Unidentified Maple Leafs Photo No.5
Here is another unidentified hockey photo from the archives of Vintage Sports Images in North Vancouver, and this one is a toughie. It shows the Maple Leafs playing the Red Wings, but what makes it difficult is that most players faces are at a profile angle making it harder to identify them. Firstly, looking at the uniforms, the Leafs used this configuration from 1938 to 1958 excluding 1945 - 1948 when the lettering was red. I know the photo is black and white, but I'm pretty sure the text on the Leaf crest is not red. As for Detroit, they also had an extended period of time using this uniform. The only thing that changed was the 'Winged Wheel' crest which became sleeker and less stout in 1948. That dates the photo somewhere after 1948 up to 1958.
The main figure in the image is the Leaf enlarged below.
Using only player headshot in the SIHR database and the direction of the player shooting hand, I am fairly confident that this is Howie Meeker.
Howie Meeker |
Howie Meeker |
Rudy Migay |
Rudy Migay |
Marcel Pronovost |
So, if this is Pronovost pictured, the photo is very likely from the 1952/53 season, Meeker's last semi-regular campaign. Meeker played 25 games that year and only 5 the next before retiring. The three players to the right and background of the photo are quite difficult to I.D. I'm having trouble figuring out the Leaf sprawled behind Pronovost, even though his face is visible (blurry, but visible).
The two distant guys could be only a few guys, judging by their shooting hand and faint facial recognition. The Red Wing is likely Benny Woit or Bob Goldham and the Leaf is likely Jim Morrison or Hugh Bolton.
Overall, as tough as this one was to figure out, I'm quite confident it's from 52/53 and that the main players pictured are correct.
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