The Sweaters - Prologue

This is not a jersey, it is a hockey sweater!  Why is it called a hockey sweater and not a jersey?  Back in the early days of the NHL players really did wear sweaters, the kind any of us would wear on a cold day.  Many of the original sweaters had stripes or bands of different colors much like a barber pole.  Nowadays, yes the hockey sweater is much more like a jersey than a sweater.  The relatively new Reebok Edge sweaters utilize the latest technology to wick moisture away from players.  But more importantly than anything else, I think hockey sweaters are the greatest uniforms in sports.



I also believe (and yes it is a biased opinion but you are on a Chicago sports blog) that the Chicago Blackhawks have the best uniform not just in hockey but in all of sports.  The detail in the logos on these sweaters is amazing and the craftsmanship is just amazing.  I'm not talking about the replicas you usually find at your local sporting goods store, I am talking about the authentic sweaters that run upwards of $300.  The history in these sweaters is also amazing, the Indian Head for the Blackhawks, the Flying Wheel for the Red Wings, the Maple Leafs, Canadians, Bruins, etc.  What is this post really about though?   Well, I am on a journey to visit every NHL stadium and collect a jersey and hat from every team. I plan on posting pictures and stories from every stop along the way.  But first a little background on where this idea came from.

A few years ago, a coworker of mine spent the summer visiting minor league ball parks. He documented this journey through an online blog dedicated to his journey.  One of the things he would do at every stop would be purchase a hat of the home team. I had the pleasure joining him on a number of these stops and it was a blast.  But it gave me an idea, I wanted to do this with hockey but I wanted to up the ante.  I have loved the sport of hockey for a long time and played it for a number of years.  I couldn't go and just get a hat, it had to be the sweater as well as the hat.  But it wasn't just the idea of obtaining the hat and sweater that excited me, it was the travels to the various cities and stadiums that I am looking forward to.

So in 2009 the journey began.....sort of.  You see the Anaheim (Don't Call us Mighty) Ducks sweater in the picture above is NOT an authentic sweater.  It is a replica, a very nice replica, but a replica none the less.  So while it technically is my first sweater (and one that is special to me) I am not including it as part of my "official" journey.  A lesson learned though on what to ask for and what I am looking for.  Which is all okay, since my "official" first sweater became my hometown team Chicago Blackhawks.  That will be in an upcoming post.  For now it is on to the Ducks!

I obtained this while on a family trip to Southern California.  The real reason for the trip was to visit the mouse, but I couldn't help swinging by the Honda Center, where the Ducks play, to pick up this sweater and a hat.  The Honda center is one of the stadiums that does have a Fan Shop open year round (Not every stadium does).  As this was early July, there was no hockey games to be played.  This is another reason that I want to go back.  I really want to see a game at every stadium!    

The sweater I chose from the Ducks was that of #16 George Parros.  I am sure not many of you know who Parros is and nor should you.  While he is a fan favorite in Anaheim he is not a big name to the casual fan.  Yes a more logical choice might have been Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Teemu Selanne or even Cam Fowler.  But I like Parros!  Sure he has never scored more than 5 goals in an NHL season and only 16 ever, but that is not what he is known for.  What he is known for.....the best damn 'stache in the NHL.

Parros is one of hockey's top enforcers, so he must be a meat head right?  Not so fast!  You see, Mr. Parros here is a Princeton graduate.  The Sporting News recently ranked him as the 4th smartest athlete in professional sports.  Not to shabby for a guy who punches people in the head for a living.  So the question is, how could I not want his sweater???

Well that's the story of my first sweater.  Up next the Chicago Blackhawks!

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