PUCK CULTURE

Wayne Gretzky’s rise to cultural-icon status saw him featured on some rather unconventional items over the years, from Andy Warhol portraits to street-hockey shoes

BY SAL BARRY

DURING HIS 20-YEAR NHL career, Wayne Gretzky transcended being a sports superstar to become a cultural icon. This was reflected in the many collectibles featuring his name and likeness. Here are five of the more offbeat items of ‘The Great One.’ 1. LUNCHBOXES Gretzky may have transformed from being just another athlete into being a pop-culture icon when his likeness first appeared on a series of lunchboxes made by Aladdin Industries in the early 1980s. The plastic, blue-and-orange lunchbox featured a painted portrait of Gretzky, without the Oilers logo, flashing a smile and wielding his famous Titan stick. A large facsimile autograph also adorns the lunchbox, which included a thermos with several comic-style illustrations of Gretzky. Amid the sea of Star Wars, Smurfs and Strawberry Shortcake lunchboxes in school cafeterias in the…

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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Meet The New Guys 2024

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