Opening Day Auction 2014
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/26/2014
Following a 1980-81 season that saw Wayne Gretzky score 55 goals and register 109 assists, fans of hockey were beginning to realize that the Edmonton Oilers superstar had the potential to be the greatest player the game has ever seen. Sports Illustrated certainly took notice, putting “The Great One” on the cover of their magazine for the first time on October 12, 1981. Gretzky signed this exclusive edition, which features a portrait of him batting a puck into the air while holding a hockey stick in an Oilers uniform, in bold, blue Sharpie across the cover. The cover story title reads “THE GREAT GRETZKY” with “Wayne Gretzky, Best Player in the NHL” below. The magazine has an address label in the bottom left corner with “Sports Illustrated” across the top in green type and the date and cost ($1.50) in the top right corner. The signed magazine comes with basic certification from James Spence Authentication.