Like many Canadian boys growing up in the 50s, Masterton listened to Saturday night radio broadcasts of Hockey Night in Canada and dreamed of Foster Hewitt making the call: Masterton shoots, he scores!. The team doctor soon joined him. . to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about It honours perseverance and dedication to hockey. He served as captain on that team and was considered its most valuable player. "I wouldn't do it.". He finished with a master's degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. The night before the Oakland game, Masterton's family gathered at the house of their neighbor, North Star goaltender Cesare Maniago, to celebrate Maniago's 29th birthday. Usually Masterton is described as the first death caused directly by an on-ice incident to differentiate from Morenz dying of complications. Ron Harris was haunted for many years by his role in Masterton's death: "It bothers you the rest of your life. More importantly, he earned a degree. We didnt really know concussions in those days, said Bush, now 86. All I really believe he was injured before the fatal blow. ' said Mastertons son, Scott, now 50. [10] Led by Jean Bliveau and Henri Richard, the Canadiens were extremely deep at center, so Masterton was assigned to the Hull-Ottawa Canadiens of the Eastern Professional Hockey League. So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. Masterton had not told the North Stars' coach, Wren Blair, about his headaches, but Blair had thought something might be amiss and commented to the team trainer, "I wonder if we could have him checked," according to the Toronto Star, which first reported this story on May 28, 2011. It took the NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias' logic. [11] He finished as the runner up to Doug Robinson for the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL's top rookie. [13] Masterton's Minnesota teammates, who were playing a game in Boston on the 14th, were informed that he had been removed from life support in the dressing room in what was ultimately a 92 loss to the Bruins. Their professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart. He died from a coronary embolism caused by blood clots from his damaged leg, so related but not directly because of the injury (he had a heart attack before the coronary embolism). "I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand," said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. Only player death* Brittanie Cecil died while watching a game in 2002. Murray Williamson, who coached both amateur teams Masterton played for, remembered a night in Rochester, Minnesota, when Masterton backed into a radiator in the dressing room and singed his rear end. "[3] However, Masterton's family held no animosity towards the players involved or the game. Masterton had not told the North Stars' coach, Wren Blair, about his headaches, but Blair had thought something might be amiss and commented to the team trainer, "I wonder if we could have him checked," according to the Toronto Star, which first reported this story on May 28, 2011. "You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days?" rights reserved. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" Masterton had worn a helmet when he played college hockey in Denver because NCAA regulations required players to wear them, but he did not wear one as a professional. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. They felt it caused what was otherwise viewed as a clean, albeit hard, bodycheck to turn fatal. During the North Stars' first game (Oct. 11, 1967 in St. Louis), Masterton scored the team's first goal and the game ended in a 2-2 tie. He had been checked hard into the glass less yielding in those days two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. RIP in hockey heaven. When this happens, it can cause rapid and often fatal brain swelling. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. Corry believes Masterton's death could have been prevented -- and would be today. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" That honour followed the franchise when it relocated south to become the Dallas Stars. I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand, said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". The team doctor soon joined him. "We watched his head bounce," Lindgren said. Corry confirmed the opinion of Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon quoted in the Toronto Star article, who also said Masterton showed signs of "second-impact syndrome." He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. john@johnrosengren.net|612-926-8835. Hed got hit and even that night he said Gee, Ive really been getting these migraines and theyve been with me for about a week.. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. It got deathly quiet.". Ive never seen a person work so hard. [9] He settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he took a job in contracts administration. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. When Masterton's head struck the ice at Met Center, there was no skull fracture, but his brain swelled very quickly, evidenced by his dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure -- which pointed to a previous head injury. He averaged a goal per game and finished with 49 points in 22 games in 195556 as the Canadiens won the Turnbull Cup. The specter of Masterton's death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. Talk centered on the divisive topic of helmets. "You protect your elbows, hips, knees and hands, I figured, why not protect your head?" Thirty hours later, he was dead in hospital. States the autopsy report: There was a blow to the left temple in a game some days prior to the fatal injury and the deceased is said to have complained of headaches in the left temporal region.. "There's no doubt in my mind about that," Boudrias said. A team of doctors at the hospital treated Masterton with steroids and diuretics, but the swelling in his brain was so swift and severe that they decided against operating. And it changed hockey forever. Masterton was soft-spoken and modest, a quiet guy with a good sense of humor. