When a loan goes bad, lawyers end up being the real winners.

Dave Christian was part of the greatest Olympic upset in the history of the United States. Now he's just plain upset over a sports memorabilia decision his dad made 30 years ago.

Dave and his father, Bill, a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic hockey gold medal winning team, are fighting to get their jerseys back from the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Bill Christian loaned the pieces of Olympic hockey history to Hockey Hall in 1981, "never dreaming they would be gone forever," he said.

WCCO-TV Minnesota reports the father and son have been working to get the jerseys back in the past six months. Dave wants to "pass those jerseys" to his children. The people who run the Hockey Hall of Fame don't think that's a good idea, and claim they now own the historic sweaters.

Medal won by son during 1980 Olympics

Jersey as displayed in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

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Dave Christian played more than 1,000 NHL games, scoring 340 career goals with the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks from 1980 to 1994.

The main issue of debate is a letter sent to Bill in 1981 that thanked he and his son for "the donation" of the jerseys. The family admits a mistake was made but says they paid little attention to the letter and intended to only loan the sweaters. Dave points out his dad "is not an attorney."

Representatives of the Hockey Hall of Fame are ready to throw down the gloves, having sent the father and son a letter claiming they are ready to go to court over the Olympic jerseys.

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