Detailed Jersey Set Notes
Circa 1980-82
Comments:
This set of jerseys was manufactured by Rawlings. The body of the jersey, and the black ends of the sleeves were constructed of a very large mesh, but all of the striping is a tightly woven cotten like material. The neck is solid black and is similar to the striping material. The numbers and the crest are two color gold on black sewn twill. Back numbers are 10", arm numbers are 4", and those on the front below the crest are slightly larger, 4.75". These jerseys are assumed to be used at the same time as the gold Rawlings jerseys. The earliest photo reference for a jersey without a lace-up
neck is the team celebrating the 1980 GLI championship
Black single color names (on nameplates) can be found on some jerseys and are identical in style to those used on the GoodSports jerseys. I don't believe that these nameplates were on the jerseys when they were worn.
A group of these white Rawlings jerseys was sold to a Michigan dealer. They were noted as "circa late 80's early 90's" and included the following numbers: 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 (numbers in bold have been in our collection.)
Close-up Detail Images:
Rawlings tagging
Nameplate
Typical repair
Front numbers
Sleeve numbers
Back numbers
Circa 1980-82
Comments:
This set of jerseys was manufactured by Rawlings. The body of the jersey, and the black ends of the sleeves were constructed of a very large mesh, but all of the striping is a tightly woven cotten like material. The neck is solid black and is similar to the striping material. The numbers and the crest are two color white on black sewn twill. Back numbers are 9.25", arm numbers are 4", and those on the front below the crest are slightly larger, 4.875". What really makes these jerseys different from other sets is the width of the black edging on the numbers. In some cases it is 0.5" wide (twice the width of what is typically done for numbers / letters.
Based on the photos below, the jerseys did have names on the back below the numbers when they were used on the ice.
A group of these gold Rawlings jerseys was sold to a Michigan dealer. They were noted as "circa late 80's early 90's" and included the following numbers: 2, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22 (numbers in bold have been in our collection.)
Close-up Detail Images:
Rawlings tagging
Typical repair
Front numbers
Sleeve numbers
Back numbers
Circa 1982-84
Comments:
These Cooper Polyzorbs were worn
with the full length Cooperall pants that were popular at that time in the NHL.
But as quickly as they arrived, they were gone. These jerseys are extremely small compared
with other styles and were very form fitting. The cuffs on a size medium jersey
from this set were only 4.5" wide. Other features include cuff-to-cuff gold striping that
goes up over the shoulders, and a small iron-on Cooper logo on the back hem. The crest and back numbers
(no sleeve numbers) were two color gold on black sewn twill. The name was black twill sewn onto a nameplate.
Only two of these jerseys (6-Oswald 1983-87, 14-Archibald 1984-88) which were sold by the team to a Michigan dealer have been seen since
they were used. They were sold as 1983-84 jerseys, however the cover of the 1983-84 media guide shows the team wearing
these jerseys vs Ferris St with 5-0 on the scoreboard. This would likely be 2/5/83 when Tech beat the Bulldogs 8-0
and thus they were also used in the 1982-83 season as well.
A program from October 19-20, 1984 shows two photos of this jersey style, one vs Northern Michigan
and the other against the University of Michigan who Tech would not play until January and December respectively
so the photos are from previous season(s). In this photo the jerseys have a
circular gold patch
on the right chest with the husky dog head which was a tribute the legendary Huskies coach John MacInnes.
The color photo is from the cover of the 1984-85 yearbook and was taken against the UIC Flames which Tech only played twice at home - two games each during the 1981-82 and 1983-84 seasons which bookended Tech's time in the CCHA.
Close-up Detail Images:
Neck tagging
Back hem logo
Typical repair
Front numbers
MacInnes tribute patch
Back numbers
Circa 1982-84
Comments:
This jersey is on display behind the suites in the ice area. The construction and materials appear to be very similar to those used in the white
Cooper Polyzorbs jersey. The assumption is that this would have been worn during the same time period, one behind the home and the other the road jersey.
This is the only known physical example of this style. The photo below is of Mike Nepi from the 1984-85 yearbook.
