Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction June 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/17/2015
“Bill Barilko disappeared that summer, he was on a fishing trip; the last goal he ever scored won the Leafs the Cup.” The lyrics that begin the Tragically Hip song “Fifty-Mission Cap” encapsulate the tragic fate of Maple Leafs defenseman Bill Barilko, who scored in overtime of Game 5 of the 1951 Stanley Cup final to win the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in his fifth season in Toronto. It was in fact the last goal he ever scored; his bush plane went missing as he returned from a fishing trip and his ultimate fate was not determined until the plane was located and his remains were found in 1962.
Barilko’s photo-matched Maple Leafs No. 5 game-worn wool jersey is from the 1950-51 regular season, the only one he wore that number after switching from No. 19. This historic wool is photo-matched to a pair of pictures from the 1950-51 season of Barilko and a boy shaking hands while exchanging a game puck. The matches include the hole on the upper left sleeve near the body and shoulder yoke seams; the distinctive pattern of team repairs on the lower left sleeve, and the team repair above the upper blue stripe on the right sleeve. The photos are dated to that season by the fresh cut on Barilko’s forehead with stitches showing. The reddish scar of the same partially healed wound is visible in the Maple Leafs 1950-51 team photo with the Stanley Cup. Doug Laurie and Tease Knitting Co tagging remains in the hem. The fabulous Maple Leafs crest on the front is lightly faded blue felt with sewn-on white felt letters for the team name and white thread embroidering for the veins in the maple leaf. The doubled felt No. 5 on the back features zig-zag stitching through the middle. We count a total of seven team repairs on each sleeve and two more on the back of this beauty worn by a blueliner bruiser who delivered the Maple Leafs most memorable goal before he was taken much too soon. Comes with a Classic Auctions LOA.
Barilko wore No. 19 the previous season with the Maple Leafs so he wouldn't have worn this jersey in the 1949-50 playoffs. The Leafs would wear new jerseys for the playoffs and there is no sign of a number change here on the back. There are various reddish brown stains spotted on the tails, the upper front and back and sleeves, and some blue bleeding around the stripes and near the cuffs and collar that do not diminish the display of this Maple Leafs treasure.
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