balls to a box near the batting cage, prevented a hail of return throws and saved the outfielder's arm for the throwing practice that would come later...
...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...
...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...
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...