2001-2002 WBS Penguins Jersey customization request

[Minx]

Good evening.

I have a blank WBS Penguins jersey like the one below.

I would like to have it customized with # 66 LEMIEUX.

The jerseys is from the 2001-2002 season.

Any idea who might be able to do the job for me? Should I call the WBS official shop?

I am fearing that it might be impossible to find the number kit and nameplate, but I want to try at least.

Thanks

L

[tasty]

I'm actually about to get mine back from Major League Lettering in Ontario. I'll post it up when it gets back.

[Minx]

Thanks for the reply sir.

What years WBS jersey did you sent there for customization?

[tasty]

That exact one.

[akteon]

I believe that is JeffB's (aka Spyboy1) Lemieux jersey.

The difficult part will be getting the Blue Cross sponsor patch. I believe Jeff had to make his custom.

[tasty]

Got my jerseys back today....love it. Will post pictures of it tomorrow. I don't have the patch though....

[Sluggermatt15]

FYI I don't believe Lemieux ever played in the minor leagues, yet alone for WBS in 2001-2002. He was playing for the Penguins in 2001-2002. Technically that WBS Lemieux jersey would be incorrect. But since it's your jersey you can do what you like.

[rabinsurance]

Pre-season game, Pittsburgh vs. WBS.

[tasty]

^bingo. The jersey is 100 percent legit and AWESOME.

[Minx]

FYI I don't believe Lemieux ever played in the minor leagues, yet alone for WBS in 2001-2002. He was playing for the Penguins in 2001-2002. Technically that WBS Lemieux jersey would be incorrect. But since it's your jersey you can do what you like.

Well, he played against the Pittsburgh Penguins once - and that was for WBS Penguins

I really like the design and look of the jersey, it would be great to add to my collection!

2001-02 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Mario Lemieux Jersey

On this date in 2001, Mario Lemieux played his one and only game in the minor leagues.

Lemieux suited up for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in an exhibition game in Wilkes-Barre versus their parent club, the Pittsburgh Penguins, which Pittsburgh won by a score of 4-2.

"I'll have to ask the coach what I did wrong," Lemieux joked.

Wikes-Barre team president Jeff Barrett said that the idea was a nice way to reward the minor league team's fans.

"I think it's going to be exciting to see me in a different uniform," said Lemieux. "I always wondered what it would be like to play against the Penguins. I'll have my chance on Saturday."

Lemieux wore three jerseys that night, one each period, which were then auctioned off for charity with the proceeds being donated to various charitable causes, including the Twin Towers Fund, organized following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D. C. just 11 days prior.

The Wilkes-Barre players certainly liked the idea of having Lemieux on their side.

"It's a pretty big thing for us and the fans," said goaltender Sebastian Caron. "They don't get a chance to see Mario play. It's a big thing for everybody here."

Lemieux's regular teammates liked the idea too, but realized the unspoken rules involved in the situation. "You check Mario, Andrew Ference said. "You don't hit him."

Ironically, Lemieux suffered a hip injury during the game that would lead to him only playing 24 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins that season.

This was not the first time a star player suited up for a minor league affiliate, as Wayne Gretzky once played for the Phoenix Roadrunners of the IHL in an exhibition game versus their parent club, the Los Angeles Kings.

Today's featured jersey is one of our favorites in the Third String Goalie collection. It is an SP Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Mario Lemieux home jersey as worn by Lemieux during the game on September 22, 2001 and features another one of our custom-made reproduction patches, this one of the Blue Cross sponsorship patch.

It first appealed to us due to it's colors, striping design and logo. Only when researching who wore this style for customizing options did we learn that it was actually worn by Mario Lemieux and the story behind his single appearance for the "Baby Pens".

Through some research, and cooperation from the WBS Penguins themselves, this jersey was customized by Sport-Jes in Plymouth, PA, who did the customizing for the "Baby Pens" during their early years when this style of jersey was worn. The customization uses Glacier Twill for the name and black part of the numbers and is kiss-cut, meaning the yellow layer of the numbers has the center cut out, which is then sewn onto the black layer as an edge trim, rather than being a larger yellow layer with a smaller black layer sewn on top, as is customary.

The exhibition game between the Penguins and "The Baby Pens" was televised in Pittsburgh, a rarity for an exhibition game, but a search of YouTube failed to uncover any video of the contest.

[Minx]

^bingo. The jersey is 100 percent legit and AWESOME.

Great news for you

I am very curious to see how it looks - please post detailed pictures of both back and front

Thanks alot for responding - perhaps I could send my jersey to the same place?

Did you send only a blank jersey there and they had the name kit etc?

[Thelonious Sphere Monk]

I'm actually about to get mine back from Major League Lettering in Ontario. I'll post it up when it gets back.

Ya I saw your jersey when I was in @ MLL. I was like "Hey thats a WBS Lemiex!"

I woould also like one infact.

I wonder where to get a blank?

[Sluggermatt15]

Well you guys proved me wrong about Mario then. I didn't know he played for 1 game there. If I was going to get a Lemieux jersey for WBS, IMO it would still be incorrect because it was a preseason game. To me that's NOT a real game where he legitimately wore that jersey. Another example is the Sunday Gold Penguins jerseys. Lemieux wore them in the preseason of 1984, but the Penguins retired the jersey after the preseason that year. Do you still consider him actually wearing that version? I don't, but the replicas are manufactured with his name and #... Still a foul in my book. I understand if you disagree and that's fine.

