Ed Giacomin wearing #29 with the Wings

[SealsFan]

Anyone have an explanation for this photo?

All the references have him as #31 for his three years with Detroit, and in each of those years another player on the roster is listed as #29. All of the pics from a search show him in #31 except for one other with #29 which looks like a screen cap from a Youtube video. Also, what is the shoulder patch they are wearing? It doesn't show up for any of those years on the Hockey Uniform Database website.

 

[Doctor No]

Very interesting! Never seen this photo (or #29, for that matter).

Where did the photo come from, perchance?

 

[Hobnobs]

Its from Feb 2, 1977. I have no explanation for the number though. Fred Berry had that number that season. Either way the photo is of defenseman Mike Bloom consoling Ed after Leafs has scored a 4th goal on him. Rutherford would finish the game. Its from the game where Turnbull scored 5 goals.

 

[Sanf]

After his first game in Red Wings Giacomin said that it was weird to go out with "number 31 on my back" because he had wear number one for all of his pro career. Strange one.

 

[SealsFan]

Well the patch part of the puzzle has been solved, thanks to Paul Lukas at uniwatchblog.com
NHLPATCHES

 

[Sanf]

Yeah the photo describtion mentions that the other guy is Mike Bloom. Interstingly I can´t find anything of him wearing number 26 either. Besides this photo.

 

[Hobnobs]

Yeah the photo describtion mentions that the other guy is Mike Bloom. Interstingly I can´t find anything of him wearing number 26 either. Besides this photo.

Its because its not. Someone is fabricating history. Thats Al Cameron.

 

[Doctor No]

Interesting! Here's the box from the NHL source (which has #29 for Giacomin, and confirms Al Cameron):

Detroit Red Wings - Toronto Maple Leafs - February 2nd, 1977

 

[Hobnobs]

Interesting! Here's the box from the NHL source (which has #29 for Giacomin, and confirms Al Cameron):

Detroit Red Wings - Toronto Maple Leafs - February 2nd, 1977

It doesnt explain the patch though as the patch were apparently used the season before. The plot thickens...

The patch info is wrong. 77 is ofc their anniversary. How stupid of me.

 

[Doctor No]

The NHL online boxes don't list backup goaltenders (so we can't see the 29th or the 5th), but in Giacomin's prior start (January 27) and his next start (February 6), he's wearing #31.

 

[Hobnobs]

The NHL online boxes don't list backup goaltenders (so we can't see the 29th or the 5th), but in Giacomin's prior start (January 27) and his next start (February 6), he's wearing #31.

So my guess is, he wanted to switch numbers, did but got lit up and superstitious as goalies are switched back to his old number.

 

[Killion]

Well the patch part of the puzzle has been solved, thanks to Paul Lukas at uniwatchblog.com
NHLPATCHES

Interesting.... Now, did they wear that patch for the entire season or just that one game?.... Because if just one game, maybe they auctioned off the jerseys & so Eddie decided to switch numbers for that one game, making his jersey all the more unique... or... perhaps he thought it was a "Weenie Number", total Hot Dog, making subtle fun of total Weenie Hot Dog Mike Palmateer at the other end of the rink.....

Eddie Giacomin, well, he was/is a weird Duck. Very strange goings on in his attic rooms from what Ive seen of him in interviews.... like.... he'll talk in hush hush conspiratorial tones, staring into the camera with a very worried & serious look on his face... goes for some "big reveal - top secret" mind blowing bit of inf or trivia... like "no one ever knew Bobby Orr never wore socks with his skates, 2 sizes small".... then deadpan at the camera unsmiling, stony silent Eddie with his 1000 yard stare.... WOW!..... just shared one of the secrets of the universe and by God youd better think that over.... contemplate what he'd just said, told you. .... ya, ok Ed, Mr. Giacomin.... please dont burn a hole through my soul staring at me like that... never knew that about Bobby. I swear. Incredible. No sox?.... No wonder he could skate like the wind....

 

[Doctor No]

I posted this in my Game Logs thread a while back, but Cesare Maniago was fooling around with sweater numbers as well. This is from the St. Cloud Times, February 20, 1969.

