Lot 574. Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita Autographed Books. Both men starred for the Chicago Black Hawks, and both were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1983. Each added a gem mint 10 autograph to the title page of his book. In “Hockey Is My Game,” Hull briefly summarizes his career an then provides detailed instruction on skating, puck handling, playing offense and defense, scoring goals, practicing and training, and how to watch a game. The 1967 hardback, which contains 16 pages of photos, in nm with a vg-ex dust jacket. In 1998, “The Hockey News” ranked Hull 8th on its list of 100 Greatest Hockey Players. He was the highest rated left-winger. In his autobiography “I Play to Win,” Mikita outlines his life from birth in Czechoslovakia as Stanislav Gvoth through emigration to Canada at the age of eight to live with his uncle, Joe Mikita, through NHL stardom. The 1969 book, an apparent first edition, is ex+ in a vg+ to ex dust jacket. Generally considered the best center of the 1960s, Mikita was rated the 17th best hockey player of all time by “The Hockey News.” He is the only player in NHL history to win the Hart, Art Ross, and Lady Byng trophies in the same season, and he did so in consecutive seasons, 1966–67 and 1967–68. Mikita died in 2018. In 2011, statues of both Mikita and Hull were placed outside the United Center, home of the Blackhawks. Winning Bid $55.