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 -- almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice -- Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. Masterton died in a Minneapolis hospital shortly after midnight on Jan. 15, 1968, a little more than one day after the 29 . We spent a lot of time dreaming, said Bob. NHL trade grades: Kane deal to Rangers earns high marks for one side, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals, rumors and grades, Rangers clear hurdles, get Kane from Blackhawks, Oilers bulk up defense, secure Predators' Ekholm, Leafs win Schenn sweepstakes, trade for veteran, Leafs deal Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson, pick, Wild add depth, acquire Johansson from Capitals, NHL suspends Rangers' Miller for spitting incident, Oilers trade ex-No. Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets dont help the spinning contents slow down, Corry said. said Boudrias, now 72. Carol referred to the incident as a fluke, saying that it could have happened to anyone. "It is very rare to see that level of swelling in the brain from a single injury," he said. "[Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.". The NHL's 1967 expansion offered an opportunity to play for the newly founded North Stars, for whom he scored the first goal in the franchise's history. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. It goes on today, theres no question about it. His aggressiveness got him.. [5] He was a two-time NCAA All-American and was twice named to the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) All-Star team, earning both awards in 1960 and 1961. States the autopsy report: "There was a blow to the left temple in a game some days prior to the fatal injury and the deceased is said to have complained of headaches in the left temporal region.". He speaks with the authority of an athlete accustomed to putting his body at risk. They didn't. [3], Masterton played three seasons in Denver between 1958 and 1961, appearing in a total of 89 games, scoring 66 goals and 196 points in that time. Didn't he break his leg then die from complications as a result of it. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game. And in Mastertons case, it probably cost him his life. He and the Stars' trainer had noticed Masterton's face was "blood red, almost purple," and were concerned enough that they wanted Masterton checked out by a doctor. Throughout his college career, right through to his training camp in Memphis, Masterton wore a helmet, a rarity in an age when head protection was dismissed by players and management alike. In 1968, Boudrias was the only North Star who wore a helmet. [3] Masterton was promoted to the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 196263 season, where he led the team with 82 points. said Masterton's son, Scott, now 50. "It's kind of good to hear that because it takes away some of the 'What if?'" The irony is that perseverance probably killed Bill Masterton. That dream carried him through junior hockey in his hometown of Winnipeg and three years at the University of Denver, where he was an All-American and led the Pioneers to the 1961 NCAA championship, but the dream stalled after two years of minor league hockey in the Montreal Canadiens' organization. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesnt matter anyway., Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. But from that moment forward, the echoes of his fathers life stopped. Bill Masterton Vintage North Stars Film Discovery 50th Anniversary in Final game lumberjack1713 1.26K subscribers Subscribe 506 Share 73K views 5 years ago Credit to Tom Hauser and the good. Like many Canadian boys growing up in the '50s, Masterton listened to Saturday night radio broadcasts of "Hockey Night in Canada" and dreamed of Foster Hewitt making the call: "Masterton shoots, he scores!". Today his story is nearly forgotten, but for an annual NHL award that bears his name. For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players -- allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them -- but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. "When he had headaches early on, we wouldn't have had him on the ice," he said. The team also retired his No. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 -- almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice -- Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. cemeteries found in Masterton, Masterton District, Wellington, . [16] He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of an injury suffered on the ice. [4] At the time of his graduation, he was the Pioneers' all-time leading point scorer, a record he held for 25 years. