Bill Barilko card signed by The Tragically Hip sells for $6,240
Posted Oct 26, 2017 04:58:54 AM.
Last Updated Oct 26, 2017 12:47:01 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A good day for a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs and The Tragically Hip.
An iconic ‘Bill Barilko’ hockey card signed my members of The Hip was up for auction online until Thursday afternoon.
This comes after Blair Babcock contacted the Stratford Perth Community Foundation last week, and said he had the hockey card, and was looking to sell it on EBay.
Executive Director Tracy Van Kalsbeek says Babcock owns a local roasterie in Stratford, and has a very strong connection to The Tragically Hip.
“Number one, he’s a huge Hip fan, but also almost 10 years to the day.. Blair’s dad passed away from the very same kind of cancer that took Gord Downie’s life. So he has a very strong connection.”
Van Kalsbeek says proceeds from the sale will go towards a few good causes.
“45 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of the card will go towards our Community Foundation, 45 per cent will go towards the Larry Babcock Memorial Fund, and the remaining 10 per cent will go towards the Gord Downie Fund held at the Sunnybrook Foundation.”
Van Kalsbeek says the Barilko card gained further infamy thanks to The Hip, as they used details from it to help craft their hit song ‘Fifty Mission Cap’.
Barilko scored an overtime goal in 1951 to win the Stanley Cup for the Leafs, but disappeared later that summer during a fishing trip. His body wasn’t found until the next time the Leafs won the Cup, in 1962.
The bidding officially wrapped up Thursday at 12:23 p.m.
The iconic card sold for $6,240.00.
