2005-06 In The Game Tough Customers Super Box

"I went to the fights the other night, and a hockey game broke out!"
- Rodney Dangerfield

For decades, players have often had to defend their honor and the honor of their team by dropping their gloves. These confrontations often escalate to fights and the crowd goes wild! Punches are thrown, a player goes down and both combatants get a chance to cool off in the penalty box. Whether you love it or hate it, fighting has always been part of the game.

Over the past few years, collectors have rarely had an opportunity to see hockey cards that celebrate these warriors. With the release of the In The Game's 2005-06 Tough Customers Super Box, we aim to give collectors exactly what they've been missing - a commemoration of the rough-and-tumble side of hockey!

Some of most notorious players to ever set foot on the ice will be a part of the exciting new 25-card base set, the checklist reads like a Who's Who of hockey tough guys. From the era of Ted Lindsay and Lou Fontinato to more modern pugilists Donald Brashear and Bob Probert, this Super Box lives up to its name.

“Our company thrives on giving collectors what they want” said ITG President Dr. Brian H. Price, “I can’t count the number of emails I have received since we last manufactured our Tough Customers insert cards. Everyone wanted us to bring this concept back, and we have with a bang.”

Also included in this release are two minor league legends that carved out solid reputations over the years. The first is Frank "The Animal" Bialowas, who racked up over 2,000 minutes in the sin bin and established a cult following with many fans from St. John's, Newfoundland to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The other player, who appears for the first time on a trading card is Bill "Goldie" Goldthorpe. Originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Goldthorpe established a reputation of epic proportions in a number of leagues throughout the 1970's. In fact, he inspired the character of Ogie Oglethorpe the classic hockey film Slap Shot.

"This young man has had a very trying rookie season, with the litigation, the notoriety, his subsequent deportation to Canada and that country's refusal to accept him, I guess that's more than most 21-year-olds can handle. Number six, Ogie Oglethorpe."
- Jim Carr, Slap Shot

In The Game has also put together an exciting memorabilia and autograph program for the Tough Customers Super Box. Many of the players in the base set will be featured in the Autograph set. In addition to this, collectors will find some extremely limited Famous Battles Dual Autograph cards that commemorate legendary scraps between players such as Dale Hunter vs Chris Nilan and Wendel Clark vs Bob Probert.

Included in the memorabilia program for Tough Customers are several sets that collectors will appreciate. The roster includes Game-Used Jerseys, Game-Used Emblem & Number, Complete Jersey, Double Memorabilia, Stick Work and Signed Memorabilia. These exciting inserts offer collectors a chance to obtain game-used memorabilia from players that other card companies are afraid to put on cards!

In The Game is also proud to be officially launching this product at the Sport Card & Memorabilia 2005 Fall Expo taking place at the Toronto International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario from November 11 to 13, 2005. A special redemption program is planned for this event and details will be released in upcoming weeks.

Production of the Tough Customers Super Box will be very limited and every Super Box produced by In The Game over the past few years has sold out. A limited number will be available for order through our website and can sell out at any time without notice.

This product is manufactured by In the Game and is not affiliated with, sponsored, endorsed or licensed by or connected to the National Hockey League or National Hockey League Players' Association.