Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction February 2024
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/20/2024
Already one of the most talked about names in hockey despite not having suited up in a professional contest yet, the 1978 IIHF World Junior Championships saw Wayne Gretzky, then a member of the OMJHL's Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and on his way to registering a total of 182 points in 64 games played, and Team Canada finish with a bronze medal behind the Soviet Union and Sweden. Posting a stat line of eight (8) goals and nine (9) assists for seventeen (17) points over the course of six (6) games played, offered here is this stick used by the kid not yet known as "The Great One" at the 1978 IIHF World Junior Championships. A CCM made "Team Canada '77" model produced for the tournament, the stick is void of any Gretzky identifiers except for a handwritten "9" in black marker ink at the top of the shaft that is in the correct location and of the same style/font as seen on other Gretzky sticks from this point of his career. Retaining its original aged white tape job over the handle/knob which is also in the style that Wayne used at this point in time, no tape is found wrapped around the blade as Gretzky didn't use blade tape during the tournament, something confirmed in videos and photos from tournament games. Displaying "Team Canada '77" stamps over both sides plus the topside of the shaft, matching up what is seen in action photos from the tournament, a manufacture date stamp of "7 DEC 1977" is present on the underside of the lower shaft which matches up nicely with the tournament dates. Sporting an intact foil accent sticker wrapped around the lower shaft, the stick exhibits good game-wear via numerous marks and abrasions over the lower shaft, heel and blade on both sides while other dark marks are observed throughout the rest of the shaft's length as well. Having been heightened even further due to the fact that Wayne has signed the forehand side of the upper shaft with a black marker ink autograph, the young hockey prodigy has added and inscription reading "Best Wishes" alongside it in matching ink with both the autograph and inscription in excellent condition and displaying well while being penned in a style that is era correct when compared with other Gretzky examples. A beautiful pre-NHL offering wielded by perhaps the greatest player to ever grace the ice and which matches up with others that have come to market from this tournament, the lumber is accompanied by a detailed Shawn Chaulk LOA.l
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