Historical Hockey and Sports Memorabilia Auction June 2025
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 6/24/2025
One of the all-time most beloved of all Toronto Maple Leafs, King Clancy spent over four decades with the Blue and White, first as a player, and later as both coach and team executive. We have an original media photo of the King, with this image significant as it’s the first to picture the legendary superstar in his Leafs finery. At approx 6” x 8”, Clancy is shown in his Toronto wool sweater, with an affixed caption on the reverse dated “10-30-30” that states the blueliner is pictured “wearing the uniform of the Maple Leafs for the first time”. A four-time NHL all-star and three-time Stanley Cup champion, Clancy would be the all-time leading scorer for defenceman upon his retirement in 1936, with Hall of Fame enshrinement occurring in 1958.
Traded to Toronto on Oct 11th 1930 after a 40-point season with Ottawa, the photo’s caption mentions that the $40,000.00 (just over $600,000.00 in 2019 dollars) paid for the iconic defender was the highest price ever paid for an NHLer up until that time (it’s believed to have actually been $35,000.00 plus two players). It has also been written about by Stan Fischler that Smythe first purchased a race horse – cheaply - then proceeded to race and bet on his purchase at 107-1 odds, and when the horse actually won, used the winnings to buy Clancy from the Senators! In overall pleasing condition considering its age, a stamp from International News Photos Inc. appears over the reverse side with an affixed paper image caption also affixed to the reverse and folded over the bottom edge on the front. Dated with a November 1st, 1930 stamp on the reverse, the area around Clancy's body on the front is grey'd out with red marks seen at the top and sides. Overall, the image shows some creasing, including a heavy one that extends from top-to-bottom on the left side, as well as some warping along the top edge.
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