September 17th, 2009 — Sports, Sports Memorabilia, Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky, called “The Great One” by many hockey professionals and writers, is one of the most recognizable names in sports throughout the world and widely regarded to be the best hockey player of all time. While even someone who doesn’t like sports knows to think of baseball when they think of Babe Ruth, and basketball when they think of Michael Jordan, hockey is what springs to mind when someone says the name Gretzky. Gretzky was one of the most successful players ever to take to the ice. Though he’s retired now, he remains involved in hockey by being part-owner and head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, a team in the National Hockey League, otherwise known as the NHL.
Wayne Gretzky was born in 1961 in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. He played in a backyard hockey rink and perfect the skills that would later lead him to become one of the best known names in the history of professional hockey. One of his signature moves was how he would set up behind the net. It was so unique to him that people began calling that area of the ice “Gretzky’s Office.”
He joined the World Hockey Association, the WHA, in 1978 as a member of the Indianapolis Racers. Soon he joined the Edmonton Oilers, a team that shortly after joined the NHL because the WHA dissolved. As a team member of the Oilers, he helped lead the club to win 4 Stanley Cup Championships—the equivalent of the World Series in Baseball and the Superbowl in football. The Oilers traded Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings, improving that teams performance immensely (they made I to the Cup finals in 1993) and did a great deal to make hockey a more popular sport in the United States.
He then played with the St. Louis Blues, becoming team captain even over long-time captain and god friend Brett Hull, but ended his career as a member of the New York Rangers. Wayne Gretzky was one of the most honored hockey players ever, having won 9 Hart Trophies for being most valuable player, 5 Lady Byng Trophies for sportsmanship and overall performance, 5 Lester B. Pearson awards, 2 Conn Smythe Trophies as the Most Valuable Player during the playoffs, and 10 Art Ross Trophies, which were awarded for scoring the most points in a single season.
Wayne Gretzky retired from hockey in 1999, and was soon after inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame right away. He bought part-ownership in the Phoenix Coyotes in 2000, and became their head coach in 2005. He also served as Executive Director for the Canadian men’s hockey team during the Winter Olympics in 2002, helping them snag the gold. His number is the only number to be officially retired across the board by the NHL.
Wayne Gretzky collectibles range from hockey uniform shirts bearing the number 99 to autographed materials. eBay is a great place for these items, but as with all autographed materials, compare the signature to the star’s known signature to avoid buying a fake.
Originally posted 2008-10-28 14:00:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Bobby Orr Sports-Memorabilia -> Sports-Collectibles Every ice hockey fan knows the name Bobby Orr, and even most people who know nothing about hockey have heard the name, whether or not they have any idea who he is. Born in 1948 in Ontario, Orr became one of the most well-known, and some consider...... -
Formula 1 T-Shirts Sports Memorabilia -> Fan Apparel and Souvenirs -> Racing-Formula 1 One of the most popular types of sports merchandise is apparel, particularly hats and T-shirts. So it stands to reason that Formula 1 T-shirts and other merchandise that celebrates the most popular racing in the world are a hit with...... -
Build Your Own Sports Memorabilia Collection Some people begin to create a sports memorabilia collection to create a hobby, and other people decide to put together a sports memorabilia collection for the sole purpose of eventually selling their memorabilia off later. Some people, then, specially build up their sports memorabilia collection full of specifically chosen items...... - Football Helmets Sports Memorabilia -> Fan Apparel & Souvenirs -> Football-NFL Official NFL memorabilia comes in all shapes and sizes, but some very distinctive collectible items are NFL football helmets. Whether you want to collect one from each of the 30 teams, or just your favorite team or teams, it's a fun......
- Basketball Cards Sports Memorabilia -> Autographs - Original -> Basketball - NBA -> Trading Cards Although when most people think of collectible cards, they automatically think baseball, basketball cards are actually incredibly popular. There are thousands on the market and many of them depict some of the best players that ever hit......
Related Websites - Everyone Loves a Medal “I want a trophy, I want a trophy!” said the five year old soccer player who probably had not even touched the ball during the game by the way! sport trophies are ever popular mementos for the younger set no matter what sport they are playing or what event they......
- The Giants Crash and Burn Playing perhaps their worst game of the season, the season crashed to a dismal end in the Giants first game in the NFL Playoffs. Where there was magic last year there was angst as the season ended. Getting off to an 11-1 start, they shot themselves in the foot when......
- India In her book Leap!: What Will We Do with the Rest of Our Lives? Sara Davidson also heads to India. She knows some Boomers are living in India; some are living in Ashrams in India (and one long time Ashram dweller decides to leave the Ashram); and some are volunteering......
-
Apple CEO Steve Jobs' Health Sparks Fascinating Debates For Investors Most of you probably know who Steve Jobs is. There may be some that do not so I'll talk about him for a moment. Steve Jobs is to Apple, what Bill Gates is to Microsoft. Not only is he a founder and leader in the company, he is attributed for...... - Nonverbal Influence in Hockey - Sports Stat for September 21 This week's sports stat is back to hockey. I do my best to mix in the sports, but . . . I guess I have a first love. Growing up it was football - Joe Montana - no competition, but for business, it's been hockey. Every game is like watching......