Close-up Detail Images:
Neck tagging
Neck line close-up
Circa 1983-84
Comments:
My assumption of era for this jersey is based on one photo from the 1984-85 yearbook of #29 "Mudge" Thompsett. By the early 1980s lace up necks seem to have been phased out and this #28 appears to be similar style to the one in the photo. A number on the front of the jersey can barely be made out above his leg pads.
Close-up Detail Images:
Cresting
Front numbers
Hem striping
Circa 1984-87
Comments:
This jerseys set is identifiable by the black-gold-black neck line and the lack of numbers on the front of the jersey.
The jerseys were produced by GoodSports and featured two color sewn twill numbers (gold on black).
All of the players are shown wearing jerseys of this style in the 1985-86 and 1986-87 yearbook headshots
(Oswald).
The jerseys as worn on the ice had a single color black name on a nameplate with relatively wide spacing of the letters
(White photo).
Game photos of players wearing these jerseys include:
1982-85 - Tiger Pierce - Program Oct 25-27, 1985 cover
1983-85 - Russ Becker - Program Oct 25-27, 1985 p4
1983-85 - Dave Reierson (with "C") - Program Oct 25-27, 1985 p7
1983-85 - Don Porter (vs Denver 83-84 or 84-85) - Program Oct 25-27, 1985 p8
1984-85 - Richard Novak - Program Oct 25-27, 1985 p9
1985-86 - Scott White - Yearbook 1986-87 cover
1988-89 - Multiple players in the yearbook wearing this set in intra-squad game who were frosh in 1987-88
Based on these photos it can be assumed that the jerseys were still in use during the 1986-87 season and could have been used as early as 1982-83.
Jerseys with namplates of "Lauen" (played 1979-83), "ZUKE" (played 1980-84), and "TURNER" (played 1981-82)
have been in our collection. However it is unlikely either of those players wore this style
of jersey and that the nameplates were added after they left the team.
The nameplate fabric is not the same type of material as the jersey and it is a much tighter knit.
The nameplates are also suspect because the
exact same style shows up on other sets of Tech jerseys that came from the same dealer. One last knock against the
nameplates is that they were noted as NOBR (name on back removed) when they were sold by Michigan Tech.
Jerseys that were sold as part of this set were noted as being from the 1988-89 season and included numbers
5, 12, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29.
Close-up Detail Images:
GoodSports tagging
Neck line close-up
Typical repair
Back numbers
Sleeve numbers
Nameplate
Circa 1984-1990
Comments:
This set is a fairly large knit mesh
with bands of white and gold (also mesh) sewn into the sleeves and lower part of the main body.
The neck of the jersey is gold, also of the same mesh material.
The crest and numbers are three color, but they are done with white on gold twill.
The white is sewn down with thick black embroidery to create the look of three colors.
Although there is no tagging on the outside of the jersey,
a Melville logo, washing instructions, and size tag should be present inside the neck of the jersey.
The photo below is of the 1984-85 freshmen class. A group of these jerseys (listed as Melville mesh with three-color numbers) was sold to a Michigan dealer and were stated to be 1989-90 during the sale. The numbers included were (4, 8, 11, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29).
Close-up Detail Images:
Melville Tags
Typical Repair
Sleeve Numbers
Back Numbers
Circa 1987-1990
Comments:
This set of jerseys was produced by Melville Emblem. The photo at the left is a jersey on display behind the suites. The Melville tagging is clearly visible inside the neck. The black numbers and Melville hem tagging is also clearly visible in the back photo shown below. The players in the photo are 4-Wendorf (1985-89), 14-Archibald (1984-88) and Rolston (1986-89) so the photo must be from 1986-87 or more likely the 1987-88 season.
The third photo is from the 1989-90 GLI so the jerseys were still in use during that season as well.
They were mesh with two color numbers on the back, sleeves and front. This set of jerseys is unique from other white sets because the numbers were black.
A patch was worn on the right chest of the jersey for the 1987-88 season in honor of Michigan's sesquicentennial (1987). Started the 1988-89 season with no patch. Later a WCHA logo patch was added in the same location.
Close-up Detail Images:
Neck tagging
Circa 1987-1991
