Historical Hockey Memorabilia Auction Spring 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/21/2011
In the spring of 1955, with Canada's international hockey pride on the line, the Penticton Vees stood and delivered for their country. Hockey’s home nation was still reeling from the Toronto Lyndhursts’ humiliating loss to the USSR at the world championships one year earlier when the Vees set sail for West Germany to restore Canada to the top step of the podium. Led by the Warwick Brothers - Grant, Bill and Dick - the Vees made an immediate impression with their fast-skating, hard-hitting style of hockey. Grant, the NHL's Rookie of the Year in 1942, was the player-coach of the Penticton squad which earned the right to represent Canada at the world championships by virtue of its 1954 Allan Cup win. With the legendary Foster Hewitt calling the play-by-play, the final game was broadcast coast-to-coast in Canada on CBC radio. The Vees blanked the defending champion Soviets 5-0 in the final game as Bill Warwick notched a pair of goals. The broadcast was said to have attracted the largest radio audience in Canadian history, up to that time. This wonderful wool sweater was worn by team captain George McAvoy throughout the 1955 world championship tournament. A maple leaf in blue felt with white-thread “veins” sits on the front of below "CANADA" spelled out in individual blue felt letters sewn-on in an arc. The captain’s “C” is sewn on the left breast in white felt and McAvoy’s number "3" is stitched onto the back. Mere remnants of the original tagging remain in the back of the neck of this historic tie-neck international jersey. This great Canadian world championship jersey exhibits numerous holes throughout that in no way diminish its display as a truly “golden” national treasure.
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