Gerry McNeil: Goaltender Under Pressure
Highlights
- Gerry McNeil, whose short but remarkable career was wedged between two Hall of Fame Canadiens goalies (Bill Durnan and Jacques Plante), provides unique perspective on the great players from 1943-54 era: (NHL: Richard, Howe, Harvey, Henry, Lach; QSHL: Demers, Orlando, and Carnegie). - intimate, personal account of how hockey shaped McNeil’s early life and how the sport developed into the cultural spectacle it is now; avoids the dull year-by-year statistical surveys that mark most sport biographies; speaks to the concern of Neate Sager who wrote that the “standard sports bio form may seem well worn, but it might only need refurbishing” (see “The anti-sports book,” Sept. 2006 Q&Q). - first critical study in what might be called the history of hockey photography, or more generally, the spectacle of modern sport; all the major hockey photographers from McNeil’s era are represented (Roger St.-Jean, David Bier, Nat and Lou Turofsky, Harold Barkley, James “Scotty” Kilpatrick, Hy Peskin) with over 30 high-resolution prints (only web-previews shown in ms description); includes references to many of the famous images in sports from the past half century (e.g., Neil Leifer’s classic shot of Ali/Liston). - tracks the importance of sport photography in modern magazines and film; SI, launched in 1954, was based on the success of Sport (see cover illustration); refers to Biname’s 2005 film The Rocket, which built scenes around some of St–Jean’s well-known photos. - based largely on contemporary sports writing (Elmer Ferguson, et al) and contains proper reference documentation (notes, index) which will make the book useful to hockey writers and researchers for years to come. - will be accompanied by multi-media DVD (contemporary footage and personal films). - is dedicated to all the players who are not in the Hall of Fame; the relative obscurity of Gerry McNeil is exactly what will attract readers to his story and make this book special. Return to Goaltender Under Pressure - Manuscript Description
- Gerry McNeil, whose short but remarkable career was wedged between two Hall of Fame Canadiens goalies (Bill Durnan and Jacques Plante), provides unique perspective on the great players from 1943-54 era: (NHL: Richard, Howe, Harvey, Henry, Lach; QSHL: Demers, Orlando, and Carnegie).
- intimate, personal account of how hockey shaped McNeil’s early life and how the sport developed into the cultural spectacle it is now; avoids the dull year-by-year statistical surveys that mark most sport biographies; speaks to the concern of Neate Sager who wrote that the “standard sports bio form may seem well worn, but it might only need refurbishing” (see “The anti-sports book,” Sept. 2006 Q&Q).
- first critical study in what might be called the history of hockey photography, or more generally, the spectacle of modern sport; all the major hockey photographers from McNeil’s era are represented (Roger St.-Jean, David Bier, Nat and Lou Turofsky, Harold Barkley, James “Scotty” Kilpatrick, Hy Peskin) with over 30 high-resolution prints (only web-previews shown in ms description); includes references to many of the famous images in sports from the past half century (e.g., Neil Leifer’s classic shot of Ali/Liston).
- tracks the importance of sport photography in modern magazines and film; SI, launched in 1954, was based on the success of Sport (see cover illustration); refers to Biname’s 2005 film The Rocket, which built scenes around some of St–Jean’s well-known photos.
- based largely on contemporary sports writing (Elmer Ferguson, et al) and contains proper reference documentation (notes, index) which will make the book useful to hockey writers and researchers for years to come.
- will be accompanied by multi-media DVD (contemporary footage and personal films).
- is dedicated to all the players who are not in the Hall of Fame; the relative obscurity of Gerry McNeil is exactly what will attract readers to his story and make this book special.