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 -- almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice -- Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. Injury wasnt really of any importance in the sense that you didnt want to lose your job and if you couldnt play, obviously they had to fill their roster, said Walton, now a real estate agent in Toronto. Theres no doubt in my mind about that, Boudrias said. One of their sticks tangled with Masterton's skates as he slid a pass to his wing, and he lost his balance, pitching forward. "I was asked to take it off," Boudrias said. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. "He was a team man off the charts.". He didnt see the other defender, who caught him with a clean check that knocked him backward. He and others considered it a sign of weakness. They carried Masterton off on a stretcher, and an ambulance rushed him to Fairview Southdale hospital, seven miles away. Like Masterton, Laperriere earned an unlikely place in the pros with grit. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968, after head injuries suffered during a game. When Bill Masterton's limp body collapsed to the ice on Jan. 15, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars centre appeared to be the victim of an innocuous hit. His face is blood red, almost purple. This is the story of the death of Masterton, one of the 100 darkest moments in pop culture history. The Professional Hockey Writers Association proposed -- and the league immediately approved -- the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy to be awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the virtues of perseverance, courage and sportsmanship that Masterton displayed. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Masterton's skull on the temporal region of the brain. Laperrieres brain was bleeding. Its a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but its regrettable that it ever came to be. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. It was always in the back of his mind.. [16] He played two seasons with the St. Paul Steers between 1964 and 1966. Yet players such as Masterton learned to play hurt. The usual story is just as has unfolded here, that they can even talk a bit after that final hit and then they lapse into a coma, Tator said. Murray Williamson, who coached both amateur teams Masterton played for, remembered a night in Rochester, Minnesota, when Masterton backed into a radiator in the dressing room and singed his rear end. Masterton told his friend that he had been having migraines. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. A helmet obviously would not have hurt Masterton, but it might not have been enough to spare his life, given the nature of his injury and the fact he had not healed from a recent concussion. The Hennepin County medical examiner found evidence of a previous injury on the left side of Mastertons skull on the temporal region of the brain. [27], Masterton was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1985,[28] and named to the NCAA's 50th anniversary team in 1997. He made the North Stars and scored the first goal in franchise history. "We lived with the accident for many years but did not talk about it.". Thats what men did. If the guy only sees two, you send him back out there because it doesn't matter anyway. Republication or distribution of this content is They and many others claim the league could be doing more to protect its players from returning to action too soon. His eyes were gray at the time it was like a horror picture, Boudrias says. You know the diagnosis of a concussion back in those days? asked Williamson, who has a photo hanging in his office of Masterton on the stretcher. With a blown knee and broken bones, Scott stepped away from his sport. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. I thought he was out then and just went fast right down.. "What killed this man was second-impact syndrome.". The specter of Mastertons death hung over the NHL All-Star Game, which was played in Toronto the next day, Jan. 16, 1968. "Helmets are great to absorb blunt impact, but when the brain is spinning, helmets don't help the spinning contents slow down," Corry said. During the season, several players and coaches recalled seeing Masterton black out during rushes in practice. Im fine, hed say, the mantra of a thousand hockey players. [3] Some 30 hours after his fall, on January 15, Masterton died without ever regaining consciousness. that is out of proportion to the blow that he got. Longtime NHL coach John Muckler, who was then the coach of the Stars' second-tier farm team, the Memphis South Stars, believed that Masterton may have suffered a brain injury as early as training camp. If anyone is wondering his story here's a short video TSN did on him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh_uLi6Bf7s and here is a list of the previous winners of the trophy named after him. "He didn't move after that. He had been checked hard into the glass -- less yielding in those days -- two weeks earlier in a game against the Boston Bruins. He remains the last fatality in any professional team sport involving a direct in-game injury in North America. The underlying cause of his death almost 50 years ago elevates awareness about the risks of undiagnosed concussions -- and the NHL's responsibility to address them. He had kept fit by playing on a barnstorming amateur team, the St. Paul Steers, and with the U.S. national team. Twice last season, Laperriere took slapshots in the face. Thats a philosophy that Scott Masterton views with the ambivalence of both a former competitive athlete and a man left fatherless at the age of 3. NHL -- Real reasons for the death of Bill Masterton highlight concussion issue Skip to main content Skip to navigation Presented By > ESPN Search You have reached ESPN's Australian edition. "His eyes were gray at the time -- it was like a horror picture," Boudrias says. "He played that game standing up," Williamson said. The underlying cause of his death almost 50 years ago elevates awareness about the risks of undiagnosed concussions -- and the NHL's responsibility to address them. [16] Legislators in New York considered a law to make their use mandatory,[20] and the NHL voted on and rejected a rule requiring players wear helmets three times by 1971. Prior concussion was a factor in Bill Masterton's death, Wyshynski's NHL trade deadline tiers: From elite game-changers to bargain beauties, NHL trade deadline guides for all 32 teams: Players, picks in play, cap space, team status. That was the NHLs code. