I was just going through some items and found a little treasure.
I owned a sportscard and memorabilia store for 9 years and when I opened the shop my aunt gave me this program as a "Good Luck/Congratulations" gift. When she was a child, she asked my grandfather to get her some autographs at the year end Detoit Red Wing banquet for 1956 and this was what he gave her.
The event was attended by local dignitaries, businessmen, and athletes, as well as their guests. It looks like I can tell who most of them are but there are a couple that I can't read their signature or find information on them.
There was one very surprising signature right at the top of the cover that I was quite pleased with.
There is an auto just to the left of "1956", does anyone know who this is? The only Al I could put with that team is Al Arbour, but the auto doesn't match.
Included on the cover are Hockey HOFers Alex Delvecchio, Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Sid Abel, Red Kelly, Glenn Hall, Johnny Bucyk, and Murray Costello.
Other Red Wings include Coach Jim Skinner (credited with tradition of kissing the Stanley Cup), Earl "Dutch" Reibel (Lady Byng Winner), and Bill Dineen (Father of 3 NHL Players).
Other athletes are Bill Hitchcock (Tigers player), Red Cochran (Former NFL Player and Lions Asst. Coach), Baseball HOFer (09) Joe Gordon and 500 Home Run Hitter and HOFer
Mel Ott!!!
The inside cover has Fred Huber (founder of IHL), Hockey HOFers Jack Adams and Bruce Norris and Former Owner of the Detroit Lions Lyle Fife.
Finally, the back inside cover has Stew Evans (last captain of Montreal Maroons) and three others that
I can't find information on (maybe locals) RA Thompson, WH "Bill" Vaughn, and Virg Frazier.
Any help on the 4 people that I can't figure out will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for looking!!
Bill