That night in Toronto…

Bill Barilko disappeared that summer…

The story of Bill Barilko was well-known to hockey fans a half-century ago. But, it wasn’t until 41 years after his heroic goal and disappearance that his strange tale was reintroduced to the mainstream by one of Canada’s all-time great bands. The Tragically Hip’s ’50 Mission Cap’ succinctly recounts the summer of 1951 in the song’s verse.

Given that the song sheds light on the strange coincidence/cosmic fate of the Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cup fortunes and Barilko’s disappearance, it seems additionally fitting that the song — from The Hip’s fourth album, Fully Completely — was released in 1992, the year Barilko’s number was officially retired by the hockey club.

Since that release, The Tragically Hip and Bill Barilko have been tightly woven together in their corner of hockey lore. One of the band’s most popular and recognizable songs coupled with one of hockey’s most unique and unlikely stories.

The bond between the two was cemented in 2001 as the Maple Leafs got set to drop the puck on their second round playoff series.

On May 1 — 50 years and 10 days after the Leafs captured the 1951 Stanley Cup on Barilko’s OT winner — the Maple Leafs held a pre-game ceremony to honour Barilko.

Present at the ceremony were Anne Klisanich (Barilko’s last survivng sibling), eight members of the 1951 Stanley Cup Champion Maple Leafs (Gus Mortson, Harry Watson, Danny Lewicki, John McCormack, Bob Hassard, Fleming Mackell, Sid Smith and Cal Gardner) and The Tragically Hip.

The ceremony began …

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