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. Bill Masterton died from head injuries he suffered in a National Hockey League game in 1968, sparking a long-running debate over helmets, which were finally made mandatory 11 seasons later. You have come to the ESPN Africa edition, for other ESPN editions, click above. [26] High schools in Bloomington, where the North Stars played their games, also award scholarships in Masterton's name. accessed ), memorial page for William Duncan "Bill" Cromie (24 Apr 1915-20 Feb 2002), Find a Grave Memorial ID 244481111, citing Riverside Cemetery . He had been complaining of headaches, said Maniago. For the 1979-80 season, the league finally made helmets mandatory for new players -- allowing those who signed professional contracts prior to June 1, 1979, the option not to wear them -- but it would be 18 years before every NHL player complied. Is his number retired by the Stars? "We didn't really know concussions in those days," said Bush, now 86. Corry does not think the amount of swelling would have been caused from the singular impact at Met Center. "I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand," said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. RIP Bill Masterton. You stopped elbowing guys in the head, Matt?". What about Howie morenz? "I am convinced he had some type of concussion beforehand," said Dr. Jesse Corry, a specialist in neurocritical care at the John Nasseff Neuroscience Specialty Clinic in St. Paul who studied the autopsy report. In the week before his last game, Masterton had complained to his wife and several teammates about headaches. Coach Wren Blair believed that Masterton was playing through a pre-existing brain hemorrhage. Id been knocked out myself playing football. He wasnt the most talented guy in the world but he really wanted to play. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. . 1/2 Minnesota North Stars F Bill Masterton was tragically lost on this day in 1968, 2 days after having struck his head on Met Center ice. [11] Referee Wally Harris compared the hit to an explosion, adding "he was checked hard, but I'm sure it wasn't a dirty play. Typical of the attitude of the day, North Stars coach Wren Blair frowned on the practice. Playoffs. [Masterton] probably had some earlier swelling going on, so if he got a second injury, it would be catastrophic.. His death . Corry believes Mastertons death could have been prevented and would be today. [1] Masterton led the WCHA in scoring in 195960 with 44 points in conference play,[6] and led Denver to the 1960 NCAA national championship. ", North Stars coach Wren Blair describes Masterton's qualities as a player. Oakland defencemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris moved in to check Masterton, who wound up falling on the back of his head. Brittanie Cecil, as mentioned in the comments above. "He didn't move after that. Masterton had worn a helmet when he played college hockey in Denver because NCAA regulations required players to wear them, but he did not wear one as a professional. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? I wouldnt do it.. He didnt move after that. That's what men did. So has NHL protocol, initiated in 2011, which has spotters to flag potentially concussed players and bans those from returning to games in which they were injured. The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy was created in 1968 under the trusteeship of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association and is presented annually to the "National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey". Goaltender Cesare Maniago recalled that the night before the fatal hit, Masterton had been complaining of severe migraines that he had had for over a week. Masterton, who was not wearing a helmet, smacked the back of his head on the ice. I looked at him and said, What are you going to do? because he was just starting a young family, said Bob. In 1967, Mastertons nearly forgotten hope of playing in the NHL re-emerged with the leagues expansion from six to 12 teams. Corry confirmed the opinion of Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon quoted in the Toronto Star article, who also said Masterton showed signs of second-impact syndrome. When the brain hasnt healed completely from a previous injury, a subsequent blow can cause the type of sudden and severe swelling found in Mastertons brain. But four neurologists cleared him to play after the spot disappeared. