Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Fall 2013
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/5/2013
A Red Wings record for penalty minutes in his rookie season. The captaincy at 23. A landmark lawsuit for a stick attack by Colorado’s Wilf Paiement resulting in a historic $850,000jury award to Dennis Polonich, whose entire hockey career is spanned in this impressive and exhaustive collection of some 13 scrapbooks.
From Dennis’ childhood in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan on to his minor and junior hockey days. Polonich’s first pro team, the fabled 1973-74 London Lions who toured Europe and played some of the strongest Russian, Swedish and Finnish opposition of the day, his next minor league stop in Virginia and finally, the call up to the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings where he quickly became a fan favorite, a sparkplug on an otherwise dreary team. Minor league titles included a Calder Cup with Adirondack in 1981 and a Turner Cup with Muskegon at the end of his playing career. The entirety of his career, including his post-playing days as a junior hockey executive and player agent are detailed in these scrapbooks filled with newspaper and magazine clippings with accounts and photos of Polo’s exploits.
There are loads of photos, many originals, some from childhood, as well as loads of greeting cards from friends and fans, along with many letters, including Dennis’ Dec. 1986 three-page letter to himself when he decided to end his playing career. Among the items featured are a gift card signed “All Best Wishes, Bruce A. Norris” by the late Red Wings owner, a member of the Hall of Fame, a 1977 letter signed “John” on soon-to-be NHL president John Ziegler’s law office letterhead declining an invitation to Polo’s wedding and the gift card with Ziegler’s full signature and the notation “Happiness always” in blue ballpoint, and a team-signed greeting card autographed in bold black marker by 26 members of the 1976-77 Red Wings including the likes of Ed Giacomin, Jim Rutherford, Walt McKechnie, Terry Murray, Terry Harper, Nick Libett, Danny Grant, Dennis Hextall, Dan Maloney, Jean Hamel, Greg Joly, Bill Lochead, Rick Wilson, Dave Kelly, Al Cameron, Fred Williams, and coach Larry Wilson.
Red Berenson signed his original 1968 hockey school evaluation of 14-year-old Dennis “Palonich” noting the future NHLer’s “Outstanding all around ability.” Also included are four framed certificates and plaques featuring a 1981 Special Olympics Sponsor an Athlete Program plaque with Polo’s name on a plaque at the bottom. Ernie Hicke signed his 1971 letter to Dennis on Hicke Brothers Summer Hockey School letterhead among several minor and junior hockey letters included along with a 1976 letter to Dennis signed by Saskatchewan Premier Allan Blakeny on his office letterhead.
Comes with Dennis Polonich's signed LOA.
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