Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction February 2024
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/20/2024
Joining his famous brother as an NHL superstar beginning in the 1968-69 season as a member of the Stanley Cup-champion Montreal Canadiens, goaltender Tony Esposito was claimed on waivers by the Chicago Black Hawks the following year where he earned the coveted Calder Memorial Trophy. Representing his native Canada at the famed 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union, Esposito would play in four (4) of the eight (8) games during the series, picking up wins in Game 2 and Game 7 as well as a tie in Game 3. Playing his entire National Hockey League career with Chicago after they picked him up from Montreal to the tune of fifteen (15) NHL seasons, Tony would suit up in six (6) NHL All-Star Games, post a total of 423 career wins, have his number "35" retired by the Black Hawks in 1988 and be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame during the same year. Notably superstitious and ranked at number seventy-nine on the Hockey News' 1998 of the 100 Greatest Players of All-Time, offered here is this Chicago Black Hawks jersey worn by Esposito during the 1975-76 regular season as well as over the course of multiple other regular seasons afterwards and that has been photo-matched to numerous points in its life cycle of wear.
Displaying the outline of the "I Will, The Spirit of Chicago" bi-centennial patch that was worn by the Black Hawks during a portion of the 1975-76 season over the right breast, the patch was first worn on January 7th, 1976 when the Hawks played an exhibition game vs the Soviet Wings as part of the "Super Series" where the Russian team toured North America and played NHL clubs in exhibition games. Additionally, the Hawks wore nameplates during that game as well with the patch and nameplates were then worn for most of the remaining regular season contests, which were then later removed by the team. It is also believed that the jerseys worn by the Hawks in 1975-76 were recycled from the previous two seasons but we couldn't find photo-matches of Esposito wearing this jersey in a previous season.
For the photo-matches, the first photo-match (#1) is to a photo that is date stamped with "March 1980" on the reverse that is matched to the particulars of the team crest over the front, including some of the wear pattern that is seen on the yellow line with the middle black coloured portion of the crest and to the wear pattern within the black coloured portion of the crest as well. It also shows perfect placement of everything else in the team crest as well. For the second photo-match (#2), the jersey is matched to an undated team postcard showing Tony over the front, the card is matched to the same details as in the first photo-match (#1) but the image is much clearer than the one in the first match (#1) and you can match more things because of it. This photo also show the black mark just below the right shoulder area about 3 inches or so from the collar for an additional match. For the third (#3) match, again an undated image of the Black Hawks netminder, the image is again matched to some particulars of the team crest over the front including the same wear patter on the yellow line within the middle black coloured portion of the crest and to the wear pattern within the black coloured portion of the crest as well. It also shows perfect placement of everything else in the team crest as well much like the first match (#1) listed. For match number four (#4), an undated action photo that shows Tony wearing the cage over the top of his fiberglass mask, the image is matched to the black mark on the left shoulder just below the tomahawk crest while finally, the fifth match (#5) is an undated posed studio photo that is matched to the particulars of the team crest over the front including the same wear pattern on the yellow line within the middle black coloured portion of the crest and to the wear pattern within the black coloured portion of the crest that is listed in matched one (#1) and three (#3) above. Additionally, it also shows perfect placement of everything else on the team's crest, such as the case with the prior two (2) matches as well.
Furthermore, the pads Esposito is wearing in the photo-matches #1, #2 and #5 are photo-matched to Getty Images #114944494 (Nov. 15th 1978 vs Rangers) and #114944493 (dated from circa 1979), Esposito is also shown wearing those pads in the 1978-79 team photo meaning that three (3) different photo-matches to the pads he is wearing in the photo-match photos point out that he wore the jersey during the 1978-79 season. Taking it one step further, the pads shown in photo-match #3 are photo-matched to the pads he is wearing in the 1980-81 team photo, again pointing out that he wore this jersey in some capacity in 1980-81. Of note, we could not find any photo-matches for the 1976-77 and 1977-78 season and it is unknown if he could/would have worn the jersey in some capacity during those years as well.
For the jersey itself, a heavy durene knit offering made by Wilson, with no year tag on the inside hem, the brand's label displaying washing instructions is affixed to the inner collar while the jersey itself measures out to a size "50", the correct size for an Esposito jersey in those years. Of note, it appears as though the former handwritten size over the collar label can be seen if focused on but is too faint to make out fully. Decorated over the front with the Black Hawks famous indigenous head team crest that features beautifully chain-stitched embroidery details throughout its entirety, the shoulders of the desirable garment have been accented with matching and familiar crossed tomahawk patches that also show similar chain-stitched embroidery throughout their entirety as well. Having had Esposito's number "35" sewn to the sleeves and verso in dual layer black-over-red tackle twill numerals with the "5" on the back slightly longer than the "3", no nameplate graces the upper reverse and no fight strap has been added to the interior. Exhibiting good game-wear from multiple seasons of use, puck marks are observed over the front and both sleeves with the latter of the two listed areas also sporting wear in the form of heavy rubbing/fraying/pilling from Tony's goalie gloves and areas of red post transfers at both elbows. With additional spots of red colour bleed observed over the right side, right armpit and inside of the right arm, it is found in lighter form over all the same areas on the left side of the jersey while spot staining graces areas on the upper reverse. With more of the same previously mentioned rubbing/fraying/pilling present over the front hem that was caused by Tony's goalie pads, the same area shows as pair of small unrepaired holes/fabric runs, with a similar small one found over near the top of the left elbow area as well. Lastly, good pilling is found on the interior, heaviest in the arms while puckering is exhibited to the material behind the crest and numbers. One of the best to ever protect the twine for not only Chicago, but also in the National Hockey League, Tony still sits as the Black Hawks franchise leader in wins, registering 418 in 873 games played, good enough for tenth (10th) all-time in league history as well when you combine both his Montreal and Chicago numbers. A true legend in every stretch of the imagination.
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