This home white mesh gamer by Stall and Dean was worn by Dale Tallon during the 1979-80 NHL season. Tallon was among the NHL’s best defensemen throughout the decade of the 1970’s. He broke in with the Canucks in 1970 when he was selected 2nd overall behind Gilbert Perreault in the Amateur draft. As a rookie he tabbed 14 goals and 56 points, justifying the expansion teams’ early selection of him and earning his first of 2 NHL All Star game berths. In his other 2 seasons in Vancouver, Tallon tabbed 17 and 13 goals respectively. Following his 3rd year he was dealt to Chicago in a blockbuster deal for Jerry Korab. Dale played for the Hawks for 5 years and had his finest season in 1975-76 scoring 15 goals and 62 points. Following the 1977-78 campaign, Dale was dealt to Pittsburgh where he played solid hockey for another year and a half before announcing his retirement.

Sewn in the collar of this vintage blue and white gamer is the Stall and Dean, wash, size and year tagging. This example hails from the seldom seen first set of 1979-80 Penguins gamers. They feature a screened on crest and screened on numbers. These gamers were used more sparingly as the Pens recycled many of the prior years’ sweaters over into the beginning of the 1979-80 season. In January 1980 the team would switch from the blue and whites to the black and golds in an attempt to mimic the cities current World Champions, the Steelers and the Pirates.

The game wear on this example is on the lighter side which is typical of the style with some stick marks, board burns, board paint transfer and inner pilling. These 30-year old blue Penguins gamers are so very desirable among hobbyists. Having been worn by the Penguins very briefly during the first half of the 1979-80 season, marks them as one of the NHL’s shortest lived jersey styles and keeps them in high demand among collectors. Here’s a golden opportunity to acquire an example worn by one of the finest defensemen of the era and a 2-time NHL All Star in what was his last NHL season.