Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction April 2024
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/1/2024
Playing all four (4) years of his junior hockey as a member of the Ontario Hockey League's Peterborough Petes, Kris King would be drafted 80th overall by the Washington Capitals in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft and go on to a National Hockey League career that saw him play in 849 games over the course of fourteen (14) seasons, suiting up for Detroit, New York, Winnipeg, Phoenix, Toronto and Chicago over that span, recording 2030 penalty minutes as well. Offered here, we present this New York Rangers jersey worn by King during the 1989-90 NHL season, his first in the bright lights of Manhattan and New York City. A heavyweight mesh construction garment made by CCM, a brand label is affixed to the inner collar below a sewn in Gerry Cosby tag that displays a handwritten size "52" designation that has been penned in blue ballpoint ink while the logos of both CCM and the NHL shield have been embroidered into the reverse hem, helping denote the jersey as a late season specimen. Decorated over the front of the jersey with "Rangers" going diagonally down the chest in dual layer blue-over-red drop-shadow tackle twill letters, the sleeves and verso of the jersey have been styled with King's number "12" in matching style numbers. Having had "King" spelt out, once again in matching style letters, that have been individually sewn down directly to the jersey across the top of the back. Accompanied by a Rangers LOA and a MeiGray COR, the jersey exhibits excellent game-wear throughout its entirety including through stick marks over the front, reverse and both sleeves, red coloured board paint transfer marks over the lower reverse and right sleeve, board burns over both sleeves, spot and sweat staining throughout and popped seams around the collar while also no longer appearing a crisp white due to numerous washings and wearings.
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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