Reader Submission - 1976-77 Hampton Gulls Pat Donnelly and 1978-79 Hampton Aces Peter Jack Jerseys

Our 31st and 32nd reader submissions comes from friend of Third String Goalie Chuck Eckels as part of a look at the history of pro hockey in Hampton, Virginia.

Here is Chuck's story about pro hockey in Hampton, illustrated with a terrific pair of vintage game worn jerseys.

The city of Hampton has had 5 different hockey teams in residence. It started with the Virginia Red Wings of the AHL in 1973 and ended with the Hampton Roads Gulls of the ACHL in 1981. Only one of the five entries was successful in Hampton, Virginia. 

The Southern Hockey League was created in 1973 as an offshoot of the old Eastern Hockey League. The EHL was a place where "butcher shop" hockey reigned supreme. The lead bad boy of the EHL was John Brophy who lead the league in PIM's. I was told by another player if you put Brophy in a room with another player, no matter who the other player was, Brophy was the guy walking out of that room. Before a game Brophy would amp up on greenies so much so that he would have to get another player to lace up his skates for him. He would then go out and fearlessly dominate for the next three hours. 

The EHL was a wild and wooly league. Once the Charlotte Checkers were late getting to a game with the Long Island Ducks in New York. The concession stands ran out of beer while waiting for the Checkers to arrive. Arena management allowed the fans to leave the arena and purchase 12 packs of bottled beer. I can't imagine that happening today. By the time the Checkers arrived two hours later, the crowd was feeling no pain. As the game got underway, the 4000 or so referees in the stands took exception to a particular call. They started to throw brown glass beer bottles that were full onto the ice. The goalies hid in their nets as broken brown glass and yellow beer suds littered the white ice. Luckily no one was hurt.

This was one of the reasons the owners of the Southern teams wanted to pull away from the league. They wanted a " safer and calmer" league. There was too much "goonery " in the league for the Southern owners. They wanted it to be more family friendly. Another reason to pull away from the Northern teams was travel costs. The owners could save money by traveling just to Southern cities. The final reason was fan interest. Southern teams drew in more fans when facing other Southern teams. Southern owners thought these reasons would generate more revenue. 

From its inception during the 1973-74 season the SHL aligned themselves with the WHA (World Hockey Association). This league was created to rival the NHL by Dennis Murphy, Gary Davidson, and Edmonton hockey magnate Bill Hunter. The WHA was even crazier than the EHL if that was possible. The worst incident involved the Calgary Cowboy's Rick Jodzio who once skated for the SHL's Charlotte Checkers. Jodzio, whose hockey credentials are open to serious question as a hockey player, attacked Quebec Nordiques superstar Marc Tardif on April 11, 1976 for no apparent reason. Jodzio cross-checked Tardif in the face in the second period. He then dropped his gloves and threw bunches of punches into the face of the fallen star. Tardif was carried off the ice on a stretcher and suffered a brain contusion. He missed the remainder of the season. The bench clearing brawl was so intense that it took over 20 Quebec City police officers to restore order on the ice. Jodzio was banned from the WHA and while charges were filed against him he later pled guilty to a lesser charge and paid a $3000 fine. Years later Jodzio and his son met Tardif and his son where Jodzio offered up an apology. Tardif accepted that apology.

With help from their parent WHA clubs and playing under WHA rules the SHL got underway in the 1973-74 season with the Roanoke Valley Rebels winning the Crockett Cup. The Charlotte Checkers coached by Pat Kelly would go on to win the next two cups. The fourth season the league went dark as it had become too "soft." The SHL owners had forgotten the lesson of the Charlotte Clippers of the 1950's. The Baltimore Clippers had their barn burn down in the 1950's and they had no place to play. They relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina at the bottom of the state. The Charlotte Clippers had phenomenal attendance because they won and they played a very physical game. John Brophy skated for the Clippers and that lesson would not be lost on him. 

