WAYNE GRETZKY 2002 arena groundbreaking shovel/stick w/ 26 Phoenix Coyotes autos

Description

******* PRICE is 9 ****** This is a rare team-signed shovel that was used at the April 3, 2002 groundbreaking ceremony for the Phoenix Coyotes' hockey arena in Glendale, Arizona. Only 12 of these shovels were made (6 with a right-handed curve and 6 with a left-handed curve) and they were given to minority owner Wayne Gretzky, majority owner Steve Ellman, general manager Mike Barnett, Glendale mayor Elaine Scruggs, several other members of the Glendale City Council and an executive of the construction company that was building the arena. The shaft of the shovel is a white Hespeler 5500 GRETZKY II wooden hockey stick with a left-handed curve. It is autographed on the blade and the shaft by 26 players on the Coyotes roster at that time of the 2001-02 season including captain Teppo Numminen, Shane Doan, Claude Lemieux, Brad May and Mike Sullivan (now head coach of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins)
. Gretzky did not sign these sticks. There is a silver sticker on the blade that denotes the date of the groundbreaking ceremony. The actual shovel head is a heavy diecast of the team's Coyote logo at that time and is attached to the stick with screws.
This item has some minor scratches on the shovel head as it was used in the ceremony to dig into the ground. It was obtained directly from a Coyotes employee.
Glendale Arena opened in December 2003 and was renamed Jobing.Com Arena in 2006 and Gila River Arena in 2014. Great display item for any Coyotes fan.
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