June 3, 2010 @ 08:16
It would be different if it was Paul Henderson who sold his Team Canada hockey sweater back in 1972, because then I wouldn't even be writing this post.
But Henderson gave it away. In an unbelievable gesture of generosity, as a thank you for all he'd done for Team Canada in the locker room, Henderson gave the sweater to trainer Joe Sgro shortly after historic game eight.
And then, a few years later, in an inexplicable gesture of ignorance, Sgro sold the sweater to a collector and it has ended up on a website called Classic Auctions.
At last view, the highest bid was 211 thousand dollars, and among those interested in this wonderful piece of Canadiana is Canadian Tire. They want to buy the sweater, show it off in their stores across the country, and then lend it to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
It's hard to argue with that strategy, but really, if anyone deserves to own this sweater it's Henderson himself. Still responsible for the most significant moment in Canadian hockey history, Henderson had no idea way back in 1972.
Sports merchandizing and auctions and paid autograph signings didn't exist to the extent they do today so when he gave the sweater away, he had no idea what he was sacrificing.
And I'm sure he had no idea the recipient would turn around and slap him in the face.
There's talk of the federal government buying the sweater for heritage reasons, but I doubt that's gonna happen. Even though our Prime is a hockey nut, peeling off a quarter million dollars for a hockey sweater wouldn't sit well right now.
I sit here wishing I was Jim Balsillie or someone else of that ilk. I'd love never better than to buy the sweater and then hand deliver to Henderson, who's one of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet.
For a lot of you reading this blog, you weren't even born in 1972 or you were too young to remember those four crazy weeks in September that made a country stand still.
Henderson by the way scored the winning in the last three games. All must wins for Canada.
The only other way I can think of getting the sweater into Henderson's hands would be to have a national wide thank you drive. Even if donations were restricted to those who actually remember the unforgettable Summit Series, and to just one dollar each, it would be more than enough to establish the winning bid.
Part of Canada's charm is our simple history. We don't beat our chests and we don't always equate heroism to war because we don't have to.
And we don't have to because of people like Paul Henderson.
Category: Sports
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