LehighValleyPhantomsPhan Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Hi guys, I'm a newbie on these boards and I have a bit of a problem and I'm hoping that maybe someone could help me here. Years ago, my favorite player on the Philadelphia Phantoms was named Dennis Bonvie...unfortunately, before I could buy a Phantoms jersey with Dennis' name and number on it, he wound up in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and played for the Penguins for a number of years. Since I was such a fan of his, I bought a blank black 2001 Penguins replica jersey and this jersey had the Pittsburgh Penguins logo on the left shoulder and on the right shoulder, it had the patch for the 2001 AHL All Star Classic, which was to be held that year at the then named First Union Arena at Casey Plaza...I bought the blank replica for $85 at a Penguins/Phantoms game in Wilkes-Barre and two weeks later, I was able to send the jersey out to get it customized for Dennis. That year, Dennis wore the 'A' for one of the assistant captains of the team, which I was thrilled because I really loved the way he played in Philly. There was a place that customized the jerseys however you wanted and for whoever you wanted for an additional $55...about 2.5 weeks after sending the jersey to be customized, I received the jersey in a UPS parcel with the jersey customized and it looked awesome, it really did! Unfortunately, before I moved from where I used to live, a young sister of mine who has absolutely NO interest in sports whatsoever, happened to head down to my room, opened my closet and happened to swipe the jersey and I've never seen it again...while I am a Philadelphia/Adirondack/Lehigh Valley Phantoms fan, I'm also a Dennis Bonvie fan and everywhere I look, NO ONE seems to have a replica jersey from the 2001 season with the All Star Game patch on the right shoulder like the one I had before and I'm hoping against hope here that someone may have one available for sale or if they personally don't have it, may know someone who DOES have one and would be willing to sell it to me for a fair price... I'm looking for one black 2001 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins jersey in a size large with the All Star Game patch on the right shoulder and the Pittsburgh Penguins logo on the left shoulder and if possible, had the 'A' on it since he was one of the alternate captains of the Baby Pens that season....I've mailed the Baby Pens but they told me that jersey is no longer available and haven't been for a while, but they would be more than happy to customize a current jersey with Dennis' name, number and A on it, but I really want the jersey I described if at all possible. I would make a fair price offer for one of those jerseys if someone has one available....the only thing I ask is that the jersey is in good condition...any questions for me, please feel free to ask me or if you have any information on where I may be able to find one in a size Large, please let me know! Thanks a bunch, Eddie PS- I've included a picture of the very jersey that I am looking for. I know many years have gone by since then, but I'm really desperate for this jersey because it was the very first jersey I ever got customized for a particular player... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LehighValleyPhantomsPhan Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 Speaking of fair price, I meant to say that while I paid $85 for the jersey blank at the Pro Shop, I will be willing to pay any fan $130 for a black Bonvie personalized jersey from back then. I mentioned a fair price, well considering what I spent for it and then to get it customized, I think $130 is a more than fair price to give to anyone who would be willing to sell me their Bonvie jersey from the pictured Baby Pens jersey from years back. I've gotta believe that while it's been 13 years since then, I would have to think there are still Wilkes-Barre fans who still have the jersey I'm looking for... Please drop me a line or e-mail me at FlyerHockeyPride@aol.com The only two things I ask is that the jersey is the same as the one pictured with the 2001 ASG patch on the right shoulder and it is a size Large like the one that was stolen from me...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akteon Posted January 16, 2014 Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I think it's going to be tough to find that exact jersey style (with the All-Star patch) that is customized as Bonvie. It'd probably be far easier to try to find a blank jersey of that style in the size you want, then worry about getting it customized. Also I wouldn't worry so much about price at this point - you're looking for a 13 year-old minor league hockey jersey. You could get lucky and find a blank one for $20 or you could find one for $150. Unfortunately minor league jerseys aren't mass produced at the same level as NHL jerseys, and frankly sometimes 13 year-old NHL jerseys (especially with a specialty patch) are hard/expensive to find. Keep checking eBay and have patience. Set up some saved searches to e-mail any time a Wilkes-Barre Scranton jersey is posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LehighValleyPhantomsPhan Posted January 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2014 I think it's going to be tough to find that exact jersey style (with the All-Star patch) that is customized as Bonvie. It'd probably be far easier to try to find a blank jersey of that style in the size you want, then worry about getting it customized. Also I wouldn't worry so much about price at this point - you're looking for a 13 year-old minor league hockey jersey. You could get lucky and find a blank one for $20 or you could find one for $150. Unfortunately minor league jerseys aren't mass produced at the same level as NHL jerseys, and frankly sometimes 13 year-old NHL jerseys (especially with a specialty patch) are hard/expensive to find. Keep checking eBay and have patience. Set up some saved searches to e-mail any time a Wilkes-Barre Scranton jersey is posted. Thanks akteon, I kinda figured that, but just had to try, ya know? If not for being involved in a near fatal accident while I was on my way to work years ago, I'd have taken the jersey and the rest of them down with me when I was going to relocate to Allentown, but sadly, because of the accident, it hasn't happened yet and I was foolish, I went out for one of my daily