The Chicago Blackhawks: A Sixty Year History 1926-1986

Chicago: Windy City Publishing Co. Inc, 1986. Hardcover. 4to. Full black leatherette with gilt lettering and decoration, pictorial dust jacket. 352pp. Extensive illustrations. Fine/fine. Pristine, tight first edition of this chronicle of the Chicago hockey team's storied history -- and this exceptional, unique copy bears choice autograph additions: Tipped in are twenty-one -- that's right, 21 -- fine, matching heavy stock 5" X 3" cards boldly signed and dated at upper right by twenty-one Blackhawk players representing every decade of those covered in Pfeiffer's narrative. Front and rear flyleaves (recto and verso) each bear eight signatures, while another five are tipped to text pages alongside images of that player. Front flyleaf, recto and verso: AL ARBOUR (1932-2015, defence 1958-60) signs in blue fineline and dates it 11 November 1974; RALPH BACKSTROM (1937-2021, centre 1972) signs in blue ballpoint and dates it 13 November 1974; DOUG CROSSMAN (born 1960, defence 1980-82) signs in blue ballpoint and dates it 1 November 1982; GERRY DESJARDINS (born 1944, goaltender 1969-72) signs in blue ballpoint, adds "Chicago Black Hawks Hockey Club" and dates it 19 January 1971; TONY ESPOSITO (1943-2021, goaltender 1969-84) signs in black fineline and dates it 14 April 1970; REG FLEMING (1936-2009, defence/left wing 1960-63); REG HAMILTON (1914-91, defence 1945-46) signs in blue ballpoint and dates it (typed) 25 April 1977; LOU JANKOWSKI (1930-2010, centre/right wing 1953-54) signs in blue fineline and dates it 29 November 1988. Rear flyleaf, recto and verso: TED LINDSAY (1925-2019, left wing 1957-59); CHICO MAKI (1939-2015, right wing 1961-73, 1975) signs in black fineline and dates it 31 January 1968; PIERRE PILOTE (1931-2017, defence 1955-67); "DOC" ROMNES (1907-84, center 1930-38) signs in blue ballpoint and dates it 8 January 1980; PAUL SHMYR (1946-2004, center 1968-70) signs in black fineline and dates it 11 February 1971; JERRY TOPPAZZINI (1931-2012, right wing 1953-54) signs in blue ballpoint and dates it 15 December 1975; HARRY WATSON (1923-2002, left wing 1954-56) signs in blue ballpoint and dates it 27 February 1978; HOWARD YOUNG (1937-99, defence/right wing 1963, 1968). Below the 1944-45 team photo (page 84) is CARL CULLY DAHLSTROM (1913-98, center 1937-44) signs in black ballpoint and dates it 18 December 1979; below the 1947-48 team photo (page 95) is BILL GADSBY (1927-2016, defence 1946-54) signs in black fineline and dates it 20 April 1977; below the 1956-57 team photo (page 142) is FORBES KENNEDY (born 1935, centre 1956) signs in black ballpoint and dates it 7 May [1978]; below the 1958-59 team photo (page 152) is JACK EVANS (1929-96, defence 1958-62) signs in black fineline and dates it 12 February 1976; above portrait (page 209) is KEITH MAGNUSON (1947-2003, defence 1969-79) signs in blue ballpoint and dates it 2 February 1970. All 21 original transmittal envelopes are present (housed in separate sleeve). An extraordinary assemblage that would be nearly impossible to replicate -- more than a hockey teams' worth of autograph additions. For the Chicago Blackhawks superfan who has everything -- or thought he or she did!