In the late 1960's the city of Hampton, Virginia built the Hampton Coliseum with a seating capacity of about 10,000 people. The Fayetteville Arsenal were set to begin play in the SHL in the fall of 1974. They had only one problem. There was no ice. (As a big fan of the SHL and former season ticket holder I have been asked if I have ever seen any Arsenal memorabilia like pucks or programs but I have not.) The team owners looked for a place to play and landed in Hampton. The team played for three years in Hampton before the league went dark in 1977. Coach John Brophy's Hampton Gulls were a very physical team that won. The worst finish they had in three years was second place. Curt Brackenbury, Dale Smedsmo, and Hal "Mad Dog" Willis led they way that first season with physical play. A real good example of the Gulls play was a game that took place in Hampton on November 13, 1974. The biggest line brawl of the season took place between Hampton and Charlotte. All 34 players were battling on the ice. The white ice was littered with brown sticks and black gloves. Even Coach Brophy and Coach Kelly were throwing down on each other in suits and ties. The battle lasted for an hour. The Gulls won that battle but lost the war 5-3 as both sides skated extremely short handed. 

The city of Hampton first leased the Coliseum to the Virginia Red Wings of the AHL in 1973-74. The Wings moved to Norfolk the following season then left the area in 1975. Charles Wornom, a local drug store magnate, had purchased the SHL Gulls and after the SHL went dark he moved them to the AHL. This proved to be a costly mistake as revenues were quickly consumed by travel expenses. The AHL Gulls went dark in the winter of 1978. The Hampton Aces lasted for two season 1978-80 in the reborn EHL after they relocated from New Jersey. The final hockey entry for the city of Hampton was the ACHL Hampton Roads Gulls. They didn't even finish the season. This was the final hockey team in residence as the Hampton Coliseum management decided they would generate revenue through concerts not hockey. The SHL Gulls were the only successful hockey entry in the city of Hampton because of their phenomenal attendance. All hockey is now played in Norfolk. 

Notable players for the Hampton Gulls SHL/AHL are Curt Brackenbury, Frank Beaton, William "Buzz" Schneider, Jamie Hislop, Dave Hanson, Jeff Carlson, Rod Langway, Paul Hoganson, Wally Olds, and Eddie Mio. 

First from Chuck is a 1976-77 Hampton Gulls Pat Donnelly jersey. The colors on this one are bold and effective, but the logo is rather sedate for a hockey team. It's got boldly executed two color numbers but what really stands out for us is the assistant captain's "A", thin with really large serifs, it has a rather out of place wild west look to it. It makes us wonder what would names on the back have looked like if they were worn?

Our second submission from Chuck is a 1978-79 Hampton Aces Peter Jack jersey. While the jersey itself is a simple Detroit Red Wings clone, the bold red and black logo is more attention getting than the Gulls logo and incorporates a stick and puck. 

Many thanks to Chuck for taking the time to photograph his rare jerseys and compose the detailed history of hockey in Hampton and some of the wild stories associated with it.

We really appreciate the work involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys through their writing and their photos.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 2001 Western Professional Hockey League All-Star Billy Newson Jersey

Our 30th reader submission comes from Chuck Eckels, and it's an All-Star jersey from the Western Professional Hockey League.

Here is Chuck's story about his  jersey, which is a really sharp looking jersey.

The Western Professional Hockey League was started in 1996 with 6 teams. The teams were based mostly in Texas and Louisiana. The games were played in arenas with a 3000 to 5000 seat capacity. The WPHL was stared by Global Entertainment Corporation led by current Calgary Flames GM Brad Treliving. 

The biggest issues facing the league were scheduling games and practice times around rodeos and livestock auctions. Life in the WPHL was well chronicled by Jason Cohen in " Zamboni Rodeo" . The league grew to as many as 19 teams at its peak and included games against Russian teams Electrostal Kristall and Traktor which counted in the standings. At the end of the fifth season the league was purchased by the Central Hockey League in 2001.

