What Might Have Been Part 2: Another CBJ Prototype Jersey

Another early CBJ prototype has surfaced! This is the third known prototype style and by far the busiest design.  There is a *lot* going on here.  This one has three shades of blue, stripes, chevrons,  a lace-up collar, the CBJ logo, more stripes and of course, Stinger.

1998-99 CBJ Prototype (version 2) Front

1999-98 CBJ Prototype (version 2) Back

You might recall the first prototype, a white version very similar to this one, submitted by Nathan, posted almost 4 years ago on this blog.  They share several elements that would not be part of the final design.  Piping on the sleeves and chest would be abandoned as well as the chevrons, lace-up collar and the multiple shades of blue.  I really love that this version retains the same "Worthington Industries" light blue that owner John H. McConnell, must have loved.  In two ways, this blue version is a little closer to the final production jersey in a few ways.  The stars are still sewn and not sublimated, but the red is now squared off, similar to the final design. The final production jerseys would also include a toned down version of the garish horizontal stripes of this prototype. It's difficult to see in these photographs, but those stripes are in both the home and away jersey styles used from 2000-2007.

2000-01 CBJ Road Jersey

2000-01 CBJ Home Jersey

Here are some close ups of the unique sewn elements of the jersey.

A third prototype is known which is very similar to this one.  It lacks the alternating, horizontal blue stripes and has a nameplate and numbers affixed.  I hope the owner will let me photograph it one day to share on this blog.

Thanks for looking. I have a pretty huge backlog of stuff I should be posting here, so I will start to work on that and try to share a new thing each month.

What Might Have Been - Columbus Blue Jackets Jersey Concept

Reader Nathan submits our latest feature, and it's a doozy! It's a Pro Player jersey concept for the Columbus Blue Jackets from around 1998 or 1999. The final jersey design was announced on October 15, 1999 so I would say this predates that announcement by at least several months.  Prototype jerseys are exceedingly rare, and eagle eyed collectors are happy to obtain them when the opportunity arises.

Many of the elements made it into the final version of the team's jersey, others introduced years later and some may never be used, but are often part of the discussion.  Pro Player replicas were some of the best jerseys made at the time and it's a shame they went out of business before the start of the 2000-01 season. The tag on this example shows the version as 10B2.

The first, most noticeable difference from the final Columbus jersey design is the use of chevrons on the sleeves. These symbols are synonymous with military and in line with the heritage of the Blue Jackets the team name is based upon. These have been seen in design drawings for subsequent Columbus jersey designs, but they've yet to make the cut. One of the problems that keeps this from being used is the requirement for numbers on the arms of all NHL jerseys. While it looks nice enough in these photos on a blank jersey, if you add the numbers, the design becomes cluttered and less pleasing. 

A lace-up collar would eventually become an element in the first Columbus alternate jersey in 2003 as well as the current alternate introduced in 2010. At the time, it would have made Columbus the second team in the league to utilize this now common (and overused) design.

Another interesting difference is the angled, sewn star pattern on the cuffs of the sleeves. The eventual design would use four stars instead of five in a straight pattern and they would be sublimated into the fabric and not sewn.

The blues on the entire jersey are a lighter shade than the final design. The stinger patch and crest both use a lighter base shade than the final version and the jersey itself incorporates a very light blue as it's primary accent color with darker blue trim and grey in the collar. A similar light blue, darker blue and gray pattern is used in the current alternate jersey.

This is a nice bit of Columbus Blue Jackets history to be sure.  I hope that someday fans and collectors can get a glimpse into other proposed designs from this era.  Do you have a submission for us?  Send it in! cbjmemorabilia [at] gmail [dot] com

1000 Games Ago

Tonight, January 23, 2014, the Columbus Blue Jackets celebrate their 1000th game.  In honor of this occasion, many fans are looking back at their memories of the team over the years.  Today's entry takes us back to the beginning with a couple of game worn jerseys from the inaugural season.

Tyler Wright personifies the first Blue Jackets team to me.  He was hard working and gritty with just enough skill to balance the permanent chip on his shoulder.  This jersey would have been worn the first half of the season based on markings behind the crest.  It was certainly used in the first regular season game in franchise history on October 7, 2000 against the Chicago Blackhawks.  Wright assisted on the second goal in franchise history that night as well.

AP Photo

I can't make a jersey post without adding a little jersey nerdiness, so bear with me on this part:
Typical of all first season jerseys, it has a removeable velcro letter on the top left of the jersey.  Photos show that even captain Lyle Odelein had a velcro C, making things easier on the equipment staff if coach Dave King were to move the letters around on any given night.  NHL equipment managers don't really do this much anymore, often just opting for different jerseys for a player who is part of a rotating captaincy - one with letter sewn on, one without.
Ok, I feel better having included that and it wasn't so bad to learn that, was it?

Moving on, we have the favorite jersey of my collection. Goalie Ron Tugnutt took control of the net early on in the inaugural season and ended up tying the NHL record for goalie wins with an expansion franchise (22).  This road sweater is from the first set of 2000-01 jerseys, meaning it was used in the first half of the season just like the Wright jersey.  It was worn in the first franchise victory in Calgary and again in the first franchise shutout on December 18, 2000 in Montreal.

