Sittler jersey an ‘exciting’ find

Not really thinking of the value of such artifacts as few players did at that time, Sittler hadn’t asked to keep it after his monumental game. His stick from that evening also vanished, supposedly in a garage fire while in the possession of a former Leaf trainer. Sittler was given a custom VHS of the game’s highlights that was never reproduced, which he deeply regretted losing during a house cleaning many years ago.

Now 67, he’d given up wondering about the fate of such memorabilia and treasured the memory itself. This recent discovery was a jolt.

“Back then, you were only given about two sweaters a season and they had to last you,” Sittler said. “Today in the NHL, guys might wear a special one just for warm-up and never again.

“We played the next night after the 10 points, but I really had no idea if I had the same sweater on or if it was already taken.”

The TSN story said Leafs owner Harold Ballard had gifted it to a friend, which Sittler says is plausible, but doesn’t remember being informed. No collectors had approached him in the ensuing 42 years. Meisel, who keeps about 10,000 game-worn jerseys in his warehouse, re- Boston Bruins goalie Dave Reece helps celebrate Darryl Sittler’s 40th anniversary 10-point game in Toronto in 2016. “Back then, you were only given about two sweaters a season and they had to last you,” Sittler said. ceived a call one day about his interest in purchasing about 90 vintage sweaters. When he heard one was Sittler’s, he gave it special attention.

“We knew it was a ’75-76, knew it was game worn,” said Meisel. “Needles in the hay stack are fine, but when you see the needle’s made of gold andallyouhavetodoisdive into the stack, it makes it very exciting.”

He came to the Hockey Hall Of Fame’s resource centre in Toronto to see what it had in terms of photographs and other images of the game. Meisel and Hall staff carefully examined each one.

“And there was one beautiful (picture), perfectly positioned of his arm where the blue stripe had a unique white blemish,” Meisel said. “Same shape, same place, same size. That gave us three points of absolute uniqueness. We knew we’d found it.”

Meisel’s inclination would be sell to the highest bidder, but hopes it will be to a person or institution which would put the sweater on public display. Sittler, who does not seem keen on bidding himself, shares that sentiment.

“He authenticated it and if he wants to (keep it public), that’s great,” Sittler said. “I had followed the Henderson sweater story. If (Meisel) gets enough money for it, he has the right to do what he wants and I respect his right. Really, who’d have thought they’d find it after all this time?” nationalpost.com