And if we're adding problems that I have with the NHL's official releases, they list Maniago as #30 in the corresponding game:
Los Angeles Kings - Minnesota North Stars - February 19th, 1969

(Noting that there are no actual Kings in the photo, so it's possible that the Times has a mis-attributed photo. I did a spot check of games just prior to 2/19 and don't see any #29 mentions.)

 

[Hobnobs]

Interesting.... Now, did they wear that patch for the entire season or just that one game?.... Because if just one game, maybe they auctioned off the jerseys & so Eddie decided to switch numbers for that one game, making his jersey all the more unique... or... perhaps he thought it was a "Weenie Number", total Hot Dog, making subtle fun of total Weenie Hot Dog Mike Palmateer at the other end of the rink.....

Eddie Giacomin, well, he was/is a weird Duck. Very strange goings on in his attic rooms from what Ive seen of him in interviews.... like.... he'll talk in hush hush conspiratorial tones, staring into the camera with a very worried & serious look on his face... goes for some "big reveal - top secret" mind blowing bit of inf or trivia... like "no one ever knew Bobby Orr never wore socks with his skates, 2 sizes small".... then deadpan at the camera unsmiling, stony silent Eddie with his 1000 yard stare.... WOW!..... just shared one of the secrets of the universe and by God youd better think that over.... contemplate what he'd just said, told you. .... ya, ok Ed, Mr. Giacomin.... please dont burn a hole through my soul staring at me like that... never knew that about Bobby. I swear. Incredible. No sox?.... No wonder he could skate like the wind....

I doubt it was just for one game and an away game at that. Thats a patch you wear all season basically.

 

[Killion]

I doubt it was just for one game and an away game at that. Thats a patch you wear all season basically.

I'm not convinced (that they wore the patch for the entire season) as prior to the 75th Anniversary Patch worn by all teams all season you did see some inconsistencies & one-off's at times. You could well be right though. Have you checked with other sources? Photo archives?.... What about the theory that Eddie was mocking Palmateer? Buying?..... Maybe Eddies regular number, jersey got destroyed by a Trainer, shrunk or whatever, emergency replacement?.... Whatever the case, clearly Cursed... Curs'ed # for Ed Giacomin.... Ian Turnbull... regular Cap'n Moonbeam that one.... 5 shots 5 goals.

 

[Hobnobs]

I'm not convinced (that they wore the patch for the entire season) as prior to the 75th Anniversary Patch worn by all teams all season you did see some inconsistencies & one-off's at times. You could well be right though. Have you checked with other sources? Photo archives?.... What about the theory that Eddie was mocking Palmateer? Buying?..... Maybe Eddies regular number, jersey got destroyed by a Trainer, shrunk or whatever, emergency replacement?.... Whatever the case, clearly Cursed... Curs'ed # for Ed Giacomin.... Ian Turnbull... regular Cap'n Moonbeam that one.... 5 shots 5 goals.

Looks like the patch here as well

 

[DJ Man]

I remember one night in the late 1960s when The Tonight Show had Bernie Geoffrion and Ed Giacomin from the Rangers as guests. The two came out in their full game gear, including the skates! Johnny Carson got a laugh saying "This is just what they wear to walk back home. You should see them during the games!"

They had a goal net set up on the stage, and showed how they practice. Geoffrion moved backward along a long line of pucks and fired them at Giacomin non-stop. It all went smoothly, allowing for the lack of ice.

After a commercial break, we found Carson done up in the goalie equipment. When Geoffrion slapped a mask on him, the host enquired why Giacomin didn't wear one. "He's tough!" deadpanned the Boomer. Carson nervously faced a few slap shots himself.

i wouldn't be surprised if this show survives in some archive. This must have been in the time frame of late '66 through early '68, when Geoffrion played for the Rangers. Seemed that he was all over the showbiz world: I remember him appearing on the Mike Douglas afternoon talk show at least once, and I think he made a return appearance on Tonight. I'd also heard that he made singing appearances in Canadian TV shows.

 

[Maarten Kenter]

Here is a link to some footage of the Red Wings/Maple Leafs game with Giacomin wearing 29. It was a record setting night for the Leafs Ian Turnbull who was the only defenseman to score 5 goals in a game: