One of the most violent players in the NHL got famous for his illegal moves, bench-clearing brawls, and on-ice mooning. But his real criminal career got started after his hockey career ended. Does he deserve to go down in history as a dangerous goon, or a victim of a sports culture that encouraged players to destroy their bodies for profit?
Featured image: A professional shot of Steve Durbano during his time with the St. Louis Blues. (Image source)
The infamous mooning incident.
Steve Durbano (in the foreground) using his stick on an opponent. (Image source)
A much earlier fight, one of his first in the league.
Modern reporting on the long-term mental effects of traumatic brain injuries from hockey fights. Although most reporting about CTE in sports is related to the National Football League, players in the National Hockey League also take hits to the head repeatedly starting at a young age.
Sources
- Steve Durbano – Selected by New York from Toronto
- Durbano’s Deeds Don’t Deter 67’s
- Hockey’s History, Woven With Violence
- Broad Street Bullies: More Than Goons, Fists & Enforcers
- Omaha Picks Blues Clean
- Ranger Rookie Is No Fontinato
- Pens’ Durbano ‘One Bad Dude’ On the Ice
- Confession By Durbano
- Flyers Consider Legal Action On Stick-Swinging Durbano
- Still Waiting For Violence
- It Just Hasn’t Been Durbano’s Year
- Steve Durbano: After 10 years of fines, he’s worse than ever
- ‘Agressive’ Durbano Rides Red Wings’ Bench
- Blues vs. Rangers 1979
- ‘Long … wild ride’ was all downhill
- Steve Durbano now serving toughest penalty of his life
- Durbano refuses to let prison break his spirit
- Steve Durbano, a former player for the St. Louis Blues
- Pleads Innocence
- Durbano gets ruling
- A hard fall from the NHL
- Ex-NHLer dead at 50 of liver cancer