Interesting use for Northern Electric calendar

[tallguy58]

I visit a blog run by a Montreal Canadiens nut and he just posted these pics.

For those that are unaware, Maurice 'The Rocket' Richard was arguably the best hockey player in his day (40's and 50's). He'd be the modern day equivalent of Sidney Crosby, or in football Tom Brady.

Here's a copy of the contract he signed with the Habs in '56.

His brother Henri 'Pocket Rocket' Richard signed a similar one for the '55-'56 and '56-'57 seasons. Frank Selke was a notoriously cheap guy and had a couple of old Northern Electric calendars lying around that he pilfered for these contracts.

I guess there was a time when two guys agreed to something and actually stood by their word. Long before lawyers screwed everything up.

[Stubbypylon]

I think most of the clubs were like this back then.  I had the opportunity to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame warehouse where they keep all the stuff not currently displayed in the museum.  I was shown the Black Hawks offer for Frank Mahovlich of $1,000,000 and the $1000 deposit cheque.  The offer was written on what looked like a napkin with drink rings/stains on it.  All it said was $1,000,000 and a few signatures.  It was probably done in the wee hours of the morning after a few cocktails.  The next day Mahovlich declined the offer and the cheque was returned (he'd got the money he was looking for from the Leafs).
As an FYI my Dad's first contract was for $3000 and he had to leave a $30 deposit on his Leaf jersey which he got back at the end of the season if he returned his jersey.