It was 1951. The Maple Leafs were locked in a tight overtime in game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. At the 2:53 mark of the first overtime period, rising defense star Bill Barilko jumped over the blueline and took a pass from Howie Meeker. He walked in on goal and drilled a shot over the shoulder of Montreal netminder Gerry McNeil, winning the Leafs the 1951 Stanley Cup.
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That summer, Barilko and a friend embarked on a fishing trip. It would mark the last time either of them would ever be seen again. Flying over the brush in Northern Ontario, his single engine plane, the Fairchild 24, vanished between Rupert House and Timmins, Ontario.
Despite frantic search efforts, no trace of the wreckage was found until June 7, 1962, 11 years after his disappearance. Less than eight weeks earlier, the Maple Leafs had won their first Stanley Cup since Barilko’s disappearance, bringing an eerie end to a terrible tragedy.
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2 months ago
yeah this is extremely strange how this all happened. great memories, dave, and great article
2 months ago
how is it strage, the guys plane crashed??? Leafs fans make things out of nothing. Oh and even if you're not a leafs fan it's still nothing, a guy was in a plane it crashed and it was found 11 years later. Right and since the Leafs won the cup BEFORE he was discovered that is the coincidence that makes finding his body the reason they won the cup.
2 months ago
Alright there Robert, better get back to bed and have a good sleep...you obviously are blissfully unaware of the history involved with the Maple Leafs. This is a legendary story not just because of the tragedy but due to the fact that Barilko, a young stay at home defenseman, scored a goal, not something often done in that day and age and then vanished without a trace for 11 years. I was trying to come up with a response to your last sentence but I honestly cannot think of one. Your grammar is either in need of some serious work or the comment is far too full of sarcasm for me to really care but just for you, alright you hit something nobody else ever thought of. Haha just before I was about to click submit comment for this response I decided to view your profile...How did I know you were a Sens fan?
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