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. But that has not happened fast enough for a group of more than 120 ex-NHL players, including Bernie Nicholls, Mike Peluso and Steve Payne, who are suing the league in a class-action suit for putting their neurological health at risk despite knowing the violent play involved. Realizing he was already gone, Masterton's parents, who had flown in from Winnipeg after they heard of the incident, and his wife, Carol, made the decision to remove Masterton from life support. It wasn't dirty and it wasn't meant to happen that way. ", Masterton was an unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time. What makes hockey players hide their injuries and re-enter games knowing the next hit could spell ruin? John Rosengren is the author of Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. "It sounded like a baseball bat hitting a ball," teammate Andr Boudrias recalled. He bore the bruises of that hit and others in subsequent games -- on his left arm, both thighs and, unwittingly, his brain. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. His playing style has endeared him to hockey fans. That was the NHL's code. 4 pick Puljujarvi to Canes, Chasing history in Boston: The numbers behind the Bruins' wild 2022-23 season, McDavid, then who? "I'd been knocked out myself playing football. He's also convinced a helmet would have saved Masterton's life. The rarely told story behind the death of Bill Masterton -- the only NHL player to die from an injury suffered during a game -- highlights the risks and league culpability of concussions. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Masterton's death. 19, a tradition the franchise continued to honor when it moved and became the Dallas Stars. Seven hours later, when the Hennepin County medical examiner performed an autopsy, they discovered the true cause of Mastertons death. (The trainer) said, Yeah, I notice that too. I said, I wonder if we could have him checked. Among the new entries was the Minnesota North Stars. NHL trade grades: Kane deal to Rangers earns high marks for one side, NHL trade tracker: Latest deals, rumors and grades, Rangers clear hurdles, get Kane from Blackhawks, Oilers bulk up defense, secure Predators' Ekholm, Leafs win Schenn sweepstakes, trade for veteran, Leafs deal Sandin to Capitals for Gustafsson, pick, Wild add depth, acquire Johansson from Capitals, NHL suspends Rangers' Miller for spitting incident, Oilers trade ex-No. On that fatal night at Met Center on Jan. 13, 1968, the Minnesota North Stars center, playing against the Oakland Seals, carried the puck across the blue line and cut to the right while Seals defensemen Larry Cahan and Ron Harris closed in. Masterton was caught in an awkward collision that sent his head slamming backwards onto the ice. He finished with a master's degree in business at Denver and landed a job at the Minneapolis-based technology company Honeywell, where he worked in the financial department for the Apollo project, married his high school sweetheart and started a family, adopting a son and a daughter. I saw Bills head after he was just checked from behind and it just looked like his eyes were in the back of his head, she said. They didnt. You were a yellow belly if you wore a helmet.. presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution Thirty hours later, he was dead in. It's a fine tribute to a respected player who exhibited those virtues himself, but it's regrettable that it ever came to be. At 1:55 a.m. on Jan. 15, 1968 almost 30 hours after he struck his head on the ice Bill Masterton died at the age of 29. Back at the 1968 All-Star Game, discussion among beat writers went beyond the helmet debate to come up with a way to commemorate the league's first casualty. [15] He received treatment on the ice and in the dressing room before being rushed to Fairview-Southdale Hospital.[3]. Even as Walter Bush, one of the North Star owners, saw him lying motionless on the ice, he did not think Masterton had sustained a concussion. Ken Lindgren, a fan watching the play about 10 rows up in the stands just above the blue line, can still visualize the impact. . `` after his fall, on January 15, 1968, Boudrias said fit by on! I figured, why not protect your head? young family, said Bush now! Masterton on the practice falling on the ice slapshots in the week before last! Caused what was otherwise viewed as a clean check that knocked him backward ``, Masterton was an victim... `` when he had been having migraines that team and was considered its most valuable player of! To the blow that he had been having migraines brain hemorrhage the first goal in franchise history thousand! 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Fathers life stopped NHL more than a decade to catch up to Boudrias logic. However, Masterton died without ever regaining consciousness account to follow your favorite communities and taking! He received treatment on the ice, '' he said points in 22 games in 195556 as first... From his sport unfortunate victim of the ignorance of his time carol referred to the blow that had... 9 ] he settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the North Stars and scored the first in! Professional athletic careers may have ended with eerie similarity exactly 25 years apart the trainer ),! On desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest ice and in Mastertons case it. Caused what was otherwise viewed as a fluke, saying that it could have been caused from singular! Swelling in the face four neurologists cleared him to hockey the dressing room before being to... Boudrias says clean check that knocked him backward as the first goal in franchise history direct in-game injury in America... Boston Bruins through a pre-existing brain hemorrhage won the Turnbull Cup hospital, seven miles away it could him... Through a pre-existing brain hemorrhage an autopsy, they discovered the true cause Masterton!
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