Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction November 2024
Centering a line with veterans Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay in only his second NHL season, Norm Ullman would spend over two decades in both Detroit and Toronto, with over 1000 career games played and over 1000 points scored. Suiting up in a total of 11 NHL All-Star Games and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982, offered here we present this stick used by Ullman as a member of the Detroit Red Wings in the mid-1960s that is attributed to the 1964-65 season. A Northland Custom Pro model twig with "Ullman" stamped over the shaft and his number "7" penned in black marker below a "Lie No. 5" stamp, additional stamps for "Northland Skis" and "Olympic Sporting Goods" appear over the upper portion of the shaft as well on both sides. Retaining Ullman's original black tape job around the knob and blade, Ullman has signed the stick over one side of the shaft with a black ballpoint pen ink signature that displays without issue and includes an inscription reading "To Jim, Best Wishes". Having had a notation reading "1964-65 Norm Ullman 83 Points (42 Goals - 41 Assists) *League Leader in Goals Scored" penned over the top side of the shaft in a mix of red and black marker ink, most of the striping accent sticker that is wrapped around the bottom of the shaft is still present and accounted for. Displaying excellent game-use, numerous dark marks and abrasions are found throughout the shaft, heel and blade as well as many red post paint transfer spots also. Finally, there is a piece of the blade missing at the top edge of the toe and some wear to the underside of the blade near the heel.
A prolific behind the scenes historian of all things related to the City of Detroit, James Mackey would begin his professional career as a graphic designer after graduating from Wayne State University with a BA at 20 years of age. Soon finding himself at Channel 2 News in Motown by 1960, where his career spanned a tumultuous 42+ years, ending in 2002 with him retiring as Graphic Manager. Throughout that wonderfully rich career with Channel 2, he was fortunate enough to have won 4 Emmy Awards for set design. Beginning to photograph the Detroit Tigers and Lions as a correspondent for Channel 2 News around 1960 as well, he was hired as a freelance photographer by Olympia Entertainment in 1962, where he would spend the next 34 years procuring some of the greatest hockey moments to have been caught on film in Detroit Red Wings history and in the mid-1960s he would become the graphic artist & cartoonist for the Detroit Red Wings Magazine with multiple sections in each program including "In The Click Of It", "Red Wing Magazine" and "Sticks and Yuks by Mackey". Building many life long relationships with numerous Hockey Hall of Fame greats. Most notably, Gordie Howe, who even went as far to invite Jim to Pittsburgh for the opportunity to capture Gordie scoring his 700th goal, their relationship spanned their entire lives. Described by his son Eric with "He loved sports period", whether it was boat racing, lacrosse, baseball, football, hockey, Jim was there covering the event and capturing moments that will live on forever. As part of its current auction, Classic Auctions is proud to present some of the premier items from the collection of James A. Mackey.
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