[rabinsurance]

Well you guys proved me wrong about Mario then. I didn't know he played for 1 game there. If I was going to get a Lemieux jersey for WBS, IMO it would still be incorrect because it was a preseason game. To me that's NOT a real game where he legitimately wore that jersey. Another example is the Sunday Gold Penguins jerseys. Lemieux wore them in the preseason of 1984, but the Penguins retired the jersey after the preseason that year. Do you still consider him actually wearing that version? I don't, but the replicas are manufactured with his name and #... Still a foul in my book. I understand if you disagree and that's fine.

And customizing a size 46, 48, or 50 jersey, which are not sizes worn by players, isn't a jersey foul? How is getting one of the most important facts about an "authentic" jersey wrong OK? It's done on a daily basis here, yet no one ever states the truth, that it is WRONG. People complain about fonts, or kiss-cut, or patches, yet no one will say that a size 50 Edge is absurd? People will quickly justify something so blatantly incorrect because they don't want to admit that they overlooked one of the most important features and won't admit that their "authentic" jersey really isn't. Buy a replica, or a t-shirt, for that matter.

[Minx]

And customizing a size 46, 48, or 50 jersey, which are not sizes worn by players, isn't a jersey foul? How is getting one of the most important facts about an "authentic" jersey wrong OK? It's done on a daily basis here, yet no one ever states the truth, that it is WRONG. People complain about fonts, or kiss-cut, or patches, yet no one will say that a size 50 Edge is absurd? People will quickly justify something so blatantly incorrect because they don't want to admit that they overlooked one of the most important features and won't admit that their "authentic" jersey really isn't. Buy a replica, or a t-shirt, for that matter.

Jack agrees

[JeffB]

FYI I don't believe Lemieux ever played in the minor leagues, yet alone for WBS in 2001-2002. He was playing for the Penguins in 2001-2002. Technically that WBS Lemieux jersey would be incorrect. But since it's your jersey you can do what you like.

Well, he played against the Pittsburgh Penguins once - and that was for WBS Penguins

I really like the design and look of the jersey, it would be great to add to my collection!

Through some research, and cooperation from the WBS Penguins themselves, this jersey was customized by Sport-Jes in Plymouth, PA, who did the customizing for the "Baby Pens" during their early years when this style of jersey was worn. The customization uses Glacier Twill for the name and black part of the numbers and is kiss-cut, meaning the yellow layer of the numbers has the center cut out, which is then sewn onto the black layer as an edge trim, rather than being a larger yellow layer with a smaller black layer sewn on top, as is customary.

Now that was some serious badass research. Well played Lesky, well played.

Yes, that is a picture of my jersey and it was done by Sport-Jes, who did them for the team back then when Lemieux played for the baby Pens that night.

[Minx]

Now that was some serious badass research. Well played Lesky, well played.

Yes, that is a picture of my jersey and it was done by Sport-Jes, who did them for the team back then when Lemieux played for the baby Pens that night.

Interesting. I had no idea about you since I am a new member here

Do you think Sport-Jes can do the job still? How did you get them to do it? And when was it?

I am waiting to see tastys jersey compared to yours

[jerseymikea]

Well you guys proved me wrong about Mario then. I didn't know he played for 1 game there. If I was going to get a Lemieux jersey for WBS, IMO it would still be incorrect because it was a preseason game. To me that's NOT a real game where he legitimately wore that jersey. Another example is the Sunday Gold Penguins jerseys. Lemieux wore them in the preseason of 1984, but the Penguins retired the jersey after the preseason that year. Do you still consider him actually wearing that version? I don't, but the replicas are manufactured with his name and #... Still a foul in my book. I understand if you disagree and that's fine.

So would you pass on owning either Game Worn jersey since the pre-season doesn't count? I think NOT!!

[tasty]

Sorry for the delay on posting the pics. I'm kind of on a little bender and got hijacked after work yesterday by the boys. Currently at a cabin in the middle o nowhere. Haha

[JeffB]

Interesting. I had no idea about you since I am a new member here

Do you think Sport-Jes can do the job still? How did you get them to do it? And when was it?

I am waiting to see tastys jersey compared to yours

Geez you ask a lot of questions! I really suggest you call them and ask since it was quite some time ago that I had them done.

I'm going to guess it was 2005 or so. I called the WBS Pens and asked them who did their jerseys. Apparently they had recently changed to a new customizer by the time I called, but they told me who did theirs back during the time period I was trying to replicate, which was Sport-Jes.

I contacted them and asked if they could do it. They said they could do the older styles so I sent in a home and away pair of jerseys and sent along one of my usual spec sheets of photos and details of what I wanted. I was surprised to see it come back with glacier twill and kiss-cut numbers, which my photos did not reveal.

Here's what I got back.

[Minx]

JeffB:

Thanks alot for taking the time to respond and even post pictures.

I really appreciate your effort to help out!

For the moment, I will wait for tastys pictures, but Sport-Jes is the way to go

if I would want the perfect jersey.

But it was like 6 years ago, so they might think I am nuts to call them now. But not much to lose by trying!

Is it even remotely possible the other place could do the same?

[tasty]

Sorry it took so long

People here could end up ripping the custom job, but personally I love it and can't find how it would be off. I'm prepared for more knowledgeable people to say something though. haha

[tasty]

I will say this though....any quirky customization, Don and MLL are more than willing to accommodate. All you need to do is let them know. They are a class organization all the way.

[Minx]

Thanks Tasty

You got a Bauer customization correct? Its different from the SP one from Sports-jes.

Both looks great!