Hockey History Quiz #2 - The Origins Of The Penalty Shot

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Forever maligned, the ice arbiters, or officials, have the ignominy of punishing players who commit infractions and are the sentinels who enforce the golden rules of hockey. Usually to the displeasure of patrons, rendering them as the ever yielding pin cushions of hockey.

The job of recognizing and assessing penalties is often analogized to reading the text off the side of a speeding train from five feet away. And by large the profession has remained the same since hockey was in it's infancy. For the most part.

Before officials ever wore stripes and since the first ice judges used cowbells to signify penalties and stoppages (whistles would freeze to the lips of early officials) penalties have been modified and molded countless times to fit the modern game.

Perhaps Bill Chadwick is the most notable official to ever roam the ice. In the 1940's he began using hand signals and gestures to describe an infraction during play. He would mime a tomahawk like action with his hands to indicate a tripping foul, or illustrate a high stick minor by grasping the invisible shaft of a hockey stick.

Many fans found this to be a grandstanding gimmick used to garner undue attention, but most fans thought this helped them understand the game better. By 1948 Mr. Chadwick's eccentric hand signals were accepted into law and have become an integral part of hockey and a prerequisite for officials.

Back when a goal judge was a spectator forced to stand behind the net armed with a flag in hand to signify a goal, all minor penalties were five minutes in duration. By 1916 minor penalties were reduced to only three minutes - and the offender was sentenced for the entire length of the penalty. No matter how many times the opposition scored.

And new types of penalties started being created out of necessity - much the way a "Caution Slippery When Wet" sign was invented after a customer lost their footing in the produce isle at a grocery store.

During a contest between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Rangers one night at the hallowed Forum in 1955 a fan found his way onto the catwalk of the rafters and dropped several pucks onto the ice during play, causing mass confusion for all present.

Following that game the seldom called "Illegal Puck" rule was instated into the game of hockey.

Another rare penalty now inked into the rule books regards the physical abuse of officials - created out of necessity as well.

Prior to 1937 there was no rule in place to prevent players and even coaches from physically brutalizing officials.

After Bruins captain Dit Clapper was given a high sticking minor in the quarter final series between the Bruins and Canadiens in 1937, Clapper proceeded to punch official Clarance Campbell right in the kisser.

In the next NHL campaign legislation was enacted to give any player who physically or verbally abuses an official a mandatory 10 minute misconduct penalty.

Few if any other penalties in the game of hockey are celebrated like the penalty shot. The nerve racking procedure captures every ones attention as the only two players on the ice face each other in what many consider to be the most exhilarating play in hockey.

As the first original rule from 1934 states: "Any player obstructed from traversing to the goal from behind with no other members from the opposing team in front besides the goalie shall be awarded a penalty shot". And in fact, the offender was required to serve a minor penalty too, even if the shooter scored on his attempt.

Many fans today are accustomed with the conventional protocol for a penalty shot: The official will have the public address announcer designate the player selected as the shooter, place a puck at the face off dot at center ice, and the shooter will skate into the attacking zone then attempt to score on the goalie without stopping. The goalie may not exit the goal crease until the player has control of the puck, and the skater is given one single shot to score.

Not many fans know that Ralph Bowman of the St. Louis Eagles was the first player to score a penalty shot goal.

But even fewer fans know the origins of the first type of penalty shot, and its protocol.

So, the question is, venerable hockey fans, what is the *1st method or protocol for the penalty shot?

The answer will be divulged one week from today.

[TruePensFan1981]

The original method of shooting a penalty shot was to take a slap shot from where the puck was placed by the official.

And as for today's penalty shots, I wish they would make offending players serve a penalty if the shooter fails to score.

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That's not the question (or the answer)

[TruePensFan1981]

That's not the question (or the answer)

Very well. But I remind you that I gave you the correct answer in our AIM discussion last night (you even said so yourself). I just didn't want to be obvious and spoil it for everybody else with my post. They can wait and let the suspense force them to pull their hair out of their heads.

[TruePensFan1981]

It has been more than a week. I'll take that $50,000 prize now.

Edited April 5, 2009 by TruePensFan1981

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Oh yeah, forgot about this.

The answer is: Penalty Shot Taken From A Penalty Shot Circle 38 Feet In Front Of The Goal

Since these polls are about as popular as baked beans on a bus trip they will be discontinued. Thanks to everyone who did vote.

[statto]

The history is quite the interesting though.