Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2019
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/5/2019
Legendary in the hockey world despite never playing a single game in the NHL, Mark Wells starred for Bowling Green in the CCHA from 1975 to 1979 along with future Team USA teammate Ken Morrow, with the Montreal Canadiens selecting the Michigan native 176th overall at the 1976 NHL Entry Draft. Selected to play for the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey team at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, Wells would score two points in the tournament including a goal against Norway, and the rest as they say, is history. We have a Team USA jersey Wells wore during the tournament, and it’s been team-signed as well as photo-matched to the gold medal game, vs Finland, on Feb 24, 1980.
A Norcon label with “XL” sizing is affixed to the collar, with a second Norcon patch originally over the lower front now removed, with the jersey measuring-out to roughly a size 48. Styled with “USA” arching across the chest in red-over-white tackle twill, “15” appears over the sleeves and verso in matching material, with a single white tackle twill star placed over each shoulder. We should note that the US national team wore their blue jerseys during the Feb 12th match vs Sweden, the Feb 18th match vs Romania and during the Feb 24th gold medal match against the Finns. The signatures have been placed within the team crest and reverse numbers, with each signing in black marker including Wells, along with Craig, Baker, Christian, Morrow, Eruzione, McClanahan, Ramsey, Janaszak, Suter, Schneider, Silk, Verchota, Broten, Johnson, Pavelich, Christoff, Harrington and Eric Strobel. The signatures display well, with no issues.
Getty Image #160871513 from Feb 24, 1980 (gold medal game), has been matched to the angled positioning of the nameplate and reverse numbers, while a studio photo of Wells with his medal shows the folds in the lower portion of the "A" of "USA", and the loose white thread on the left lower edge of the "S" of "USA". An undated photo of Team USA celebrating on ice has also been matched to the angled positioning of the nameplate and reverse numbers, with a second undated photo of Team USA celebrating is matched to the off-centered alignment of the stripes on the lower right side hem. Still regarded as one of the greatest upsets in the history of sport, any and all “Miracle on Ice” items carry considerable monetary and cultural value, with this team-signed Team USA jersey worn by Mark Wells in the gold medal game one of the most significant examples extant. A signed LOA from Mark Wells will accompany this treasure along with a second letter, and please take note that this item may be subject to a silent reserve.
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