Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2021
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/27/2021
Scoring the first of his memorable 544 career goals on November 8, 1942 vs the New York Rangers, Maurice Richard made his NHL debut just eight days earlier, on Halloween. A star with the Montreal Senior Canadiens in the QSHL in 1941-42, the soon-to-be Rocket earned a tryout with the Habs due to the loss of players during the war years, the lack of Francophone members of the Canadiens and his success with the senior club. The earliest known signed Maurice Richard Montreal Canadiens’ document, this single page on Canadiens letterhead places Richard on the Habs management’s radar late in 1941, with the official “Club de Hockey Canadien Inc” agreement dated “Dec 23/41” and signed by the Rocket, with this accompanied by a Jan 30, 1942 telegram from Jack Adams to NHL President Frank Calder mentioning Richard. At 8 ½” x 11”, the document mentions a $1 per diem and explains the process of trying out, with Richard signing in what appears to be coloured pencil, with Paul Haynes also signing (head coach of the Montreal Senior Canadiens in 1941-42), with a filing number added to the upper right. The Canadian National telegram was sent by Adams to Calder on Jan 30, 1942, with the Red Wings bigwig asking Calder if Maurice is the same Richard as an individual that played in the USAL. Both documents show moderate wear with creasing, with holes also punched along the left side of the document from prior binder insertion.
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