Shown below is the WPHL All-Star jersey worn by Billy Newson formerly from Northeastern University. Billy's first year of professional hockey was the 2000-2001 season with the Amarillo Rattlers of the WPHL. Like so many of the men who skated in the WPHL, the apex of Newson's career was a stint in the ECHL. A lucky few had a cup of coffee in the American Hockey League. 

The jersey was made by the American Hockey Company which can be seen on the back by the neck. It features the WPHL All-Star logo on each shoulder and the WPHL's fifth year patch. Included with the jersey are Newson's All-Star pants. I particularly like the fact that running down each side of the hockey pants are the letters WPHL. The pants also have the fifth year patch on them. The jersey and the pants are both autographed but does not detract from the obscurity of the jersey and pants set.

Thanks to Chuck for taking the time to photograph his striking jersey and pants (!) and the details of the not only the history of the league, but Newson's career as well as the details of the uniform, as this is the first pair of pants we've ever had submitted. 

We really love the colors of this jersey and the bold, curving semi-diagonal shape to the striping. We're personally fond of diagonal, or "sash", striping generally found on soccer jerseys as a design element and this reminds us in a way of one of our personal favorites, the 1992 Norway Olympic jerseys. We really appreciate the work involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys through their writing and their photos.

On a personal note, we have an unread copy of Zamboni Rodeo that we are now looking forward to reading even more after hearing about the league and it's travails.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 2014-15 HC Sochi Ryan Whitney Jersey

Our 29th reader submission comes from David Shucosky, and it's an authentic Lutch jersey from the primarily Russian Kontinental Hockey League.

Here is David's story about his  jersey, which is a real conversation starter.

Here's my submission. A Ryan Whitney HC Sochi jersey from 2014-15. Ryan recently wrote an article about hockey in Russia for the Player's Tribune. I got this jersey from Lutch's American division which operates out of California since I was tired of Reebok's crap quality and high prices (this authentic level jersey cost me about $160).

I actually tweeted a picture of it to Ryan and he was very impressed, he said he had no idea someone in the US would get a hold of this jersey. I also caused quite a stir on Twitter when I wore it to a Penguins game; Seth Rorabaugh of the Post-Gazette (@emptynetters) features a roundup of interesting jerseys at every home game.

The front of the jersey says HC Sochi, the rear says Krasnodar Krai, the province Sochi is in. That's the province's coat of arms on the shoulders. The sponsor patch is Megafon, the largest cell phone company in Russia. I can't find anything out about the 7 patch.

Thanks to David for taking the time to photograph his attractive jersey and the details of the various logos on the jersey as well as the stories of how it has been received by his fellow hockey fans. We really appreciate the work involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys through their writing and their photos.

On a personal note, we recently tweeted a link to Whitney's fascinating article about playing in Russia. Stories of playing and living in Russia from a North American's point of view are always a fascinating read and we can only hope Whitney's article is extended into a book some day.

Also, we personally have many Lutch jerseys in our own collection and recommend them without reservation. In the past, they were all dye-sublimated, which made for permanently bright colors - a much superior process to screen printing. Recently, Lutch added more embroidered crests and then fully sewn names and numbers like what NHL fans are accustomed to, a welcome change for many fans and collectors who feel that is a preferred way to construct a pro jersey, although we personally were perfectly happy with the sublimated jerseys which allowed for some striking and creative designs that set Lutch apart from the typical, more conservative NHL jersey.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - DIY Exeter Squirrels Jersey

Our 28th reader submission comes from Will Scheibler, and it's a truly amazing Do It Yourself project that looks very, very professional.

Here is Will's story about his DIY jersey and his thought process on his Expo 67 inspired Exeter Squirrels jersey.

When searching for who knows what on the internet I ran across The Canadian Design Resource page and the signage for Expo 67. 

Burton Kramer designed the signs and he also designed the iconic CBC logo first used in 1974 (unfortunately modified in 1992).

