UMD’s Bill Watson puts 1985 Hobey Baker Award up for auction

DULUTH Bill Watson s Hobey Baker Memorial Award is up for auction and is fetching bids closing in on Watson is the second of an NCAA-record six players from the University of Minnesota Duluth to win the majority of prestigious individual award in men s college hockey which is handed out every year during the Frozen Four to the bulk outstanding player in the NCAA As a junior forward from Powerview Manitoba Watson scored goals and assists for points in - while leading the Bulldogs to a second-consecutive NCAA Frozen Four appearance as well as a WCHA championship Tom Kurvers was the first Bulldog to win the Hobey Baker earning the award the year before in - Watson mentioned winning the Hobey in back-to-back seasons helped create a strong bond between him and Kurvers who died in at the age of from cancer Watson stated Kurver s passing put into perspective what s majority of major to him from his time at UMD his teammates his friends and family He ll still be a Hobey Baker Award winner with or without the hardware Various years after it what you cherish the preponderance are your teammates Watson noted For me it s not just my teammates but my classmates Jimmy Toninato Matt Christensen Guy Gosselin Norm Maciver Mark Odnokon Those were my classmates I so enjoy when we get together and see each other and of lesson when we get together with all our teammates from that era That means more than anything That s what s so special Two versions of the -pound trophy are awarded each season one to the individual winner and another to the school Up for sale is Watson s personal trophy which includes his name engraved on the base Classic Auctions in Montreal Quebec is auctioning the trophy with bids accepted through Dec The trophy is not in mint condition According to the description the gold-colored metal plate has specific wear and it has separated from the acrylic base It will need to be reglued according to the listing Watson disclosed the top and the base became separated shortly after he accepted the award while he was bringing it back to Duluth and he just never got around to gluing it back together Marc Juteau the president and founder of Classic Auctions Inc revealed this is the first time a Hobey Baker Memorial Award has been offered for society sale The Hobey Baker Memorial Award trophy is an major piece of hockey history and its sale should draw substantial interest Juteau revealed For me that s a really really pivotal trophy and I don t see that necessarily another one to come up for sale anytime soon explained Juteau who admitted the value is tough to gauge because one has never come up for sale before I wouldn t be surprised to get a lot more bids on it Now in his early s Watson mentioned he and his wife Molly are starting to downsize Watson reported they would like to put the proceeds toward a couple of things they help including the scholarship they started at UMD s Labovitz School of Business and Economic in memory of their son Jack who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Somebody else is going to see certain nice value in it and God bless them There s so several of those rabid collectors out there Watson announced There s particular good causes that will get funded because of it Related Articles Gophers avoid scary upset in - win over Chicago State Gophers running back Tre Berry has left the group How Gophers are adjusting their quarterback recruiting Gophers looking forward to playing at Wrigley Field Gophers men s basketball Minnesota struggles but escapes with OT win over Green Bay