AP Photo

Tugnutt, the only goalie I'm aware of to receive votes for President of the United States, was instantly a fan favorite in Columbus, and you still see Tugger jerseys in the arena on any given night.  His scrambling style, affable personality and success made him easy for early Columbus fans to cheer.

When I watch the team today, I'm often reminded of that first team and that first year. You can see some of that inaugural team in the 2013-14 team. There is a little of the same attitude, a lot of the same grit and quite a bit more youth and skill, but most of all, you get the same sense of putting the team first above all.  You can usually tell when a team is built the right way and playing well together because it's difficult for fans to pick out a favorite player. Is it Johansen, Atkinson, Umberger, Bobrovsky, Johnson or Wisniewski? Wasn't it once hard to choose between Tugnutt, Knutsen, Sanderson, Heinze, Vyborny, or Klesla? This kind of thing, these types of players, among the other things mentioned, are why it's so easy for fans to support this team, why the electricity is returning to Nationwide Arena and why soon, it will again be the best rink in the NHL.

It has never been as clear to me as it is today what this franchise is all about and where we're headed. It's going to be a wild, fun ride, and I can't wait for the next 1000 games.

Columbus - The Puck Stops HERE!

In honor of this recent tweet by our friend Dave Maetzold, I thought I might start this blog up again with a pretty unique item from the beginning of the NHL era in Columbus.

On this day in #CBJ history: January 13, 1997, Columbus Hockey Limited made its formal presentation to the #NHL. Glad that worked out.
— Dave Maetzold (@DMaetzMedia) January 13, 2014 

This puck is likely one of the earliest pieces of Columbus Blue Jackets memorabilia.  On June 25, 1997 in downtown Columbus, 500 of these pucks were handed out to those who attended the press conference announcing the NHL expansion to Columbus, OH.  Each puck is numbered and this particular example is number 6 of 500.  There is another version of this puck handed out at another time that has the same orange text and NHL logo on one side and has "Commemorative Edition" x of 2000 on the other side.

photo of Mr. Mac courtesy of the Columbus Blue Jackets (bluejackets.nhl.com)

There's not a lot to say about it - after all, it's just a puck - but at the same time, it brings back wonderful memories of the earliest days of the announcement.  Hockey has always had a strong following in Columbus, with the Checkers, Seals, Owls and Chill in particular over the years.  The success of the ECHL's Columbus Chill in the 1990s was key to the NHL's interest in Columbus. While we've had good and bad times over the years, few can argue the excitement and pride we all share in being part of the best hockey league in the world.

Although I had to obtain this in an auction to benefit Jacket Backers instead of at the original event nearly 17 years ago, it's still a treasured part of my collection.

Recently, I was also able to add the following companion t-shirt which was probably released around the time of the second 'commemorative edition' puck.  I can't tell you if these were also given away, sold or otherwise distributed and would welcome any information you can provide.

Update: Here are some more additions from the same campaign.

10 foot square vinyl banner

Corrugated sign, pom-pom, pennant and button

The original CBJ PSL business solicitation

Courtesy of reader John, check out the original package that the Columbus Blue Jackets sent out to businesses in the hopes that they would purchase Personal Seat Licenses:

The exterior of the CBJ PSL promotion package

The inaugural Blue Jackets wives cookbook

Reader John shares with us perhaps the most unique piece of memorabilia from the Columbus Blue Jackets' inaugural season:

This is Volume I and it was sold during the inaugural season. (Maybe someone can help with this?)

The CBJ foundation teamed with Max and Erma's to sell this cookbook for $30 in their restaurants and, I guess, at games. It has a stiff back cover which folds to let the book stand up, as seen in the photos. There are tabs for the different sections: Foundation, Recipes, Scrapbook and Your Team. Of interest are the ingredients for 'ownership' and the note about the foundation and their goal to grow youth hockey in Columbus. As we see now, youth hockey and leagues are present where little to none existed before. 

I can't say if this is the first thing the CBJ foundation put out to raise funds, but it is certainly among the earliest.

More photos follow...

The Civil War-era kepi

Reader (and Dark Blue Jacket blog contributor) Gallos shares a unique piece of Columbus Blue Jackets-themed headwear...

This is a super nice kepi made by Fall Creek Sutlery. Took me awhile to get the size right. My kids bought this for me for my birthday, so the agreement is that this doesn't get tossed for a hat trick unless its in the playoffs. I'll probably grab my pins though. 

I like this hat a lot. I've seen another guy who has the cannons on the front, which I did for a bit, but it just didn't work for me. It wasn't easy getting them on the top. It took a bit of brute force. 

So apologies to Matt Calvert for not tossing it. Get that hat trick in the playoffs against Detroit, and it goes. 

I got most of the pins at the Blueline, but I was in the local carryout last summer and the crossed sticks pin was on sale for like, $2. So I grabbed the two remaining. Though I think the broken twig gives it a battle scarred look.

Too cool.