| Blake Ball | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 25, 1938 St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | January 20, 2006 (age 67) |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shot | Left |
| NHL Draft | Undrafted |
| Playing career | 1964–1977 |
Blake Ball (February 25, 1938 – January 20, 2006) was an ice hockey defenceman who spent the majority of his career in the Eastern Hockey League.
Contents |
Ball spent six years in the Canadian Football League as a defensive end.[1]
Ball was nicknamed "Badman" because of the time spent in the penalty box as a member of the New Haven Blades (1964-1969).[2] He had four consecutive seasons of at least 290 penalty minutes, including a career high 362 PIMs in 1968-69. During the 1968-69 season, Ball also recorded a career high in assists (42) and points (55).
Ball played the 1970 season with the Long Island Ducks. He played the 1971 season with the Johnstown Jets. On 13 September 1971 he was named player-coach for the Jacksonville Rockets.[3] Despite his holding a position as player-coach, Ball and goaltender Ted Ouimet were dealt to the Syracuse Blazers on December 15, 1971.
Ball was suspended for two games, effective March 13, 1973, after a brawl in a Blazers-Rhode Island Eagles game.[3]
Ball had a minor role in the movie Slap Shot. He played defenceman Gilmore Tuttle, who was from Mile 40, Saskatchewan, and was running a donut shop after his retirement from hockey. Tuttle was also claimed to be the "former penalty-minute record holder for the years 1960 to 1968 inclusive." Gilmore Tuttle, according to public address announcer Jim Carr, wore uniform number 10.[4]
"We'll straighten you out, you little prick".[5]