75-76 Wilson - I Will Patch
Bill White and Tommy Ivan introducing the I Will The Spirit of Chicago patch
75-76 Esposito with the I Will patch removed
Brand: Wilson
Material: Dureen
Hem: Nothing
Set Tagging: Possible 73, 74 PO, 75 year tagging inside the hems
Patches: Starting Jan 7, I Will The Spirit of Chicago patch
Sets: Believed to be one per color in both reg season and PO's.
Material: Dureen
Hem: Nothing
Set Tagging: Possible 73, 74 PO, 75 year tagging inside the hems
Patches: Starting Jan 7, I Will The Spirit of Chicago patch
Sets: Believed to be one per color in both reg season and PO's.
- The beginning of the 75-76 season featured the Hawks wearing jerseys similar to the previous few seasons, Wilson dureen cross-collar 2-color number jerseys.
- On January 7, 1976, the Hawks played an exhibition game vs the Soviet Wings as part of the "Super Series" where the Russian team toured North America and played NHL clubs in exhibition games.
- In that exhibition game, the Hawks debuted the "I Will" patch as part of the US Bicentennial celebration. Additionally, the Hawks wore nameplates for the game.
- Research on the remaining regular season finds evidence that the Hawks continued wearing the patch and the nameplates for many of the remaining games, both home and road, up until the playoffs began. A few instances of players without a patch or a nameplate are seen, but patches and nameplates are confirmed from 1/9/76 to 4/4/76. Once the playoffs began, the patches and nameplates were gone. A set of 76 tagged jerseys were likely introduced for the playoffs.
- After the season, all of the patches seem to have been removed as no patched jerseys have surfaced since. There are jerseys showing evidence of the patch removal. If anyone has seen one of these jerseys intact, please contact us.
- The removed patches were likely discarded as only one is known to have surfaced several years ago on eBay. That patch was won by a friend, however, was lost in the mail. The patch from the listing is shown below. Replica patches have been produced in recent years.
- Chicago jerseys with the 75 year tag have not been noted. Dallas Blackhawk jerseys have been found with a 75 tag. If the Chicago team wore them, photographic evidence is needed. Most jerseys worn in 75-76 look to be recycled from the previous two seasons.
- The two-color numbers came in two different sizes and on occasion are on the same jersey.
- Jerseys of this era were often recycled to minor league teams in Dallas and Portland. Some of these jerseys surface in the hobby with extreme wear from games and washing, to the point of heavy damage to the crests and discoloring of the numbers and shoulder tommies. Thus, it is possible wear is added to jerseys after the Hawks wore them.
- Additionally, sometimes the team replaced the chain stitched crests with embroidered crests, and changed numbers on the jerseys for training camps. Jerseys were also used as practice jerseys in years following their original usage.
Original I Will patch from old eBay listing... it was lost in the mail.
Pic from 1/7/76 Exhibition game vs the Soviet Wings, the first appearance of the I WIll patch.
1-14-76 at California Seals, featuring the patch, but no name
3-17-76 vs Toronto. Note that Esposito does not have the patch, but Tallon and the other Hawk in the background do have it.
3-25-76 vs Atl with no patch or name showing
3-27-76 vs NYR with the patch
3-31-76 vs KC with names showing
4-4-76 with nameplate visible, can't see the patch at this angle.
Recently produced reproduction patch
Mikita with the patch in St Louis