He was Yugoslavia’s number-one goaltender for three Olympics and attended two NHL training camps. On Sunday Anton Joze “Tone” Gale passed away in Ljubljana at the age of 73, one day before his 74th birthday.
Born in Jesenice on 26 March 1944, Gale moved to Slovenia’s capital when he was 17 to spend his career in senior hockey with Olimpija Ljubljana.
Between 1961 and 1973 he played 112 international games for the Yugoslav national team including 15 games at three Olympics in Innsbruck 1964, Grenoble 1968 and Sapporo 1972 and eight IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments (7 B-Pool, 1 C-Pool).
Only three goaltenders had more career games at the Olympics than him: Vladislav Tretiak (Soviet Union, 19), Jim Marthinsen (Norway, 17) and Dominik Hasek (Czech Republic, 16).
In Grenoble 1968 Yugoslavia won the B-tournament and reached its best overall placement in the world at that time, ninth. Gale had a 92.92 save percentage, was named the best goaltender of the competition and got an invitation to go to North America and attend the New York Rangers’ training camp. He eventually played the full 1968/69 season for the Syracuse Blazers in the Eastern Hockey League. In 1972 he also attended the Chicago Blackhawks’ camp.
Back home he rejoined Olimpija Ljubljana and the national team. His career ended tragically at the 1973 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship B-Pool in Graz, Austria, during a time goaltenders were not yet forced to wear a helmet. Yugoslavia had a surprise 4-1 lead early in the second period against the United States when a hard shot destroyed Gale’s mask. He left the ice with a career-ending eye injury and the game ended with a 6-6 tie.
Later Gale worked in youth hockey for Olimpija Ljubljana and as goaltending coach for Slovenian national teams. In Slovenia he will be remembered as the most famous goaltender of the country. In 2007 he was inducted in the Slovenian Hockey Hall of Fame.
MARTIN MERK
Born in Jesenice on 26 March 1944, Gale moved to Slovenia’s capital when he was 17 to spend his career in senior hockey with Olimpija Ljubljana.
Between 1961 and 1973 he played 112 international games for the Yugoslav national team including 15 games at three Olympics in Innsbruck 1964, Grenoble 1968 and Sapporo 1972 and eight IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship tournaments (7 B-Pool, 1 C-Pool).
Only three goaltenders had more career games at the Olympics than him: Vladislav Tretiak (Soviet Union, 19), Jim Marthinsen (Norway, 17) and Dominik Hasek (Czech Republic, 16).
In Grenoble 1968 Yugoslavia won the B-tournament and reached its best overall placement in the world at that time, ninth. Gale had a 92.92 save percentage, was named the best goaltender of the competition and got an invitation to go to North America and attend the New York Rangers’ training camp. He eventually played the full 1968/69 season for the Syracuse Blazers in the Eastern Hockey League. In 1972 he also attended the Chicago Blackhawks’ camp.
Back home he rejoined Olimpija Ljubljana and the national team. His career ended tragically at the 1973 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship B-Pool in Graz, Austria, during a time goaltenders were not yet forced to wear a helmet. Yugoslavia had a surprise 4-1 lead early in the second period against the United States when a hard shot destroyed Gale’s mask. He left the ice with a career-ending eye injury and the game ended with a 6-6 tie.
Later Gale worked in youth hockey for Olimpija Ljubljana and as goaltending coach for Slovenian national teams. In Slovenia he will be remembered as the most famous goaltender of the country. In 2007 he was inducted in the Slovenian Hockey Hall of Fame.
MARTIN MERK