I decided to use the squirrel from the Expo 67 parking lots signs for a DIY jersey.

 

I had a blank white, gold, and maroon jersey.  I didn't have much maroon twill left so I made a white squirrel.

 

I sewed the white squirrel on the jersey but it was kind of small so I decided to add something to it. 

 

I found a town in Ontario (Exeter) that has white squirrels through some Flickr images. 

Their sign posts were a bit of an inspiration for my design.

 

I wasted likely way too much time looking through free fonts before I ended up using 'City of' for the Squirrels and 'Grange' for Exeter.

I then added the acorn on the back and also added the number 67 in a font (Consort-RR Bold Condensed) like the one used by the Expos as a nod to the Expo 67 signs.

Thanks to Will for taking the time to photograph his awesome jersey and his detailed description of his inspirations, his thought process and the construction steps of his great DIY jersey. We really appreciate the work involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys through their writing and their photos.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 1961-62 Dartmouth College David Donnelley Jersey

Our 27th reader submission comes from Chuck Eckels, and it's vintage jersey from one of the oldest college hockey programs in the United States.

Here is Chuck's story about his classic jersey and how he was able to identify exactly what it really was when it was listed as a football jersey.

I never collected hockey jerseys. I rented them. Oh, I would purchase them but like gum, it didn't take long for the sugar to be gone and I would sell that shirt. Now I buy and collect hockey jerseys. I buy and collect vintage game worn Ivy League college jerseys. I bought as many books and media guides as I could and I went out in search of true collectibles. These jerseys and sweaters are not manufactured collectibles like the 25 Henrik Lundqvist jerseys produced every year. I also chose the Ivy League because it was the Ivy League that brought the game to the states from Canada. Many times people list these obscure collectibles as something other than game worn hockey jerseys.

This 1961-62 Dartmouth University hockey jersey was advertised as a football jersey and one could be easily mislead. It looks like a football jersey. However, upon closer inspection, one can see that this type of jersey was utilized by the university to play hockey during the late 1950's early 1960's. It looks just like the jerseys in the photos I have included.  They changed jersey styles in 1963.  The football jerseys from this era did not have Dartmouth written on the front.

The 1960-61 Dartmouth College Indians hockey team

The Dartmouth hockey program started in the 1905-06 school year. The Indians got off to a good start as they defeated Williams College 4-2 . The first goal scored in school history was scored by captain and player coach Gene Brooks '07. Home games were initially played at a flooded Memorial Field. Dartmouth played a gentlemanly game as they played the entire 1908-09 season without earning one penalty and finishing second to Harvard. During the 1920's the program came of age as the team won the first tournament ever entered. The Indians won the Lake Placid Christmas tournament in 1922-23.

The program became a real power house for the next four decades under Eddie Jeremiah Dartmouth class of 1930. In 37-38 the Indians went undefeated in league play and captured the Quadrangular League title. Their overall record was 18-4. The Big Green captured their second Quadrangular League title the following season. At the start of the 45-46 season the Indians lost their opener to Yale 6-4 which ended their 46 game undefeated streak in league play. Dartmouth went on to win three consecutive Quadrangular league titles from 46-49 to run their total to 5 total league titles. The Indians lost to Michigan in the national championship in 1948, 8-4. During the 49 season Dartmouth handed Boston College it's only defeat of the season 4-2 in Hanover. They lost to B.C. in Boston Arena 7-4. They lost the national championship to Boston College in 1949 by a score of 4-3. The Big Green went on to win a couple of Ivy League titles in the late 50's and early 60's after the Ivy League conference was established in 1954. They also won Ivy titles in 79 and 07. The Big Green skates at Thompson Arena which opened in 1975 and replaces Davis Arena which opened in 1930.

