1991-92 CCM Home Team Issued
#10 Ron Francis with 1992 Stanley Cup Finals, Penguins 25th Anniversary, and "Badger" Bob Johnson Memorial Patches
Manufacturer: CCM
Size: 52
Purchased From: Ed Nuttall/Iceoplex at Southpointe Pro Shop
Lettered by: NJK Lettering
The Story: I learned the difference between replica and authentic jerseys in late-1992, after the Penguins unveiled their new logo and jersey schemes. Having bought a couple of jerseys at that time, I had to save quite a bit before getting another one, and that was going to take some time. A lot of time. During that long waiting period, this new-fangled technological thing called the internet was invented. After the Penguins kept the same jersey style for quite a few years and the waiting/money-saving period had elapsed to the point that I could start looking for my next jersey, I found that I could use this internet thingy to find what I was looking for. And I knew exactly what that was. I wanted an authentic jersey like the ones worn when the Pens won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. I also was a huge fan of the late "Badger" Bob Johnson, the Pens' head coach who led them to the promised land. I searched all over the internet and found that what became known as "three-patch" jerseys were really hard to find. Evidently, everybody wanted them. The local sports shops had long sold out of these old-style jerseys, and pickings were slim on the internet. Problem is, I had searched for this jersey for so long - over a year and a half - that I promised myself that when I found it, it had to be perfect. I wasn't about to settle for something less that exactly what I wanted.
The search went on, and on, until I finally found a message board or a newsgroup where hockey jerseys were discussed. After reading through hundreds of discussion threads, I finally found someone who had a Penguins "three-patch" jersey for sale. I exchanged numerous e-mails with the guy, and I finally asked if he could send me some pictures. Remember, at this time, digital cameras weren't the rage and, while cell phones were becoming more prevalent, the idea of having a camera built into the phone was unheard of. The guy told me he was in the Pittsburgh area and that I could meet him and inspect the jersey. I told him where I lived and, within minutes, had an e-mail reply stating he was located inside the Iceoplex at Southpointe. I screamed so loud that my girlfriend at the time, who's now my dearly beloved wife, came running into the room asking what was wrong. See, the Icoplex at Southpointe was approximate a five-minute drive for me at the time, maybe less if I caught all the green lights!
About three minutes after I received that e-mail, I walked - no, ran - into the pro shop at the Iceoplex and asked to see the Ron Francis jersey he had for sale. God bless the guy, whose name was Ed Nuttall, the owner of the pro shop - he said that he had one jersey left, but that he was holding it for another customer. When I told him who I was, we were both shocked that I spent eighteen-plus months looking for a jersey that was five minutes away! He brought the jersey out of the back and I looked it over. The patches, the lettering, the material, the fight strap, the workmanship on the stitching - everything was perfect. While I went over the jersey with a fine-toothed comb, he proceeded to tell me that, while the jersey wasn't game worn, it was issued by the team and worn by Ron Francis to a few autograph-signing events around the Pittsburgh area over the summer of 1992. I sort of half-heard him, and I didn't need the sales job. This was The One!! One bit of information I did remember, however, was what he said about the patches. Apparently, the three patches on this jersey became very much in demand, and as a result, had been being mass produced for a number of years. The patches on this jersey, however, were originals, part of the first batch that were made specifically for the Penguins in only enough volume to be sewn onto their jerseys.
I walked out of the Iceoplex a happy man. I was a lot lighter in the hip pocket, but happy nonetheless. The next day, I took the jersey out to NJK Lettering in Avella, PA. I asked Norma, the owner and seamstress extraordinaire who had customized the team's jerseys back in those days, to confirm for me that she had done the work on this jersey, as she had done for all of the Penguins jerseys in the early-90's. Like an artist knows his own work, she was able to tell me that this was, without a doubt, one of hers. It's a really good feeling to achieve something - anything - that you've worked hard enough to earn. And I (along with my now-wife) scrimped and saved for a long time to make this happen. When I got home, I gave her a big kiss, thanked her a couple dozen times, and took her out to dinner. She helped me earn this one, and she helped make me, in the words of former Pens Head Coach Eddie Olczyk, a very happy human - something she continues to do to this very day.
