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Hockey: All the Cards But Number #1
In 1954, Topps came out with a 60-card NHL hockey set. Hockey Hall-of-Famers like Gordie Howe, Harry Howell, “Gump” Worsley, Andy Bathgate, Bill Gadsby, Alex Delvecchio, etc. were part of that series. At the time (I was about to enter junior-high), I had a neighborhood friend, a big hockey fan (we’d go to several Bruins games at the old Boston Garden) who had every one of those 60 hockey cards, except one, #1, Dick Gamble. Gamble would spend most of his hockey years playing in the AHL, but he did have stints with NHL teams, particularly the Montreal Canadians.
In my Boston neighborhood, we had a variety store not far from where I lived.. The store carried single-player, one-cent, hockey cards. As I headed for the variety store, I had already “hatched” my plan.
I knew the cards at the variety store were displayed in an open area at the front of the store. The individual packages could be handled by the customers.
As I recall, I entered the store. I remember that the proprietor was engaged – call it distracted – as he was talking with one of the customers.
In any event, one-by-one, as quickly and as surreptitiously as I could, I held the individual wax packages containing a single hockey card up to the light (like you’re looking at a piece of mail without opening the envelope). I remember saying to myself, “Doug Mohns, no; “Bucky” Hollingsworth, no; Bill Mosienko, no.” Then, on about the 4th or 5th try, Voila! Numero uno. Number #1, Bill Gamble (Gamble’s card was as “scarce as hens’ teeth”). I remember giving the variety-store proprietor a penny (In hindsight, it’s the best penny I ever spent).
In the end, I traded my Dick Gamble mint card for all of my friend’s duplicate hockey cards. As far as hockey cards were concerned, it was, in my case, a “rags to riches” story. Or, was it?
Just recently, I checked out the value of a 1954 #1 Dick Gamble mint hockey-card: $6,500.
As a postscript, I did have a 1954 Gordie Howe (it wasn’t mint) card. The mint Howe card is currently worth 25k. Even “worn” Howe cards are worth $500+. The only solace: I do have Gordie Howe’s autograph, but so do countless thousands of other people. Howe was a prolific signer.
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Walt (Teach)
"Walt, make a 'mental bet' and lose your mind." R.N.S.
"The important thing is what I think of myself."
"David and Lisa" (1962)
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