Hockey Jersey U - Lesson 3 - Timeline Accurate Sweaters

Timeline Accurate Sweaters

     As promised in the previous post, dated 10 Oct, today on “Hockey Jersey U” we will be discussing timeline correct (historically accurate) jerseys (sweaters). If you want to show-off a hockey sweater that people will envy and respect, you will want to make sure it is timeline correct. For collectors like me, few things make us laugh harder than seeing someone sporting a timeline incorrect jersey. We have all seen someone wearing one at one time or another, you know, that person with Reebok Blackhawks jersey that has #21 Makita on it… Or, an Authentic Air-Knit Devils jersey with a 1995 Stanley Cup Patch on it… Or, an Authentic Air-Knit Hawks jersey with an NHL 75th Anniversary patch on it… You get the idea.

     In short, whether you are buying a jersey that has already been customized, or you are going to have it done after the fact, there are a few rules you should follow (if you do not want to be laughed at). First, DO NOT put a player’s name and number on a jersey he did not wear. I.e. Makita #21 on a RBK jersey. Second, make sure the brand of jersey and the jersey material are correct. Third, do not slap patches on a jersey that they do not belong on. For example, do not put an NHL 2000 patch on a CCM, KOHO, or Starter Rangers jersey. The Rangers wore Pro Player brand during the 99-00 season (as did many other NHL teams). Lastly, for God's sake, PLEASE do not put your own name on the back on an NHL sweater!!! Only a complete TOOL does that!!!

     If you are going to customize a sweater, know what you are doing, otherwise you will end up looking like a complete idiot. With just a few minutes of time on Google, you can find out what seasons a particular player was with a team, the brand of jersey they wore, the material they were made out of, any special patches they wore, and whether the player was a Captain or Alt Captain. Spending a few minutes to research will save you a lifetime of being laughed at.

     When buying or customizing an authentic sweater, you had better be darn sure you are doing it 100% timeline correct, if not you are wasting your money, because in the end your jersey will be worth absolutely SQUAT. If you are lucky enough to acquire… lets say, an early 1990’s Blackhawks Ultrafil jersey, and you want to get it customized… First, look at my previous post so you can be sure of what you have, and then start doing your research. You would want to know that the Hawks only wore Ultrafil through the 1992-93 seasons. If the hem has the CCM logo, AND the black and orange NHL Shield, then you know that the jersey was made / worn after 1990. Now you have roughly a 3-year window to work within. Find out what players were on the team during that timeframe, what their number was, if a “C” or “A” was worn, etc… For early 1990’s Ultrafils (excluding a couple of teams and years), you will also need to make sure the name is stitched on to a matching Ultrafil Name-Bar. Regardless the year or model of an authentic, if it has a name-bar, the name-bar will always be made of the exact same material as the jersey. Air-Knit jerseys have Air-Knit Name-Bars. Ultrafil jerseys have Ultrafil Name-Bars, period.

     Now that you have the basic understanding of what will fly, and what will not, let us talk about what not to buy / do. There are a couple of frauds on Feebay for example, who will slap just about anything on any jersey, and insist in their auction ads that the jerseys are authentic. For example, there is one particular seller that goes by locker room… something or other, who likes to slap NHL 75th Anniversary patches (1991-92 season) and / or Stanley Cup 100th Anniversary patches (1992-93 season) on Air-Knit Chicago Blackhawks jerseys, and call them “Authentic.” While the jersey itself may be authentic, once a patch that does not belong on that particular jersey is added, it renders the jersey timeline incorrect, period! The Hawks, as discussed earlier, wore Ultrafil jerseys until the 1993-94 season. Get the picture…??? Do not get burned! No matter how cool and polished their auction ads look, it does not mean they are honest sellers, or even know what they are talking about in the first place for that matter.

     Bottom line… If you are customizing an “Authentic,” do it right. If you are customizing a “Replica,” you have a little less control over the accuracy, remember I said a LITTLE less. i.e., you cannot always find an Ultrafil replica all of the time (although they are out there). Otherwise, at least make sure the rest is correct. Make sure the jersey brand is correct, the patches are correct, etc… Do not spend money on a worthless jersey that everyone will laugh at! Class dismissed!       

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As always, please be sure to visit my jersey sales sites for some great rare and vintage authentic and replica finds!  

http://goon-gear.ecrater.com/

http://www.bonanza.com/booths/goon_gear

http://www.ioffer.com/selling/goongear

http://www.upillar.com/listings/150839-2001-nhl-stanley-cup-finals-hockey-jersey-colorado-avalanche-adam-foote-52 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------