walks around the block and didn't lock my door and because I didn't, my trash sister, who has NO interest in sports whatsoever, but knew I loved them and KNEW Dennis was my favorite player, she went down into my closet and stole the jersey and I've never seen it again. I really didn't need it customized for Dennis, a blank one would have done and I could try to get it customized later on, but I haven't had a shred of luck in looking for it and as you said, if this were an NHL jersey, my chances of getting another one would be much better, not so much in the minors like the AHL is...and yeah, they are either expensive or hard to find and my luck with this particular one is the latter...of the thousands of people who live in the Wilkes-Barre area, you'd have to think some of those fans would have that jersey available and didn't want it anymore....I could buy it on the cheap, which IS my preference, but if I had to pay a little bit more to get it back, I'd do that. .. I just kick myself over and over because had I moved when I first planned to do, I'd still have the jersey as a valuable commemorative for sure....I liked Dennis the person before Dennis the player because he really epitomized what Philly hockey was all about IMHO. It was kinda hard not to love him...broke my heart when he went to Wilkes-Barre, but I got one of those jerseys with the ASG patch on the right shoulder and I got it personalized with his name and number, I figured it was perfect....never counted on a thief in the house, never...shows what kind of family I've had to live with before I finally am able to move down to Allentown later this year...I'm a season ticket holder with the Phantoms too... Patience isn't something I've ever been known for..LOL...but on this, I just may need to do so, thanks...will do what you said and we'll see...I mean, I know people in the Wyoming Valley were huge fans of his and I even saw other Bonvie jerseys in the crowd at games I went to years ago....will have to keep plugging and hope for the best...sorry I was so long-winded here too..but thanks and will do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LehighValleyPhantomsPhan Posted January 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2014 I tried looking for them and was talking with one person who corresponded with me on Twitter about it, but while I was talking about replicas, he apparently was talking about game-worns of his, which I could never afford because they're so rare...I just find it REALLY hard to believe that not ONE person in the Wilkes-Barre or Scranton areas has a replica of his that they wouldn't be willing to sell for a fair price...I mean, hell, I'll pay $125 for a replica with his name on it and I know it might seem immature, but I'm partial to that very jersey from 2001, that was the first ever minor league jersey I ever bought blank and I paid $55 to get it customized, so just because I went and did that, it was all the more valuable....all the moreso because the AHL All Star Classic was being held in Wilkes-Barre that season too and THAT doesn't happen too often... I'm guessing that family can't always be trusted as I've found out unfortunately and now, I may never see that jersey again and through NO fault of my own either...as I said before, that has sentimental value because it was the first jersey of ANY minor league team in any sport that I got customized....I don't want a game-worn, I've only wanted a replica from that season with the patch...just having a hard time believing that there is not ONE person in the Wyoming Valley that has a replica of his with that ASG patch with his name and number on it...hell, I'd be willing to pay more for it now than I did to get it personalized years ago... HATE being desperate, but don't know what else to do...thieving b*tch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LehighValleyPhantomsPhan Posted January 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2014 Well well, interesting turn of events lately...I accidentally locked myself outside of my room and left the keys inside my room yesterday morning....had NO way of getting into the room and when I called locksmiths to try to help me out, they both quoted me insane prices that I couldn't afford since I'm saving up for my next used car. Turns out my younger sister had just gotten back from work in Allentown late yesterday morning when she saw my predicament and tried to get into the room herself but since the keys were locked inside the room and no other way in, she came up with an idea that honestly I should have but didn't....since my room is below ground, she slid the screen that is on the other side of the window and was able to pull the window open and wormed her way in and unlocked the door thankfully. I then grabbed the keys and made sure to put them in my pants pocket where I make sure they are every day before I lock up...after a long talk that ironed out a lot of problems we had, I asked her about the jersey and asked if she knew where it was and she said that she still had it, never gave it away like I thought she may have..turns out that she didn't steal the jersey from me like I thought, it turns out years ago when I started following the Flyers and Phantoms, I actually gave it to her...I didn't recall that, but she reminded me about how it all went down and then it made sense. I asked if I'd get the jersey back and she said that as long as I stayed along the path I knew I needed to do, she would make sure she gave it back...would take a few months, but I would get it back...yeah, I know I'm a Flyers/Phantoms fan, but I really loved Dennis the player and the person moreso...he was great when he played in Philly, left quite an impression and he was much the same in Wilkes-Barre too...before he played with the Baby Pens in Wilkes-Barre, he was a Philadelphia Phantom and I was instantly hooked on him, no question! She thought I had two season tickets to the Phantoms when they relocate to Allentown this coming summer, but I only have the one seat, but I did tell her that I would do what I could to hook her up with some game tickets for certain games she wanted to go to. I was worried I'd never see the jersey again, but thankfully as long as things remain fine, I'll get the jersey back in a few months and take it with me after I move to Allentown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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