vintage photo luke karakas muskegon reds hockey signed original negative 1935

Description

photo, 5 x 7,  now 86 years old and in great condition except very light fading of the signed sentiment. luke karakas was a great goalie who played briefly for the muskegon reds, a team that played in the michigan - ontario league at the mart auditoreum on the shores of muskegon lake. the building still stands but is no longer used for hockey. some old timers told me that karakas was among the best goalies to have ever played in muskegon, including the outstanding goalies who played later in the ihl and uhl. this photo is from the original negative taken in 1935. on the top border of the photo someone had written 1935/1936 luke karakis ( incorrect spelling of the name ). on the reverse someone wrote tony debelec and then crossed it out as a mistake, then wrote luke karakas no 1 goal. toward the bottom on the reverse someone wrote makes beautiful enlargement.
the signed sentiment reads : to a man with a real shot - lots of luck from " luke " karakas. this was written to art erickson, a star player for the reds, and my uncle, one of the best to ever play in muskegon. the photo was given by erickson to my grandfather, an assistant gm for the reds, and erickson's father - in - law, then passed on to my father, then to me.
as a goalie myself, i always loved this photo, as a sharp contrast to modern goalies. the stance is markedly different; feet close together; bend at the waist; glove hand very low and outside the pads; stick glove very far from the body and several inches above the shoulder of the stick; stick touching the toes of the skates. the pads are very short, just above the knees. the padding for the arms is worn on the outside of the sweater ( old terminology, as the players wore actual sweaters ); the stick glove is a player's glove; the trapper is also a player's glove with thick felt padding glued to it. of course there was no mask, nor a cup. the pants had felt padding sewn to the inside and front inside.
note there is no crease, the boards are actual planks, the boards are higher than modern boards; the net has squared corners and was anchored into the ice ( the cause of many injuries ), and no wire above the boards. great shot of old time hockey !