Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction September 2024
With the tournament finale the most watched television event in Canadian history at the time with an estimated 10,700,000 people estimated to have watched the game and representing nearly half of all Canadians in 1976, the 1976 Canada Cup established a new era in international hockey as it marked Canada's formal return to the international stage after a six-year boycott, and was the first true best-on-best world championship in the sport's history. Once again answering the call of his country for the fabled 1976 tournament, Bobby Clarke, who had first played for Canada four (4) years earlier at the famed 1972 Summit Series, would captain the Canadian contingent in 1976, recording three (3) points in six (6) games played, including a goal and an assist in the deciding game two (2) of the Finals against Czechoslovakia. Offered here, we present this Team Canada captain's jersey worn by Bobby Clarke during the 1976 Canada Cup tournament, including the deciding game two (2) against Czechoslovakia.
A mid-weight nylon construction offering made by Athletic Knit, the company's label which displays a size "46" is still affixed to the inner collar. Styled over the front with a rubberized and iconic Team Canada half leaf across the chest with "Canada" above it in matching style red letters, a pair of rubberized red leaves are also found over both shoulders along with Clarke's number "16", which also is found over the verso, again in matching red rubberized style. Sporting a dual layer white-over-red tackle twill captain's "C" sewn on over the left breast and having had "Clarke" spelt out in single layer red rubberized letters across the top of the reverse, the jersey displays with light but clear game wear including light stick marks over both sleeves, red board paint marks behind the left shoulder and over the lower reverse, light sweat staining around the hem line, cuffs and collar and a stain/mark under the "1" on the reverse. Of note, of the six (6) games that Clarke played in during the tournament out of the seven (7) Team Canada played, this sweater was worn on September 7th vs Sweden, September 9th vs Czechoslovakia and September 15th vs Czechoslovakia, the last of which was Game 2 of the Finals Series. With the two (2) clubs famously trading jerseys with each other following the final game and likely gifted to Czechoslovakian forward, Josef Augusta, who wore the same number as Clarke during the tournament for the Czechoslovakian squad, the jersey is accompanied by an LOA signed by 1976 Canada Cup Czechoslovakian squad captain, Frantisek Pospisil, who states he "personally obtained this jersey from another member of the 1976 Czechoslovakian National Team".
Regarding the photo-matches, the jersey is matched with Getty Image #159988788 (September 15th, 1976 vs Czechoslovakia - 1976 Canada Cup Finals Game 2) to the placement and spacing in the layers of the captain's "C" over the left breast, particularly to the slight upward angle of the top edge of the white layer, as well as with Getty Image #159242260 (September 15th, 1976 vs Czechoslovakia - 1976 Canada Cup Finals Game 2) to the mark/stain seen underneath the "1" on the reverse.
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