Size: 52
Purchased From: Ed Nuttall/Iceoplex at Southpointe Pro Shop
Lettered by: NJK Lettering
The Story: I learned the difference between replica and authentic jerseys in late-1992, after the Penguins unveiled their new logo and jersey schemes. Having bought a couple of jerseys at that time, I had to save quite a bit before getting another one, and that was going to take some time. A lot of time. During that long waiting period, this new-fangled technological thing called the internet was invented. After the Penguins kept the same jersey style for quite a few years and the waiting/money-saving period had elapsed to the point that I could start looking for my next jersey, I found that I could use this internet thingy to find what I was looking for. And I knew exactly what that was. I wanted an authentic jersey like the ones worn when the Pens won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. I also was a huge fan of the late "Badger" Bob Johnson, the Pens' head coach who led them to the promised land. I searched all over the internet and found that what became known as "three-patch" jerseys were really hard to find. Evidently, everybody wanted them. The local sports shops had long sold out of these old-style jerseys, and pickings were slim on the internet. Problem is, I had searched for this jersey for so long - over a year and a half - that I promised myself that when I found it, it had to be perfect. I wasn't about to settle for something less that exactly what I wanted.
The search went on, and on, until I finally found a message board or a newsgroup where hockey jerseys were discussed. After reading through hundreds of discussion threads, I finally found someone who had a Penguins "three-patch" jersey for sale. I exchanged numerous e-mails with the guy, and I finally asked if he could send me some pictures. Remember, at this time, digital cameras weren't the rage and, while cell phones were becoming more prevalent, the idea of having a camera built into the phone was unheard of. The guy told me he was in the Pittsburgh area and that I could meet him and inspect the jersey. I told him where I lived and, within minutes, had an e-mail reply stating he was located inside the Iceoplex at Southpointe. I screamed so loud that my girlfriend at the time, who's now my dearly beloved wife, came running into the room asking what was wrong. See, the Icoplex at Southpointe was approximate a five-minute drive for me at the time, maybe less if I caught all the green lights!
About three minutes after I received that e-mail, I walked - no, ran - into the pro shop at the Iceoplex and asked to see the Ron Francis jersey he had for sale. God bless the guy, whose name was Ed Nuttall, the owner of the pro shop - he said that he had one jersey left, but that he was holding it for another customer. When I told him who I was, we were both shocked that I spent eighteen-plus months looking for a jersey that was five minutes away! He brought the jersey out of the back and I looked it over. The patches, the lettering, the material, the fight strap, the workmanship on the stitching - everything was perfect. While I went over the jersey with a fine-toothed comb, he proceeded to tell me that, while the jersey wasn't game worn, it was issued by the team and worn by Ron Francis to a few autograph-signing events around the Pittsburgh area over the summer of 1992. I sort of half-heard him, and I didn't need the sales job. This was The One!! One bit of information I did remember, however, was what he said about the patches. Apparently, the three patches on this jersey became very much in demand, and as a result, had been being mass produced for a number of years. The patches on this jersey, however, were originals, part of the first batch that were made specifically for the Penguins in only enough volume to be sewn onto their jerseys.
I walked out of the Iceoplex a happy man. I was a lot lighter in the hip pocket, but happy nonetheless. The next day, I took the jersey out to NJK Lettering in Avella, PA. I asked Norma, the owner and seamstress extraordinaire who had customized the team's jerseys back in those days, to confirm for me that she had done the work on this jersey, as she had done for all of the Penguins jerseys in the early-90's. Like an artist knows his own work, she was able to tell me that this was, without a doubt, one of hers. It's a really good feeling to achieve something - anything - that you've worked hard enough to earn. And I (along with my now-wife) scrimped and saved for a long time to make this happen. When I got home, I gave her a big kiss, thanked her a couple dozen times, and took her out to dinner. She helped me earn this one, and she helped make me, in the words of former Pens Head Coach Eddie Olczyk, a very happy human - something she continues to do to this very day.