Way back in the Ice Age when there were just six NHL teams only the best of the best got to take the ice for North America’s top league. Of course the two teams that made it to the Stanley Cup were manned by elite stars, as evidenced by this 1965 Chicago Black Hawks (vs. Montreal Canadiens) Stanley Cup Finals program (VG, scorecard absent) signed by (15) HOFers and stars. Signatures average (“8-9”) with Hall of Famers: Phil Esposito, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Pierre Pilote. Auction LOA from JSA.

The complete list of signers is:

Phil Esposito (HOF), Bobby Hull (HOF), Stan Mikita (d.2018 HOF), Pierre Pilote (d.2017, HOF) , “Red” Berenson, Denis DeJordy, Nick Garen (Black Hawk‘s trainer), “Chico” Maki (d.2015), Al MacNeil, Ab McDonald (d.2018), Jerry Melnyk (d.2001), Claude Provost (d.1984), Matt Ravlich, Fred Stanfield and Elmer Vasko (d.1998).

Most of these autographs have additional number and name notations written next to them including several that overlap. Presumably these notations were applied by the program’s original owner.