Vezina Makes the Cut

From Beckett.com
By Al Muir

The first-place Devils firing coach Robbie Ftorek with eight games to go? No big deal.

Brett Hull's Stanley Cup-clinching goal in 1999? Whatever.

A card company slicing up the only existing remnant of one of hockey's greatest legends for a memorabilia card?

Now that's controversial.

Among the many Hall of Fame-quality pieces cut up for the 2000-2001 Be A Player Memorabilia series being released Aug. 16, is a set of goalie pads worn by the legendary Georges Vezina.

And by the estimation of Hockey Hall of Fame Director of Information and Acquisitions Phil Pritchard, they may be the only pair inexistence.

"I've never heard of any other [Vezina pads]," he says. "I wouldn't be surprised if these were the only ones out there."

Although there was a firestorm of controversy when Upper Deck cut up a Babe Ruth game-used bat for a 1999 baseball set, In The Game president Brian Price doesn't anticipate a similar backlash from hockey fans.

"I'm sure some people will say, 'How can you do such a thing,' but I don't follow that logic," says Price. "I'm as much of a collector, a lover of old hockey as the next guy. This is about sharing the piece with fans around the world.

"If I bought these pads and put them in my collection at my cottage, who's gonna see them? And the average collector couldn't possibly buy something like this. This way, hundreds of people get to share in the thrill of owning something worn by Vezina."

There will be 18 different cards featuring a piece of the Vezina pads, with an insertion ratio of 1:2,400. Each card will also feature a piece of equipment worn by a winner of the goaltending trophy bearing Vezina's name, including Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek and the late Pelle Lindbergh. Price says the Vezina pads were purchased from a longtime collector last April with this express purpose in mind. Once they were authenticated, permission was sought from Vezina's estate for the use of his image on the cards.

Price says the family wasn't at all dismayed by the fate of Vezina's equipment.

"You'd be surprised how blasé most older players and their families are about their memorabilia," he says, noting that Frank Brimsek-another player whose equipment is being cut up for the set-used his 1942 Vezina Trophy as a potted plant holder. "It's not a big thing to them. They don't see the significance."

They may not, but a certain breed of collector possibly will.

"Hey, if they're talking about you, they're talking about you," Price says of the potential for controversy. "And I'm thinking the naysayers will be outnumbered by people thrilled by the chance to own a piece of Vezina."

For his part, the Hall's Pritchard understands.

"We'd love to be able to preserve something of historical value like this, but there is a market for this sort of thing. And I'm sure it will help sell cards.

"Maybe we can buy enough of the [the cards] ourselves to sew the pads back together."

Pritchard says the Hall possesses examples of several other museum-quality pieces being cut up for insertion in BAP Memorabilia, including a Brimsek jersey and glove, a Terry Sawchuk glove and stick and a Vladislav Tretiak jersey and glove.

With such big names involved, In The Game is taking every step to ensure authenticity of each piece.

"About 80 percent of our memorabilia is being looked over by [Ontario dealer] Brad Moore. When it comes to retired players, Brad knows everything. And believe me, I've got to be comfortable because I've got to make [NHL Players' Association senior director Ted] Saskin comfortable because it's his name going on these card backs [guaranteeing authenticity].

Regardless of how this hobby event is received, In The Game is already planning for a more explosive sequel.

"You think Vezina is going to get people riled up?" asks Price. "Wait until you see what I've got planned for the next series!"