Fifty Mission Cap Reduxe

July 22, 2003 6:27 AM

Bill Barilkoimmortalized by The Hip in the song Fifty Mission Cap won the cup for the leafs in 1951. Later that summer, he disappeared in a plane crash north of Cochrane, Ontario. In an ironic twist of fate, the Maple Leafs did not win another Stanley Cup until 1962, the same year that his remains were finally found. Now, The body of a former NHL first-round draft pick who disappeared in Austria almost 14 years ago has been found frozen in the Alps. Someone tell Gord, maybe he can get a new song out of this.
posted by Blake (5 comments total)

When they play that song in Toronto, the place goes nuts.
posted by danwalker at 6:52 AM on July 22, 2003

I just love it when 2 of my favorite things come together in one story - hockey and creepy.

Thanks Blake!
posted by MsVader at 8:02 AM on July 22, 2003

Does this mean the Islanders are going to win the cup next season?
posted by Pollomacho at 8:24 AM on July 22, 2003

As a non-Canadian non-Hockey fan who loved the Hip (yeah, it was me and this other guy Carl), I was always so creeped out by that song. I had no idea if it was actually true until I asked a hockey-fan-friend about it.
posted by neustile at 10:36 AM on July 22, 2003

It's a great story. I love that was Howie Meeker who got the assist.
posted by timeistight at 10:45 AM on July 22, 2003