For 1958-59, Parkhurst released a set of 50 hockey cards. The 1958-59 Parkhurst set consisted of 50 cards with only players and coaches from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. Included in the set were several ‘In Action’ cards. I’m assuming they were all taken during the same game between Montreal and Toronto. I’m also assuming that the photographer stayed for only one period and was seated in Montreal’s end of the ice.
All the IA cards feature action around the Montreal net. As a by-product of this, Jacques Plante is featured on the front of around a fifth of the Parkhurst hockey cards that season.
Featured below are the five IA cards that are the five highest valued in the group. I’m counting on you, the reader, to fill in the non-Plante players in each of the cards. This is always a fun task in the older cards – the images are certainly not HD, there are no names on the back of the jerseys and there are no numbers of the sleeves. Unlike IA cards from later years, the 1958-59 ones do not have an info blurb on the back of the card describing the scene. Instead, the card features the stats of the players from each team from the 1957-58 season.
All five of these cards are valued at $60, with exception of number 11 which is short-changed by $10.
I’m not a goaltender, and would never in my life volunteer as one even for an hour of shinny. However, I love Plante’s positioning in the number 11 card.
The number 21 card screams broken teeth or a gash to the face for Jacques. When I first played minor hockey in the early 1970’s, we had flimsy helmets and a cheezy strap-on mouth guard but the goalies wore a helmet and mask. Looking back at that, it seems utterly crazy that that’s all we wore. The fact that goaltenders in the NHL wore nothing on their noggin for decades is completely insane.
I’m not sure if these photos were taken during the 1957-58 or 1958-59 season. Either way, the Maple Leafs were going through a dark time, finishing dead last in the six team league in 1957-58 and squeeking into fourth place the following year. Meanwhile, the Habs were in the midst of their five in a row Stanley Cup run. It’s surprising that the Leafs were in the Montreal end long enough for these shots to be taken. By the way, despite finishing below .500 and barely qualifying for the post season in 1958-59, Toronto reached the Stanley Cup finals before falling to the Habs.
I know these are black and white photos that are coloured post-production. Was the ice really that blue?
Recently, we posted an article about Jacques Plante’s rookie card and final hockey card as a player. Check it out here.
This last card, number 36, is valued as a common. Is it Plante or Charlie Hodge? The big reason why I threw this card in the article was to point out the feet! Were goalie skates in the 1950’s extremely over-sized or does this guy have Sasquatch feet? Look at Cullen’s boots then look at the goalie skates – you could fit one inside the other!