John Mayasich
Encyclopedia
John Edward Mayasich (born May 22, 1933 in Eveleth
, Minnesota
) is a former American
ice hockey
player. He was a member of the U.S. ice hockey team that won a silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics
and a gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics
.
While attending the University of Minnesota
, Mayasich set the NCAA
tournament record for most points scored in a game with eight against Michigan
in 1954. Mayasich won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
scoring title in 1954 and 1955 and was an All-American three years in a row at his university.
Mayasich was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1976 and the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1989. Number 8 has been retired in his honor by the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey
program, the only former Golden Gopher to be so honored. In 2011, Mayasich was ranked No 1 on the Minneapolis Star Tribune's list of "Minnesota's 100 Greatest Players in High School Hockey History".
John was a member of the 1956 Winter Olympics team that won the silver medal and the 1960 Olympic team that won the gold medal.
Mayasich played on both the 1956 Olympic silver medal team in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Italy and the 1960 Olympic Gold Medal team in Squaw Valley, California
.
The Eveleth, Minn., native is the Gophers' all-time leading scorer with 144 goals and 154 assists in 111 games played. That comes out to an average of about 1.3 goals per game. Mayasich is a hockey legend—and an inventor. He was the first to use what's become the most recognizable staple of hockey: the slapshot. "I really can't remember the first time I used it," Mayasich said. "It was a big advantage for me, and it wasn't too long until others in the league began to use it. It was the equivalent to the jump shot in basketball." Not only did Mayasich destroy records in the college ranks—he still owns all Minnesota scoring records—he was equally lethal in the high school ranks. Mayasich still holds most state tournament records, but a pair of Gophers, Dave Spehar and John Pohl, have since broken his all-time career scoring mark. But as coach Doug Woog says, it still takes nothing away from Mayasich's accomplishments. "We drew the parallel with Dave Spehar," Woog said. "He (Spehar) was the most contemporary state tournament phenom; he had three hat tricks. John had seven. His numbers are phenomenal."
once said "John brought college hockey to a new plateau. He was the Wayne Gretzky
of his time. And today if he were playing pro hockey, he would simply be a bigger, stronger, back-checking Gretzky."
John's proudest moment was not during a college or international event, but rather when he scored 14 goals in one game against fellow Eveleth highschool goalie, Billy Colvin.
Eveleth, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,865 people, 1,717 households, and 971 families residing in the city. The population density was 611.0 people per square mile . There were 1,965 housing units at an average density of 310.6 per square mile...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
) is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He was a member of the U.S. ice hockey team that won a silver medal at the 1956 Winter Olympics
1956 Winter Olympics
The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. This celebration of the Games was held from 26 January to 5 February 1956. Cortina, which had originally been awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, beat out...
and a gold medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
.
While attending the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, Mayasich set the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
tournament record for most points scored in a game with eight against Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
in 1954. Mayasich won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association
Western Collegiate Hockey Association
The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is a college athletic conference which operates over a wide area of the Midwestern and Western United States. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as an ice hockey-only conference....
scoring title in 1954 and 1955 and was an All-American three years in a row at his university.
Mayasich was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of the game in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams....
in 1976 and the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame
Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame
The Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame which is located in Eagle River, Wisconsin, was founded in 1975 and is housed in the Eagle River Sports Arena. The hall was established to honor outstanding individuals responsible for the development, growth and success of amateur ice hockey in the State of...
in 1989. Number 8 has been retired in his honor by the Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team is the college ice hockey team at the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota. They are members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and compete in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I ice hockey...
program, the only former Golden Gopher to be so honored. In 2011, Mayasich was ranked No 1 on the Minneapolis Star Tribune's list of "Minnesota's 100 Greatest Players in High School Hockey History".
Olympic/International career
He attended Eveleth High School in Eveleth, Minnesota and participated in a number of sports. During his high school hockey career he set many individual records and helped his team achieve additional team records that stand even today. Among those records are the 46 total points he recorded at numerous state tournament games and helping his team win four consecutive state championships from 1948-51.John was a member of the 1956 Winter Olympics team that won the silver medal and the 1960 Olympic team that won the gold medal.
Mayasich played on both the 1956 Olympic silver medal team in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy and the 1960 Olympic Gold Medal team in Squaw Valley, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The Eveleth, Minn., native is the Gophers' all-time leading scorer with 144 goals and 154 assists in 111 games played. That comes out to an average of about 1.3 goals per game. Mayasich is a hockey legend—and an inventor. He was the first to use what's become the most recognizable staple of hockey: the slapshot. "I really can't remember the first time I used it," Mayasich said. "It was a big advantage for me, and it wasn't too long until others in the league began to use it. It was the equivalent to the jump shot in basketball." Not only did Mayasich destroy records in the college ranks—he still owns all Minnesota scoring records—he was equally lethal in the high school ranks. Mayasich still holds most state tournament records, but a pair of Gophers, Dave Spehar and John Pohl, have since broken his all-time career scoring mark. But as coach Doug Woog says, it still takes nothing away from Mayasich's accomplishments. "We drew the parallel with Dave Spehar," Woog said. "He (Spehar) was the most contemporary state tournament phenom; he had three hat tricks. John had seven. His numbers are phenomenal."
Trivia
John MariucciJohn Mariucci
John Mariucci was an American ice hockey player, administrator and coach. Mariucci was born in Eveleth, Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota where he played for both the hockey and football teams. He was named an All-American in hockey in 1940...
once said "John brought college hockey to a new plateau. He was the Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
of his time. And today if he were playing pro hockey, he would simply be a bigger, stronger, back-checking Gretzky."
John's proudest moment was not during a college or international event, but rather when he scored 14 goals in one game against fellow Eveleth highschool goalie, Billy Colvin.