December - A Cut Above The Rest

In December, I decided to treat myself to some boxes of 2010-11 In The Game Enshrined and some boxes of 2012-13 Panini Classics Signatures. Both products are rich in hard-signed autographs. Both products are rich in Hall of Fame players and stars of the past.

In the 2010-11 ITG Enshrined, I was lucky enough to pull one of the 1/1 Enshrined PaperCuts. The card features a cut signature of Neil Colville.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1967, Colville joined the Rangers' farm team in 1934 and quickly made his way to the pros by 1936, as centre for the "Bread Line" with his brother Mac, and Alex Shibicky. Colville won a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1940. He also won the Allan Cup in 1942. He passed away on Boxing Day in 1987 at the age of 73.

In one of my boxes of 2012-13 Panini Classics Signatures, I set aside a larger than normal pack until the end as I had never found a thick pack in the product before. Inside was a 1/1 Bill Cowley cut signature from the Original Cuts subset.

Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1968, Cowley finished his career with 195 goals and 353 assists for 548 points in 549 NHL games. At the time of his retirement in 1947, he was the NHL's all-time leading point scorer, and the last active player from the St. Louis Eagles roster. Cowley died on New Year's Eve in 1993 at the age of 81.

It's pure chance to find a 1/1 cut in most products... but two in one month is just insane... especially when they're both NHL Hall of Famers!