Thanks to Chuck for taking the time to photograph his jersey and his detailed and extensive history of Dartmouth hockey. We really appreciate the work involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys through their writing and their photos.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 2014-15 University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Amanda Kessel Jersey

Our 26th reader submission comes from Kyle Krasa, and it shows what happens when you put forth the effort to make something happen.

Here is Kyle's story about his beautiful jersey and how he played a small but important role in getting it produced.

I absolutely love your blog!  It is a wealth of information and it is so much fun to read about the history of so many wonderful hockey jerseys.  Attached are pictures of my submission.

This is a replica of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Women's alternate jersey.  The Lady Gophers began wearing these sweaters in the 2013-2014 season.  They are absolutely stunning with their bright gold contrasted against the maroon numbering and lettering.  This jersey features a lace-up neck which is always a plus for a hockey jersey, the fantastic old time mascot logo of the gopher playing hockey, and the classic "M" logo on the shoulders.  

Although I am from California and have no connection to the University of Minnesota, it was love at first sight when I first saw these jerseys in pictures featured on social media.  Earlier this year, I searched endlessly to try to find a replica of this great sweater to purchase but I had no such luck.  I Tweeted the Gophers Women's team and inquired about where I could find a replica for purchase.  I was stunned to learn that replicas were not for sale, especially since many people on Facebook and Twitter commented on the beauty of these uniforms.    

I emailed the athletic department and urged them to license these replica sweaters.  I also found Vintage Minnesota Hockey, a site that specializes in making replicas of classic Minnesota hockey jerseys.  I contacted the company and inquired about the possibility of producing replicas of this great sweater for sale.  The company representative said that they had received great interest in the sweater but that the University wouldn't license the reproduction.  

Figuring my only hope was to find a game used hockey sweater, I contacted several Minnesota sports memorabilia shops to see if anybody could find something for me.  Unfortunately, nobody knew where to find one.

I thought to myself, "If I were an eccentric millionaire, I could offer to donate a building to the university on the condition that the school provide me my own jersey."  Of course, that would be an expensive jersey but those sweaters are so beautiful, It just might be worth it! 

Just when all hope was lost, a representative from Vintage Minnesota Hockey contacted me to give me the good news that the company and the school worked out a deal to produce replicas of this beautiful sweater!  

While my order was being processed, I visited Minnesota for an annual pond hockey tournament and I took in a Women's Gophers game for the first time.  I noticed a fan wearing the jersey and it made me smile to think that a Californian played a small role in making the jersey available for sale to the public!  Upon my return home, the sweater featured in the attached pictures arrived at my house.

This sweater features the name and number of legendary Gopher Amanda Kessel.  Although Kessel has yet to wear this sweater (she missed the 2013-2014 year due to the Olympics and missed the 2014-2015 year due to a concussion), I firmly believe that when it comes to a legendary player for an organization, any sweater of any era is appropriate in that legend's name and number.  Amanda Kessel is definitely a legend, winning two National Titles (including an undefeated season) and winning the prestigious Patty Kazmaier Award as the best female college hockey player in 2013. 

It's a pleasure to share this sweater and my story with Third String Goalie!  

Thanks to Kyle for taking the time to photograph his jersey and share the story of of his unique Gopher women's hockey jersey. We really appreciate the work involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys through their writing and photos.

The fact there was enough demand for the University of Minnesota to license this jersey and Vintage Minnesota Hockey to make an accurate version of it really speaks to the popularity of the Gopher Women's program. We doubt there is another hockey program in the United States where you can buy the women's version of their school's jersey, rather than settling for the men's version or a generic fashion jersey.

If you would like to purchase your own University of Minnesota Golden Gophers women's alternate jersey with the retro 1970's "skating Goldy" on the front, please visit our friends at VintageMinnesotaHockey.com.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 2014-15 Brockport Golden Eagles Jersey

Our 25th reader submission comes from Justin Walden, and has a great personal meaning to him.

Here is Justin's story about his unique jersey, the charity it supports and why it means so much to him.

