This home white mesh gamer was worn by Neal Broten while skating for Team USA during the 1980 Pre-Olympic schedule. The Minnesota North Stars selected Broten in the 3rd round of the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. Broten, a native of Roseau, MN was a key member of the celebrated 1980 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal winning ‘Do you believe in Miracles’ squad. After skating for the University of Minnesota and winning a National Championship and the Hobey Baker Award, Neal joined his hometown Minnesota North Stars and, as a rookie, played in his first of three Stanley Cup Finals. Neal hails as the greatest Minnesota born player in NHL history and is a member of the US Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1985-86, Broten became the first American born player to score 100 points in a season with a 105 point effort. Broten tallied 923 points over the course of his 1099 game 17-year NHL career. He was also the first player in the history of sport to win a championship at the collegiate, professional and Olympic levels.

In 1994-95, after spending 15 seasons with the Minnesota/Dallas franchise, Broten joined the New Jersey Devils and provided that missing veteran leadership as they went onto win their first ever Stanley Cup title. Neal spent parts of 3 seasons in New Jersey, a partial year with the Kings and then 20 more games with the Stars where he scored 8 goals and 15 points as he wrapped up his NHL career. A year after retiring, the Dallas Stars honored Broten by retiring his player number 7. This iconic Gold Medal winner and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer was a two-time NHL All Star and was the recipient of the 1998 Lester Patrick Trophy.

In the summer of 1979, a group of college kids from all over the United States were invited to begin tryouts for the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team. Under the watchful eye of Head Coach Herb Brooks, the team practiced relentlessly before beginning a grueling five-month 61 game exhibition schedule as the final roster took shape. Beginning on September 3, 1979 in Europe, the U.S. Team went 42-16-3 against world-class European and American competition that included teams from the NHL. Their last exhibition game was played at Madison Square Garden against the Gold Medal favorites from the Soviet Union on February 9, 1980. The Russians dominated the amateurs from the United States, winning the game 10-3 and sending the shell-shocked college kids right into the Olympics at Lake Placid off of an embarrassing defeat.

Broten played in 55 of the 61 Pre-Olympic games for Team USA, scoring 25 goals and adding 30 assists for 55 points, easily securing himself an Olympic roster spot. Neal then partook in those 7 memorable games at Lake Placid as Team USA shocked the world by defeating the Soviets in the Miracle on Ice game and then going on to win the Gold Medal a couple of days later.

Team USA wore this set of mesh and knit combos during the early part of their schedule while playing their Pre-Olympic home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota. The game wear on this sweater is solid and consists of stick and slash marks, board burns, board paint transfer, un-repaired burn holes, sweat stains, fine inner pilling and a nice team-sewn repair to close up a slash gash on the upper sleeve. Broten had won a National Championship under Herb Brooks at the University of Minnesota in 1979, several months prior to getting the call to tryout for the squad. He was part of the fabled Minnesota contingent and wore this sweater while competing for a coveted spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. Shown above are images of Broten taken during Team USA photo shoots in early August 1979, wearing a similar version of the home jersey. Also shown above are some screen captures of Team USA wearing these exact jerseys with their red collars during the actual Pre-Olympic exhibition schedule in Minnesota! This incredible jersey is completely fresh to the hobby, having just been discovered. This stunning example features solid game use and was worn by U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Neal Broten, as he competed for a coveted 1980 Olympic roster spot. In 1999, Sports Illustrated named the “Miracle on Ice” the top sports moment of the 20th century. Who will ever forget Al Michaels famously saying, “Do you believe in miracles?! YES!