Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction June 2015
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A tantalizing treasure is this NHL Standard Player’s Contract, signed by hockey’s all-time leading goal scorer at the time, Maurice Richard. The document sure plunges us back in time and gets hockey historians to thinking. One can only imagine just how anxious the Rocket was to sign the contract and “get on with things” after likely brewing most of the summer following his suspension for the remainder of the 1954-55 regular season and the entire playoffs due to incidents which led to the famous “Richard Riot” the previous March. The suspension essentially cost the star the coveted scoring title as teammate Bernie Geoffrion edged him by one point and then he had to watch his Canadiens get beat in seven games in the Stanley Cup finals by the rival Red Wings. The long one-page, two-sided contract reveals that Richard agreed to a salary of $12,000(!) for the ’55-56 campaign, with the contract being signed on September 15th. The Rocket’s standard attractive penmanship appears in blue ballpoint on the back, below the signature of Canadiens’ president William Northey, the latter already a Hall of Fame “builder.” Longtime Habs’ secretary Lee Dillon signed twice as a witness, with (hated!) NHL president Clarence Campbell’s bold fountain pen signature in its appropriate place on the front. After finishing tied for the league lead with Geoffrion with 38 goals in ’54-55, Richard went out and fired another 38 in ’55-56, placed third in league scoring behind Beliveau and Howe and then contributed five goals and nine assists in ten playoff games to help start an unparalleled run of five consecutive Stanley Cup championships. It was the iconic Richard who scored what proved to be the Cup-winning goal in a 3-1 triumph on Forum ice, as the Habs took out Detroit in five games to alleviate some of the bitterness of the previous spring. A very special season was 1955-56, with this delectable document highly important and oh so thought-provoking. With one fold line and four punch holes, the document has been well preserved, with no creases or rips/tears to report. Staple holes in an upper corner are to mention, as well as a Classic LOA to be included.
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