In the fall of 2013, I started a wonderful job teaching communication at the College at Brockport (SUNY) in western New York. We're a mid-sized school with a small school feel, and I have really enjoyed getting to know my students. Yet along with the joy of beginning my college teaching career, I experienced a great personal loss. My mother lost a short battle with cancer this past March. 

I acquired this game-worn Brockport Golden Eagles jersey two weeks ago in an auction that supports Saves for a Cure, which is a charity started by a former Brockport student hockey player. Proceeds from the auction benefit children with cancer. Our Division III team wore these jerseys for one game on Nov. 15, and the white version in a game the prior night. 

My only (minor) issue with the jersey is that it's screen printed, although it does make the jersey lighter and thus easier to wear. The Saves for a Cure logo appears on each shoulder and the charity is also highlighted with lettering on the back. The white shoulders and overall color scheme are reminiscent of the old Minnesota North Stars jerseys. 

At times, a jersey becomes more than just a collector's item. I was able to contribute to a great charity, honor my mother, and show my school spirit. 

Thanks to Justin for taking the time to photograph his jersey and share the story of of his great jersey and the charity it supports and how it honors his mother. We really appreciate the efforts involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 1999-00 Hamilton Steelheads Boris Kerensky Jersey

Our 24th reader submission comes from Will Scheibler, and it is a very well written and documented story of his most interesting jersey.

Here is Will's story about his distinctly unique jersey and what makes it one of the most interesting reader submissions we've ever had.

Fairly recently acquired a Hamilton Steelheads jersey.  Who were the Hamilton Steelheads you may ask?  They were the home team of an old hockey television drama called 'Power Play' (1998-2000).  Originally aired on CTV in Canada;  in the U.S. it was picked up in 1999 for a trial run on UPN and got the lowest ratings in Nielsen rating history.  Click here for the Wikipedia entry for "Power Play"

Of the main characters probably the best known actors would be Gordon Pinsent (Due South and many other shows) and Al Waxman (King of Kensington, Cagney & Lacey, etc.)

Famous hockey players that made guest appearances include Bobby Hull, Guy Lafleur, and Jean Beliveau.  Politician Shelia Copps and singer Ashley MacIsaac also made appearances.  Don Cherry (of CBC's Hockey Night in Canada's Coach Corner) makes his acting debut as the head coach of the Philadelphia team.

Some of my favourite scenes are of the main character (Brett Parker - played my Michael Riley) in some episodes when he sees ghosts of hockey players that give him advice:  A pair of Hamilton Tigers, Bill Barilko, Howie Morenz, Jacques Plante and others. 

If you are looking for this series on DVD or even VHS you are out of luck.  Was repeated long ago on the Canadian tv station Showcase but that was long ago and hasn't been on the air anywhere in a long time, but someone kindly uploaded the full series to You Tube.

Click here for the best fan page I have found on the internet.

Click here for a Canadian tv and movie guide brief description and review.

Click here for a 1998 article from the film magazine "Take One" that the author has either quoted or has personally interviewed the producers of the show. 

Now onto the actual jersey.  My jersey is of a player named Kerensky (played by Ryan Scott) who shows late in the 2nd season of the show to help with the Steelheads playoff run (pics - screen shots of face in dressing room and back of him on ice).

 

Here's pics of the front, back, shoulder patch, and arm numbers.  You can see especially with the arm numbers with the remaining glue residue that this jersey had been repurposed from a previous Steelheads jersey.

 

Not too many jerseys scream 1990's more than this one - from it's colour scheme that includes purple, teal, gold and silver to it's cartoonish armoured goalie as it's main crest to it's fierce fish with teeth shoulder patch.

Thanks to Will for taking the time to photograph his jersey and share the story of of his great jersey and it's unique origin as well as providing all the links. We really appreciate the efforts involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Now, we're off to watch Season One of Power Play!

Reader Submission - 2006-07 Ottawa Senators Daniel Alfredsson Jersey

Our latest reader submission comes from Jani Maarala, and it's perfect timing with the NHL playoffs now underway.

