Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction April 2024
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2024
A star in the Ontario Hockey League as a member of the Guelph Storm, Manny Malhotra would captain the club to an OHL championship in 1998 as well as an appearance in the 1998 Memorial Cup where he would be named to the tournament's all-star team. Drafted 7th overall by the New York Rangers that summer and going on to enjoy a National Hockey League career that spanned 991 career games played. Playing with six (6) different NHL teams over his 18-years in the league, offered here is this New York Rangers jersey worn by Malhotra during his rookie season of 1998-99. A lightweight mesh construction garment made by Starter, "Center Ice Authentic Collection"/Starter labeling is affixed to the inner collar along with an additional swatch of twill displaying the size of "56-R". Decorated over the front of the jersey with "Rangers" going diagonally down the chest in dual layer blue-over-red drop-shadow tackle twill numerals, the logos of both Starter and the NHL have been embroidered into the reverse hem. Styled over the sleeves and verso of the jersey with Malhotra's number "6" in matching style numbers, "Malhotra" is spelt out, once again in matching style letters, that have been sewn on directly to the material of the jersey in a gentle arch at the top of the reverse. Featuring its original fight strap on the interior as well as a Rangers team tag that has been sewn inside the reverse hem denoting the jersey as a "Set 1 - 1998-1999 Season - Game Jersey" offering, the piece shows excellent game-wear throughout including stick marks over the front, reverse and both sleeves, board burns and unrepaired holes over both sleeves and coloured board paint transfer marks over the right sleeve and front right hip, the interior also shows good pilling at both elbows. A MeiGray LOA and COR will accompany the piece.
Instrumental to the hobby as one of the founders of the MeiGray Group in 1997, a hobby entity paramount in the authentication of game-worn jerseys and equipment, pioneer collector Barry Meisel enjoyed almost two decades as a successful sports journalist. Beginning with his days interning for the Binghamton Evening Press while a senior in college, Meisel explains how his passion for collecting was fueled, stating “My plan was to get a game-worn jersey for every team I covered once I became a pro hockey writer. I got a Barons, then a Broome Dusters, Binghamton Whalers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers. It was the late '80s. My first career was born. From the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin to the Morristown, NJ, Daily Record, to the New York Daily News”.
In his dozen years with the New York Daily News, Meisel covered the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and New York Giants. He also spent the early-1990s serving as the News’ investigative sports reporter, with additional time as a columnist for The Hockey News (1982-90) and The New York Giants Newsweekly (1990-96), with a few book authored including 'Losing the Edge: The Rise and Fall of the Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers’. Despite building a vast and encompassing grouping of items, Meisel notes, "I have my favorites. The Scotty Press that still sits in my home office. My 1983-84 Detroit Red Wings Ken Holland, the minor-league goalie in Binghamton who became a lifelong friend, and who had a cup of NHL coffee before becoming a Hall of Fame General Manager. And my 1994 Stanley Cup Finals New York Rangers white Craig MacTavish, who was wearing this jersey in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on June 14, 1994. MacT knocked the final faceoff into the corner with 1.6 seconds left on a 54-year Jinx, the night the Rangers allowed the Monster of MSG to one day Die in Peace. This jersey is on display at the Garden, to remind every Blue Seater from old Section 433 that the wait was worth it”.
Classic Auctions in honoured to have been chosen to sell the Barry Meisel personal collection, with dozens of high-quality jerseys offered including an endless supply of important New York Rangers specimens from Rod Gilbert, Peter Sundstrom, James Patrick, Mark Tinordi, Kris King and other Blueshirts as well as WHA jerseys from the Indianapolis Racers, Quebec Nordiques and Ottawa Nationals. Additional gems that will have bidders salivating includes Peter McDuff’s 1973-74 AHL Providence Reds game-worn home and away jerseys, bobble head dolls, important programs and other assorted memorabilia.
As always, we hope these long-loved treasures find new appreciative collectors, with Meisel stating it best, “It's time for Classic Collectibles and my good friend Marc Juteau to help me find my gamers new homes. Time for others to enjoy the greatest hobby alive."
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