Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction November 2024
The second-longest serving captain in Motown history after Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio spent 24 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, which included winning a trio of Stanley Cup championships. Playing a total of 1550 games in the National Hockey League and inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977, offered here is this stick used by Delvecchio during the 1968-69 season that saw him register 83 points in 72 games played. A Northland Custom Pro model example with "Delvecchio" and his number "10" stamped over the shaft, additional stamps for both "Northland Skis" and "Olympic Sporting Goods Co." are found over either side of the upper shaft as well. Retaining its original tape job of black covered with white cloth around the handle/knob and black over the blade, the striping accent sticker is found to be in an intact state around the bottom of the shaft. Exhibiting good game-use via numerous dark marks throughout, heaviest over the lower shaft, heel and untaped sections of the blade, other various marks and abrasions are found throughout as well. Remaining free from any cracks or breaks, the stick has had annotations reading "1868-69 Alex Delvecchio - 83 Points (25 Goals - 58 Assists) - "Power Line" of Howe, Delvecchio and Machovlich Set N.H.L. Record of 114 Goals By A Line In One Season" penned to it over the top side of the shaft in vintage red marker ink while another one reading "1968-69 Gordie Howe - 103 Points (44 Goals - 59 Assists)" is penned over the underside of the shaft in matching style. With some of the once white cloth handle tape coming loose from age, the stick has been accented further by the fact that Delvecchio has signed over the forehand side of the shaft with a black marker ink signature that displays without issue.
A prolific behind the scenes historian of all things related to the City of Detroit, James Mackey would begin his professional career as a graphic designer after graduating from Wayne State University with a BA at 20 years of age. Soon finding himself at Channel 2 News in Motown by 1960, where his career spanned a tumultuous 42+ years, ending in 2002 with him retiring as Graphic Manager. Throughout that wonderfully rich career with Channel 2, he was fortunate enough to have won 4 Emmy Awards for set design. Beginning to photograph the Detroit Tigers and Lions as a correspondent for Channel 2 News around 1960 as well, he was hired as a freelance photographer by Olympia Entertainment in 1962, where he would spend the next 34 years procuring some of the greatest hockey moments to have been caught on film in Detroit Red Wings history and in the mid-1960s he would become the graphic artist & cartoonist for the Detroit Red Wings Magazine with multiple sections in each program including "In The Click Of It", "Red Wing Magazine" and "Sticks and Yuks by Mackey". Building many life long relationships with numerous Hockey Hall of Fame greats. Most notably, Gordie Howe, who even went as far to invite Jim to Pittsburgh for the opportunity to capture Gordie scoring his 700th goal, their relationship spanned their entire lives. Described by his son Eric with "He loved sports period", whether it was boat racing, lacrosse, baseball, football, hockey, Jim was there covering the event and capturing moments that will live on forever. As part of its current auction, Classic Auctions is proud to present some of the premier items from the collection of James A. Mackey.
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