Here is Jani's writeup about his favorite jersey and what makes it historic in term of the Stanley Cup Finals.

One of the definite favorites in my collection is 2006-2007 Ottawa Senators Daniel Alfredsson SCF White. 

This jersey was worn in the first Stanley Cup Final in Ottawa for 80 years. Also it was the first in Ontario province in 40 years. 

Ottawa was down 2-0 in the series but won the third game by the score of 5-3. There was an incident following Daniel Alfredsson's tying goal which made it 3-3. The referees waved the goal off at first, because they thought it was a kick. After video review the goal was approved because there was no kicking motion. 

This jersey is historic also because of a fact that no other European had captained a team to the Stanley Cup finals before Alfredsson.

Thanks to Jani for taking the time to photograph his jersey and share the story of Alfresson and his historic participation in the Stanley Cup Finals in this style jersey. We really appreciate the efforts involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 2001 NHL North American All-Star Joe Sakic Jersey

Our newest reader submitted jersey comes from Jay Vean, and yet again, it's a great example of doing your research, patience, connecting with the collecting community and a bit of luck! But in this case, as they say, luck is where preparation meets opportunity.

Here is Jay's story about his jersey which shows the depth of his knowledge when it comes to the finer points of collecting jerseys and how he was able to use his knowledge to obtain his jersey and turn it into the finest example of one short of owing the actual game worn jersey itself.

Sometimes, especially on eBay, rare treasures can be found for reasonable prices.  Sometimes those rare treasures need some TLC.  The jersey featured below is definitely one of those treasures. 

Ever since the 2001 NHL All-Star game here in Denver I had been looking for a blue North American authentic version of the jerseys that I could potentially make into a Joe Sakic.  I didn’t have the money to buy an authentic back then.  The jerseys being right around $250 didn’t help either.  I don’t think I’d buy any blank jersey right now for that much.  Either way, I trusted I would get one eventually.
After a wait of just short of a decade I was able to finally find the jersey I was looking for on eBay, and the wait was well worth it for many reasons.  First off, the seller obviously had no idea what they had.  It was listed as an “Avalanche alternate jersey” in a size 58.  There was no mention in the title or description about it being an NHL All-Star jersey.  One pretty bad picture of the front was all that was included in the listing and that was it. 

Based on the size I had a strong feeling that this jersey was different in a good way.  Size 58s from this era of jerseys were only made for the teams and not for retail sale.  That had me very curious.  The listing also mentioned the fight strap had been cut off of the jersey.  That’s never good when it comes to authentic jerseys.  The fight strap is one of the things that makes the jersey authentic in the first place.  I’m also assuming that scared off a few bidders.  I ended up placing a last second bid and won the jersey for $32 delivered.  Not too bad at all. 

Opening that box was pretty exciting when it arrived.  My focus went directly to the back of the jersey on the lower right hand side.  I found what I was looking for because it looked like this:

The silver NHL shield is found on all of the authentic jerseys of that era.  No big deal.  But the NHLPA logo to the left of the NHL shield is a big deal.  Those are only found on jerseys that are made to wear in the actual NHL All-Star games. By the way, just in case you’re wondering, NHLPA stands for the National Hockey League Players’ Association. 

With the good news of the future Sakic jersey being what I wanted it to be there now came new challenges.  Look really closely where the fight strap should be, just below the middle of the back, and notice that most of it isn’t there.

Here’s the front, just for the “before” reference.

Overall, the jersey was in pretty good shape.  I’d classify it as very good used condition.  I was very happy overall, but I was just getting started. 

I now had my next steps to make this jersey into something special: find someone that could fix the fight strap, find a blue nameplate for the back of the jersey, find a Team Canada flag patch for the left sleeve, a small Avalanche patch for the right sleeve, and a company could letter it into a Sakic for me.  No problem. 