Online Stores
September 14th, 2009 — Basketball Memorabilia, Sports, Sports Memorabilia
During the 1990s, it wasn’t uncommon to see Michael Jordan posters lining the walls of kids rooms. Born in 1963, Jordan played college ball at the University of North Carolina and began his professional career (and played his best years) with National Basketball Association team, the Chicago Bulls. Now retired, for the third and final time, Jordan’s career brought him fame and fortune, and made him one of the most recognizable names in sports worldwide. Many consider him to be the greatest basketball player of all time.
Some of the best Michael Jordan posters showed him in action. He was famous for his ability to change direction in mid-air, and stay airborne so long than commentators often said that he could fly. He was often called “Air Jordan” because of his amazing ability to leap high and stay there. His presence in the game of basketball made it an even more popular spectator sport, as fans and those curious about the sports phenomenon wanted to see him make his signature moves. He was also one of the first players to earn huge product endorsement deals and benefit from aggressive marketing.
Many Michael Jordan posters that collectors want today are from the period of 1991-1993, because it was during those years he helped lead the Bulls to 3 NBA championships in a row. They seemed unbeatable with Jordan at the helm, though after the second championship, fans and experts alike speculated whether they could actually pull off a third.
But they did win the third championship, sparking cries of “Three-peat,” and Michael Jordan posters stating the same, across the nation. Jordan then decided to pursue a career in baseball and left during the beginning of the following season to do so. His baseball career was unremarkable, however, and he returned to basketball and the Bulls, who won 3 more championships with him on the team, another 3 years in a row, and set an NBA record for the most wins in a season.
He retired for the second time in 1999, but two years later he came back, this time to the Washington Wizards, and was once again the subject of new Michael Jordon posters and with new product endorsement deals. But he donated his salary to help victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. After two years of leading in scoring despite his injuries, Jordan played his last game in 2003, and was honored by a 3-minute standing ovation.
Michael Jordan holds a number of NBA records, including the most points scored in an all-star game, as well as 2 Olympic gold medals, one won while as a college student, and one earned as part of the 1992 Dream Team of players like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. When looking for Michael Jordan posters online, those featuring in-play shots during regular games are easy to find, but the ones commemorating his many NBA championships and The Olympic Dream Team are the ones usually prized by fans.
Originally posted 2008-11-01 14:00:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Ken Griffey, Jr. Sports-Memorabilia -> Fan-Apparel-and-Souvenirs -> Baseball-MLB Ken Griffey Jr is a baseball player from Cincinnati who has played for the Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago White Sox and the Seattle Mariners. The 39-year-old Griffey is a center fielder, and known for his home-run hitting power. He ranks fifth in home runs, and...... - Lou Gehrig Sports Memorabilia -> Fan Apparel & Souvenirs -> New York Yankees Lou Gehrig, whose full name was actually Henry Louis Gehrig, is one of the most well-known names, not just in the history of baseball, but in the history of sports. He's distinguished because of his remarkable career as......
-
Collecting Autographed Sport Memorabilia Are you thinking about collecting autographed sport memorabilia? If you are interested in creating a sports collection of some kind, one of the options that is available to you is collecting autographed sport memorabilia. If you want to add autographed collectibles to your own personal collection, what you may like...... -
Vintage Sports Memorabilia If you are looking for a hobby or an endeavor that is exciting and profitable and you enjoy sports of any kind, then you may want to consider giving sports memorabilia collecting a chance. Maybe you have always had a serious interest in a sport team or a sporting event....... -
How to Buy Sports Memorabilia Learning how to buy sports memorabilia and collect sports memorabilia is something that can be both profitable and enjoyable at the same time. Here are some tips, some definitions and some examples that are going to help you to better understand the entire process for learning how to buy sports......
Related Websites -
40th Birthday Gifts for Men All birthdays are special, but some are more special than others. When a special man in your life reaches a milestone, he should be celebrated with a gift that shows your appreciation and your love for him. Buying the perfect 40th birthday gifts for a man can be a...... - PGA Champions Tour Win Goes to Allen After playing for two solid decades without winning a serious big tournament, Michael Allen decided to set his eyes on the prize for real upon debuting at the PGA Champions Tour. After taking the win with a 3 under 67 on Sunday, allowing him to take the Senior PGA Championship......
- John Wayne Movies Memorabilia -> Movie Memorabilia John Wayne movies have been a favorite of movie buffs, Western fans and those who like “tough guys” in their films, for many years. Though John Wayne has been gone for almost 30 years, his presence is still such a part of American culture that almost......
-
Collecting Sports Autographed Memorabilia One of the keys to sports autographed memorabilia is to know whether or not your sports memorabilia is actually authentic. A lot of people find themselves wondering how they can be able to tell whether or not their sports autographed memorabilia is authentic. The bad news is that it is...... - Looking on the bright side My husband's car needs a pretty significant repair (a new rack & pinion) and some maintenance (timing belts replaced, a couple of new tires). Those things really add up. His car is 7 years old, with less than 70K miles on it, so it's odd that it would need a......
Online Stores
