Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction September 2024
A veteran of 959 National Hockey League games with 904 of those contests occurring in the uniform of the Chicago Black Hawks, Dennis Hull would begin suiting up alongside his brother, Bobby, beginning with the 1964-65 NHL season and would go on to play in a quintet of All-Star Games as well. Having potted 303 goals and recorded 654 points during his 14-year NHL career after developing in the system of the St. Catharines Teepees/Black Hawks, Hull would also don the red and white colours of Team Canada at the 1972 Summit Series, posting four (4) points in four (4) games played.
Worn during the 1972-73 Playoffs and Cup Finals before being recycled into the 1973-74 regular season, we have a stunning Chicago Black Hawks jersey that saw action on the back of Mr. Hull, with photo-matching and referencing of the vintage garment in question adding to its already steep desirability. Made by Wilson, the brand's label displaying a size designation that was once affixed to the inner collar has long been lost to time along with the label from Chicago's equipment provider, Gunzo's, that was once seen underneath. Measuring out to roughly a modern size "48", the jersey is styled over the front with a Black Hawks team crest that displays with embroidered details, differing from the formerly in place one that included chain-stitched details which was replaced by the team, a practice that was common for the Black Hawks in that era for jerseys that were recycled for use in practice and training camps in following years. Of note, the stitch outline for original placement of the formerly in place crest can easily be made out. Having avoided a number change, the sleeves and verso have been styled with Hull's number "10" in dual layer white-over-black tackle twill numerals, a style introduced for the 1973 Playoffs, while matching chain-stitched alternate logo crossed tomahawk patches are observed a top of both shoulders. Additionally, evidence of a former nameplate is observed over the upper reverse and the interior sports a hastily sewn in garter style fight strap through the bottom of the "1" while the remains of two (2) other formerly present fight straps exist also, having been sewn on through the bottom of the "0". Additionally, small remains of the once in place chain-stitched "73" year swatch are found inside the reverse hem.
Regarding game-wear, heavy examples are seen throughout the entirety of the piece, surely from numerous years of use after being recycled for practices and training camps as well as down to the minors, possibly to the Dallas Black Hawks or Portland Winterhawks. Starting with stick marks that are present over the front, reverse and both sleeves, numerous team repairs, upwards of one hundred (100) of them are found throughout the front, reverse and both sleeves in a variety of ways including cinches and fabric backed examples with the numbers also having been heavily repaired in instances also. Sporting heavy pilling on the interior of the jersey as well as board burns and unrepaired cuts/holes throughout the body and sleeves, the twill layers of the numbers of both sleeves and reverse as well as both tomahawk patches show repaired and unrepaired damage that is worthy of mention for accuracy. Additionally, the outline of a once applied alternate captain's "A" appears over the left breast, applied and removed after it was used by Chicago, while evidence of square patches that were once sewn on over the tomahawk patches is observed over both shoulders.
Regarding the photo-matches, the jersey is matched with a pair of Getty Images from the 1973 Stanley Cup Playoffs and Finals. For the first image, Getty Image #515107946 (April 17th, 1973 vs New York - 1973 Stanley Cup Semi-Finals Game 3) is matched to to the stick marks in the "0" of the right sleeve while Getty Image ##630303800 (April 29th, 1973 vs Montreal - 1973 Stanley Cup Finals Game 1) is matched to the placement of the numbers on the left sleeve in correlation with the shoulder yoke and top white coloured sleeve stripe. Additionally, the image also appears to show a light board burn directly to the top left of the "1" on the left sleeve/shoulder yoke seam and to the now shorter loose white thread at the bottom of the "0" on the left sleeve while also showing the slightly slanted position of the crossed tomahawk crest atop of the left shoulder and the slightly angled up bottom left portion of the "1" on the left sleeve.
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