The mask you see pictured above can still be seen hanging around New York City to this day, if you happen to go to Sean Avery's bar Warren 77 in Tribeca you will see a nice looking facsimile hanging on the wall as part of the bars decor.
The Empire State Building mask was worn by none other than Steve Baker, a Ranger goaltender who in the annuls of Ranger history sometimes gets lost in the mix.
Steve came along when the Rangers in the 1979-1980 season when the Blueshirts were dealing with John Davidson's knee injury and couldn't get a netminder on the club to save a beach ball with a boat oar.
Before Steve Baker joined the club on December 9th of that year, the Rangers as a team were giving up an incredible average of 4.17 goals per game.
The Mouth feels that Steve Baker was the bridge to John Vanbiesbrouk era, kinda sorta.
The reason The Mouth had us go into such detail about Steve Baker, is that Steve will be joining The Big Man and Jim Schmiedeberg on Blueshirt Banter Radio this Wednesday night, to talk about his life as a hockey player and his pretty varied and interesting accomplishments post playing days.
You can hear all about Steve's post career life on Wednesday Night by clicking the link below the video.
The clip featured below was a in between periods segment that had MSG color commentator Phil Esposito visit Steve Baker in what appears as an electrical room that also doubled as the Rangers locker room at Rye Playland back in 1982.
Steve discusses the goalie equipment which now in 2010 seems so flimsy, it's mind boggling.
Listen Live Starting Wednesday May 26th At 8 PM or on podcast by Clicking link below :
Blueshirt Banter Radio w/ Guest Steve Baker
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