The Boston Bruins (also known as the Bears or the B’s) got their start in the NHL during the 1924–1925 season. Rumor has it, Charles Francis Adams – a grocery-chain tycoon from Vermont – paid a hefty $15,000 to the NHL in exchange for the first United States entry into the league.
Bruins’ Origins
Adams held a contest open to the community to name his prized NHL team, but all submissions had to abide by a few of his rules. First, the team’s color scheme had to be based on Adams’ Brookside stores – brown with yellow trim. Second, he wanted the name to be related to a wild animal that encompassed the following characteristics: size, strength, agility, ferocity, and cunning. Unsatisfied with the dozens of entries submitted, Adams eventually picked “Bruins” – a name his secretary came upon.
The Boston Bruins obeyed the wishes of their founder by having gold and brown as their primary colors until 1934 when black became the choice color. During their time in the league, the team’s color scheme underwent a minor transition from gold and brown to gold and black. In an attempt to stay consistent, the Bruins incorporated stripes as well as some form of their logo in all of their jerseys.
Boston Battles
Settled in the heart of Boston, the TD Garden arena has been home to the Bruins since its grand opening in 1995. As the largest sports and entertainment arena in the greater New England area, the Garden creates the perfect aura for both fans and foes to enjoy an ice hockey showdown. Currently, the venue holds a seating capacity of 17,565 for hockey games, which pales in comparison to basketball – TD Garden can seat 18,624 proud Boston Celtics fans.
The bears are currently members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the NHL. In addition to being one of the Original Six, the Bruins have appeared in 19 Stanley Cup championships, and have emerged as victors six times (1929, 1939, 1941, 1970, 1972, and 2011).
Considering the team has been around for more than 90 years, the Bruins have definitely had their fair share of All-Star players. Hall of Famers John Bucyk and Ray Bourque are still at the helm of the franchise as the all-time goals leader (545) and all-time points leader (1,506) respectively. Other NHL legends who played for the Bruins include Bobby Orr (1966–1979) and Phil Esposito (1963–1981).
Continue reading to see how the #BostonBruins have transformed their jerseys throughout their time in the NHL.
Notable Jersey Changes
1925: For their inaugural jersey, the Boston Bruins enter their first season featuring brown as the primary color, with two yellow stripes on both sleeves and one across the shirttail. This jersey only lasts one season.
1926: Gold and brown stripes decorate the sleeves and lower half of the jersey. This jersey is worn during the Bruins’ first Stanley Cup victory in 1929.
1932: Maintaining the gold and brown stripe pattern, the team ditches their bear logo for a brown block-style “B” on the white jersey.
1936: The primary team colors change from gold and brown to gold and black. The “B” in the center of the jersey gets moved to the sleeves and is replaced by the players’ numbers.
1939: The stripe pattern along the sleeves and tail of the jersey undergoes a minor change, as does the shoulder yoke. Gold stripes are also added to the black pants, and the socks are modified into a pattern that will last about three decades.
1942: The team introduces a gold jersey that is worn for select games. The block-style numbers in the center of the jersey are swapped out for the script “Bruins.” The traditional stripe patterns are removed, leaving only the black shoulder yoke and a line across the shirttail.
1949: The gold jerseys are retired, and the team introduces the spoked “B” logo to commemorate their 25th anniversary. The gold and black stripes reappear.
1950: The Bruins introduce a new black jersey. This jersey features a block-style “B” in gold with a white outline, as well as gold shoulder yokes. The tail stripes also change to two gold stripes, with black space in between.
1951: The “B” in the center of the spoked logo becomes a block letter – this style of the logo will stick around in some form through the present day. Additional stripes are added to the pattern on the ends of the sleeves.
1956: The team introduces a gold jersey during the 1955 season which becomes the team’s new home attire.
1957: The shoulder yoke returns to gold and a black stripe is added underneath the collar. The black alternate jersey is also eliminated from the team’s jersey selection.
1961: The sleeve stripe patterns become thinner. The black jersey is brought back to life, this time with a more stylish touch.
1968: The Bruins utilize the black jersey as their primary uniform, featuring gold and white striping patterns on the sleeves and trim. The sweater also features lace on the collar, which only lasts for one season. A white stripe is added along the sides of players’ pants.
1976: The shoulder yokes are removed in the 1974 season. The neck changes to a V-neck and the lace is eliminated. A bear’s head is used as the team’s new secondary logo and appears on both shoulders.
1996: To coincide with the opening of their new stadium, the team introduces brand new jerseys. The bear head logo and players’ numbers are also featured on the upper part of both sleeves. The spoked “B” logo in the center of the jersey receives a minor modification.
2007: The Bruins redesign their jerseys after the league switches over to the new Reebok Edge jersey system. For the first time in the team’s history, the spoked “B” logo has serifs and a new alternative bear logo is adopted on the shoulders. Aside from two alternative jersey combinations, the team’s look remains the same through present day.
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Sources
- http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list_by_team/3/Boston_Bruins
- http://www.nhluniforms.com/Bruins/Bruins.html
- https://www.nhl.com/bruins/team/history
- http://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/CHI/
- http://thehockeywriters.com/whats-in-a-name-the-nhls-original-six/
- http://www.tdgarden.com/
- http://www.nhluniforms.com/Bruins/Bruins.html
