Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2019
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/5/2019
Noteworthy as the first netminder to regularly wear facial protection after its introduction by Jacques Plante in 1959, we have an early-style fiberglass mask that hails from the Don Simmons family, with this one of four offered that was used by Simmons in games and/or practices during the 1960s. Suffering 15 broken noses during his career, having an eye knocked out of its socket and almost needing a tracheotomy once from a shot to the throat, Simmons is the epitome of the tough men that used to make up the game of hockey. At 9” from top to bottom and reminiscent of the mask worn by Terry Sawchuk, small mouth and nose openings have been utilized, along with larger diamond-shape examples over each cheek and thin rectangular openings along the perimeter. Void of any strapping, most of the original interior padding remains. An LOA from the Simmons family will accompany.
Possibly used with any of the teams Simmons played for during the 1960s including Boston, Toronto or the Rangers in the NHL, Providence, Rochester, Baltimore or Buffalo in the AHL, or even Vancouver (WHL) or Tulsa (CPHL), the mask survives in beautiful displayable condition, with “Don Simmons” handwritten and faint over the upper left edge. A few linear marks are present, with the mask displaying especially well overall, with no chips or cracks.
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