A few connections on a jersey forum that I’m a member of helped me find someone that could very easily fix the fight strap.  That same guy knew someone that could get me some blue material for the nameplate on the eventual finished jersey.  I purchased the patches I needed from a local sports memorabilia store that I’ve been going to for 25 years.  And after discussing things with my favorite local jersey lettering place I found out that they were the actual company that lettered the on-ice All-Star jerseys for the game at Pepsi Center in 2001.  How’s that for a plan? 

Fast forward about six months and here is the finished product:

It’s a beautiful thing. 

In the end, a $32 jersey became something very special.  In the grand scheme of things I made a game issued Joe Sakic 2001 All-Star jersey for a fraction of the price of a documented game issued jersey.  In the end, it was quite a bargain and was well worth the wait. 

Many jersey collectors will say the most expensive jerseys price-wise automatically end up as the centerpieces of their collections, but sometimes the best deals and the projects stemming from those deals steal the show in the end.  This jersey is a perfect example of just that.

Thanks to Jay for taking the time to photograph his jersey and share the story of his jersey and how he turned a $32 blank jersey into something really special with some patience, knowledge, luck and help from the online collecting community. We really appreciate the efforts involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys.

Be sure to check out Jay's website, AvsHockeyPodcast.com, where he covers the Avalanche and shares more of his amazing Avalanche jersey collection.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!

Reader Submission - 1987-88 Philadelphia Flyers Tim Kerr Jersey

Our latest reader submission comes from Rob Clark, and it's his most unique jersey in his large Philadelphia Flyers collection.

Here is Rob's' story about his jersey and what makes it unique among his many Flyers jerseys.

My collection currently consists of 39 Philadelphia Flyers game worn jerseys and can be viewed at www.orangeandblackgamewornjerseys.com. My favorite and most unique gamer is my 87-88 Tim Kerr home jersey and it was a grail of mine for sure. 

I still remember being a nervous wreck on the drive to pick up the jersey on that cold November day in 2010. Having idolized Kerr as a kid, it was surreal to me to be actually holding and now the owner of one of his game worn jerseys.

The most unique feature of this jersey is that it is most likely the only home Ultrafil Kerr jersey in existence. The Flyers wore either mesh or air-knit jerseys in the 1980's but gave Ultrafil jerseys a try during the 87-88 season. Kerr was injured for most of the season due to shoulder surgery but did return for 8 regular season games and for 6 games in a first round exit to Washington.

This jersey was worn by Kerr when returned to action in 1988. He recorded his 16th career hat trick against the Winnipeg Jets on 3/26/88 while wearing this jersey. As perviously mentioned, it was also worn for 3 home playoff games in the first round against the Washington Capitals in April 1988. 

Jersey wear is on the lighter side due to the limited amount of games played by Kerr in 87-88. I would estimate that it was worn in about 8 home games including the playoffs that year. It shows some stick marks, board burns, and pulls in the ultrafil material and light inner pilling under arms and on the elbows as well as nice board paint transfer on the right arm #2. The unevenly stitched numbers can be photo matched to Kerr's action photo in the 1988-89 yearbook a year later. 

I was also lucky enough to find an autographed 8x10 which is a photo match. The fight strap has been reinforced with nylon/twill material to prevent stretching and "Kerr" is stitched onto a matching ultrafil nameplate as well.

Thanks to Rob for taking the time to photograph his jersey and share the story of the unique construction of his jersey when compared to the majority of Flyers jerseys of it's era. We really appreciate the efforts involved when our readers take the time and effort to share their jerseys.

Be sure to take the time to look through Rob's Flyers collection on his website. It's really extensive and well laid out. You can really tell he's passionate about his team and knows his stuff and there is a lot of different styles represented in his collection.

If you have a jersey in your collection that you'd like to share with us and your fellow readers, please submit your pictures and a story to go with it, no matter how brief or detailed, to spyboy1@gmail.com and we look forward to seeing your favorites!