This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 12/31/2005.
One of the greatest to play the sport in any era, Boston Bruins HOF defenseman Eddie Shore changed the game of hockey with his brand of raw talent. Coming to the Bruins in 1926 from the recently folded Western League (WCHL), the tough Shore became an instant star in Beantown with his intimidating style of play. With a nasty disposition and crushing body checks, Shore received a record 130 penalty minutes in his rookie year. The fearless "Blood and Guts" was no mere brute however; his 12 goals in the 1926-1927 season placed him fourth on the team ahead of all but three players, and his end-to-end rushes were a fan favorite. If he couldn't finesse his opponents, he would simply skate through them. In the 1928-1929 season, he led the Bruins through a playoff sweep to capture the first Stanley Cup in team history. He won the Hart trophy four times, something no other defenseman, not even Bobby Orr, has accomplished. A December 1933 hit by Shore on Toronto's Ace Bailey caused severe head injuries that forced Bailey into retirement and Shore into a long suspension. So affected was Shore by this incident that he, along with teammate Johnny Crawford, became one of the first players to don a helmet on the ice. A pioneer in this field as well, Shore encouraged his teammates and the league to follow suit, although 60 years would pass before the NHL adopted a helmet rule. This groundbreaking piece of equipment is a red leather helmet worn by Eddie Shore while playing in the NHL in the mid-1930s. The front of the helmet consists of a double reinforced leather pad with several pre-made holes to allow for the evaporation of perspiration. Stitched onto the left and right sides are two reinforced leather side pieces, on which are fastened through slits two elastic straps that allow for the adjustment of the backpiece (also reinforced leather). On the top is a reinforced leather ring onto which are stitched six thinner leather straps, which form a virtual dome by their attachment to the helmet base. The helmet shows heavy use overall, and a broken right chinstrap: it appears to have taken a real beating over the course of Shore's career! Accompanied by a Shore family letter.