MONTREAL -- Jean Beliveau's 1963 Montreal Canadiens sweater, 1959 Stanley Cup ring and the pair of skates he wore when he scored his 500th goal are among items going up for auction later this month.
Beliveau played in 13 all-star games, won 10 Stanley Cups and was a Montreal Canadiens superstar through the 1950s and 70s. To collectors and fans, each of his pieces of equipment, awards and trophies are worth tens of thousands of dollars. When his widow, Élise Béliveau, sees the old items, they bring a tear to her eye.
"I'm emotional when I see all these things, and I see the people and all that," she said on Tuesday at a Classic Auctions event. At the event, items used and owned by Beliveau sat on display in advance of an auction scheduled for Feb. 25.
The items are unique, Marc Juteau, president of Classic Auctions, said. "It's extremely rare to find jerseys from that time period of him -- almost impossible --, and he's at the prime of his career then, [in] 1963. He won the Conn Smythe trophy the very next year, winning the Stanley Cup for the Montreal Canadiens so, a very, very, important sweater."
A mini Stanley Cup given to Beliveau for winning five straight Stanley Cups between 1956 and 1960 is among the rarest items. "It's the only one I've ever seen, especially presented to Jean Beliveau, who was a very important member of that team," Juteau said.
The proceeds from the auction will benefit Beliveau's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As much as Beliveau loved hockey, Elise said, he loved his family more. "He was more than a hockey player."
