June 11, 2008

Cyclone Taylor: A Hockey Legend

So on a recent trip to Kamloops, BC, I walk into a thrift store. Why? Because I'm cheap. But also because I love hunting for hockey book. Trust me, thrift stores are a great place to find some unexpected treasures, and at the cheapest of prices.

In this store I found a copy of Eric Whitehead's 1977 book Cyclone Taylor: A Hockey Legend. I think the book cost $5, but thinking I already had the title in paperback back home, I put the book back on the shelf. But at at the last minute I decided hey why not and picked it up.

It's a good thing I did, because it turned out to be a gold mine.

On the inside title page is the following inscription:

"Jan 22, 78.
For Denome + John Kerr
Fred W (Cyclone) Taylor"

Yep. Autographed by Cyclone Taylor himself.

I would not have the foggiest idea on how to verify if the signature is authentic. Assuming it is legit, I would have no idea how much such an item might be worth in the collectibles market. I suspect a tad more than five bucks.

Perhaps one of my readers can shed a little more light on the value of such a unique and I'd assume rare autograph.

The Legend, The Book

Cyclone Taylor was hockey's first national superstar, known to Canadian hockey fans on both coasts and everywhere in the early 1900s. Whitehead's book brilliantly looks back at Taylor's career and life. While many Canadians may recognized the name Cyclone Taylor, very few know much about him. This book is an excellent resource not only about Taylor, but about early 1900s hockey and other legends.

6 comments:

Anonymous,  September 20, 2008 at 3:23 AM  

Hi I know for sure that the signature is authentic as I have one myself. He was best buds with my gramps Arthur Jefferd. I have seveal pics of them together as well as with Claude Robinson and Jack Ruttan. The whole buch was over wisiting one day for tea and mom took a pic. It was pretty cool. I too would like to know the value of all of these autographs

Anonymous,  September 7, 2009 at 12:12 AM  

Yes - it is a real one and matchs the signature in my book. He was very generous with autographs, so don't get your hopes up.

RT - grandson of Cyclone Taylor

Johnsense December 9, 2009 at 7:52 PM  

You're looking ar between 150 and 300 dollars for a Cyclone Taylor signed book. Taylor was a true legend, but lived a fairly long life and was a more than generous signer. Still, a very nice piece of Hockey History - I have one and would love to find another!

Blair June 18, 2011 at 8:01 AM  

Great Book. Mum was born in Tara as well.

rob,  December 3, 2011 at 2:36 PM  

interesting but disappointing. I've always wondered what my book was worth and thought it might be worth a lot more. I can verify that the signature and writing look very much like what I have. Even signed on the same page. I guess he always picked that page. I can verify that it is him because as a 13 year old kid we actually had lunch with him at Crofton Manor in Kerrisdale when we went to visit a friend of my dad's. She introuduced us and he sat down with us and told me to play Defence in hockey. My mom went back later that week with the book and had it autographed. He also signed a pice of paper for us that day.
Rob in North Van

Anonymous,  February 7, 2024 at 1:45 AM  

Hey I guess I’m late to the conversation by about 13 years. But yes it looks to be real. I actually met him and had lunch with him in kerrisdale in 78-79. We were visiting someone at Crofton manor and she invited him for lunch with us. I was 14 at the time. My mom went back to get his book autographed. I have heard that it may not be rare as he was so proud of the book that he was signing many. Regardlesss it’s worth something and I’m happy to have my name in it. I heard maybe 800 pre civic but collectibles have gone way up.
Rob in Vancouver
Rob.Lmas@telus.net

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