Ernie Higgins Circa 1965 to 1980

      By 1965 goalie masks were becoming more accepted by the hockey world. It was at this time when a plumber from Norwood Mass. Ernie Higgins made his mark on the world of goaltending. Higgins made a mask for his son Neil and eventually word got around to a young Bruins goalie named Gerry Cheevers. Cheevers had been experimenting with a Lefty Wilson mask when he and veteran Ed Johnston decided they liked Higgins' work and each ordered a mask. Higgins’ work became the "Cadillac" of masks until the mid-70's. His masks were worn by countless pros and amateurs, Higgins made a great many masks (almost 3000 by 1980 when his nephew took over the operation) and his masks are immediately recognizable by the triangular ventilation slots on the cheeks, and the "T" formation (holes and in some older style slits) on the forehead. Higgins’ masks have become absolute classics and are worth a lot of money to collectors today whether they were made for a pro or an amateur. Of course it was during the 1966 season that Cheevers became the first goalie to decorate his mask with stitches that represented what his face would have looked like had he not worn a mask. 

      Ernie Higgins got into the mask making trade quite by accident. His son Neil was a goalie and complained to his father that he was dissatisfied with the store bought mask he was wearing. Ernie then went to work in his workshop at home. Neil attended a hockey school and the instructor was former Bruin net tender Ed Chadwick.. Ed was impressed by his student's mask and asked Ernie if he could make him one. This was in the early 60's and for the next decade Higgins masks were worn by most of the Bruins goalies.

      Ed Johnston, Gerry Cheevers, Ross Brooks, Gilles Gilbert, Ron Grahame, Jim Pettie, Dave Reece as well as others in the N.H.L.minor leagues and college hockey. Higgins also made masks for Ed Giacomin, Gary Smith, Doug Favell, Rogie Vachon, Gerry Desjardins and countless others.

     His masks set the standard for strength and style in the late 60's and early 70's. Higgins was probably the first professional goalie mask maker as he started his business in Norfolk Mass. Making goalie masks and prosthetic devices.

     Higgins was the first mask maker to enlarge masks to cover the temple area, the ears and extend up higher on the forehead. Bruins goalie Eddie Johnston was struck in the side of the head and asked Higgins if he could make his masks bigger so that they would offer more protection. Higgins’ early masks had slits in the forehead, later he simply drilled a “T” pattern of small holes in the forehead; three up and four across.

     Later Higgins enlarged his masks in such a way that he could add padding in the forehead nose and cheekbone area. Some of the later Higgins’ masks had a triangular hole pattern along the side of the mask around the ear area.

     Higgins' masks were distinctive. He was probably the first to cut triangular vent slots in the cheek area which gave each mask a certain eerie skull like look.

     Ernie Higgins retired from mask making around 1980 around the same time that fiberglass face masks were being banned in amateur hockey. His nephew Allen Follet took over operations for a few years but face masks were on their way out for good. Higgins did experiment with throat bibs and actually made a few combo masks with cages though these are quite rare. I personally own a few Higgins masks and I’m willing to trade especially for a Lefty Wilson mask. If you collect masks an authentic Higgins mask is a must however there are a lot of good copies so it’s best if they have the sticker, original padding, straps and back plate. I also own a Higgins mold so I can make fairly accurate copies. The look of the Higgins mask is what first attracted me to goaltending and mask making. The following pictures demonstrate this “look” Enjoy the following Higgins gallery.

* Legal Disclaimer *

All masks made by the featured maskmakers are designed to protect the head and face from superficial injuries, they are not designed to protect from neck or spinal injuries. Ice hockey and other contact sports can be dangerous. No protective equipment will eliminate all injuries, If you wear a mask made by the featured maskmakers when you play hockey it is implied that you accept the risk of injury.

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