Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction November 2023
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/29/2023
First developing in the OHA with the Oshawa Generals alongside Bobby Orr, Wayne Cashman cemented his place in the Boston Bruins line-up beginning in 1969, and would spend his entire career in Massachusetts which included dressing for over 1,000 games as well as captaining the squad from 1978 until his retirement, in 1983. The Kingston native would win a pair of Stanley Cup championships with the black and gold in the early-1970s, and was instrumental in the 1972 championships, scoring a pair of goals in Game 6 of the final to seal the deal for the Bruins hopefuls. Cashman also represented his country internationally at the famous Summit Series in 1972, and served as the last remaining player from the Original Six era.
Worn during the 1969-70 Playoffs and Cup Finals in which the Bruins claimed their first Stanley Cup in 29 years as well as over the course of the 1970-71 season, we have a stunning Boston Bruins jersey that saw action on the back of Mr. Cashman, with photo-matching and referencing of the vintage garment in question adding to its already steep desirability. A tattered Wilson label with handwritten “X” is affixed to the collar, with the tie-neck jersey measuring-out to roughly a modern size 50. Styled with the forever classic spoked “B” Bruins team crest in layered tackle twill, Cashman’s “12” appears over the sleeves and verso in gold-over-white twill. The original dual-garter fight straps are also intact. Sporting heavy game-use, there is considerable wear to the material throughout, including scuffs, scrapes and heavy pilling to the interior, with numerous team repairs also visible. Examples are present over the front (5), reverse (7) and sleeves (11). A witness to Bobby Orr and the ''Big Bad Bruins'' domination during the early-1970s when the club was at the absolute top of its game, this durene prize will ultimately serve as one of Beantown’s finest relics.
Seen in an image on the cover of the Bruins 1970-71 media guide, believed to have been taken during Game 4 of Boston's 1970 East Division Semifinals matchup with the Chicago Black Hawks on April 26th, 1970 based on the scoreboard in the background that shows a 4-3 score (Boston would score a pair of 3rd period goals to win the game 5-4), the image shows the same number placement on the reverse of Cashman's jersey as well as on the right sleeve when compared to what is seen on the sweater. Additionally the image also appears to show the red board paint transfer through the white hem stripe at his right hip even though it is partially washed out of the jersey due to the numerous washings it would have incurred from being recycled into the following season as well.
When looking at images taken of Cashman during Boston’s 1970 Stanley Cup quarterfinals matchup against the New York Rangers, images do show a mark in the same area of the white band on the right hip as seen in the previously mentioned media guide photo as well as correct placement of the numbers on the right sleeve and what appears to be the team repair in the white band underneath the right sleeve numbers. Furthermore, the numbers on the left sleeve also show the correct placement when compared to the stitching of the elbow reinforcement (observed in a photo of Cashman taken during Boston’s series versus Chicago), and as on the jersey, the top of the “2” on the right sleeve is more closed than the one on its left side counterpart. On top of that, images from the New York series featuring Cashman also show the correct placement of the numbers on the right sleeve being that they are slightly higher than the ones on the left sleeve. With all these reference points, images and attributes, we can confidently say that this jersey is in fact the jersey Cashman is wearing during the first two (2) rounds of the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs and is photo-matched to both of Boston’s matchups including versus New York in the quarterfinals and Chicago in the semifinals.
For the Stanley Cup Finals against the St. Louis Blues, while no images of Cashman from the famed series available to us are high resolution enough to see the distinctive details of the jersey as listed above, a screen grab showing Cashman scoring one (1) of his two (2) goals in Game 3 (a 4-1 Bruins win to give them a 3-0 series lead) is used in reference to the placement of the numbers on the reverse in terms of how high up on the back they are as well as their placement on the jersey itself like what is observed on the one being offered. Additionally, three (3) additional photos snapped during the Cup clinching 4th game show the proper height of the numbers on the back of the jersey as well. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that on the photo-matched jersey of Don Awery that has previously come to market, worn by him during both the 1969-70 Stanley Cup playoffs and Finals as well as into the 1970-71 season, the jersey sports the same high up on the back number placement and black marker “X” over the collar tag as what is seen on the Cashman example being offered here.
Finally, an undated 2 ¼ colour transparency from a Toronto Home game has dated the jersey to 1970-71 by the players within the sequence of images. This image has been photo-matched to the uneven lower edge of the border just below the team repair on the lower left front tail area of the jersey. The team repairs nearby above the white striping and on the side hem are also somewhat visible on that image, with some of the red transfer marks in the team repairs and the black threads on the side hem also showing.
By clicking this button, you will IMMEDIATELY bid the amount selected.
By clicking this button, you will submit this amount as your MAXIMUM (absentee) bid. The auction software will place bids on your behalf up to this amount only as it is bid against competitively by other bidder(s).