Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction April 2024
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/30/2024
Playing his junior hockey as a member of the WCHL's Edmonton Oil Kings between 1971 and 1974, Dave Inkpen would be drafted 129th overall in 1974 by the NHL's New York Islanders as well as 18th overall by the WHA's Cincinnati Stingers the same year. Choosing to go the route of the World Hockey Association and playing in 293 WHA games in his career with the likes of Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Edmonton, Quebec and New England, Inkpen would end his career overseas in Germany with EHC Essen, EHC Essen-West and ECD Iserlohn between 1980 and 1985. Offered here, we present this WHA Indianapolis Racers jersey worn by Inkpen during the league's final season of 1978-79. A classic tie-neck durene knit construction garment made by Rawlings, a brand label displaying a size "50" designation is affixed to the inner collar while the original blue lace is found fed through the eyelets of the collar. Decorated over the front of the jersey with a Racers team crest that has been applied in layered tackle twill style, the sleeves and verso of the jersey have had Inkpen's number "2" added to them in dual layer blue-over-red tackle twill numerals. Displaying "Inkpen" spelt out in single layer screen printed navy blue letters across the affixed matching nameplate at the top of the reverse and still sporting the original loop style fight strap sewn into the interior, the jersey displays good game-wear throughout including stick marks over the front and right sleeve, good board burns/fabric scrapes over both sleeves, heaviest near the left cuff, red/orange coloured spot stains over the lower front, additional board burns over the hem of the right hip and pilling on the interior. Additionally, fabric runs/unrepaired small holes are present over the lower reverse and left sleeve near the elbow and the jersey comes accompanied by a MeiGray LOA plus COR.
Instrumental to the hobby as one of the founders of the MeiGray Group in 1997, a hobby entity paramount in the authentication of game-worn jerseys and equipment, pioneer collector Barry Meisel enjoyed almost two decades as a successful sports journalist. Beginning with his days interning for the Binghamton Evening Press while a senior in college, Meisel explains how his passion for collecting was fueled, stating “My plan was to get a game-worn jersey for every team I covered once I became a pro hockey writer. I got a Barons, then a Broome Dusters, Binghamton Whalers, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers. It was the late '80s. My first career was born. From the Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin to the Morristown, NJ, Daily Record, to the New York Daily News”.
In his dozen years with the New York Daily News, Meisel covered the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and New York Giants. He also spent the early-1990s serving as the News’ investigative sports reporter, with additional time as a columnist for The Hockey News (1982-90) and The New York Giants Newsweekly (1990-96), with a few book authored including 'Losing the Edge: The Rise and Fall of the Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers’. Despite building a vast and encompassing grouping of items, Meisel notes, "I have my favorites. The Scotty Press that still sits in my home office. My 1983-84 Detroit Red Wings Ken Holland, the minor-league goalie in Binghamton who became a lifelong friend, and who had a cup of NHL coffee before becoming a Hall of Fame General Manager. And my 1994 Stanley Cup Finals New York Rangers white Craig MacTavish, who was wearing this jersey in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on June 14, 1994. MacT knocked the final faceoff into the corner with 1.6 seconds left on a 54-year Jinx, the night the Rangers allowed the Monster of MSG to one day Die in Peace. This jersey is on display at the Garden, to remind every Blue Seater from old Section 433 that the wait was worth it”.
Classic Auctions in honoured to have been chosen to sell the Barry Meisel personal collection, with dozens of high-quality jerseys offered including an endless supply of important New York Rangers specimens from Rod Gilbert, Peter Sundstrom, James Patrick, Mark Tinordi, Kris King and other Blueshirts as well as WHA jerseys from the Indianapolis Racers, Quebec Nordiques and Ottawa Nationals. Additional gems that will have bidders salivating includes Peter McDuff’s 1973-74 AHL Providence Reds game-worn home and away jerseys, bobble head dolls, important programs and other assorted memorabilia.
As always, we hope these long-loved treasures find new appreciative collectors, with Meisel stating it best, “It's time for Classic Collectibles and my good friend Marc Juteau to help me find my gamers new homes. Time for others to enjoy the greatest hobby alive."
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