by Jeffrey Reed, Editor, LondonOntarioSports.com

If there’s one constant collectable amongst sports fans, it’s the jersey – or as hockey fans say, the sweater. In fact, an authentic or replica jersey or sweater of a fan favourite – a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays jersey, or Auston Matthews Maple Leafs sweater, for example – remains the most coveted and collected piece of sports memorabilia.

Hockey cards have again become a huge commodity during the pandemic, but jerseys and sweaters have always topped the list. Not convinced? Take a look at fans at any Major League Baseball (MLB) or NHL game.

Accepting a challenge, I recently added to my personal collection of sports memorabilia with a home and away jersey of each Original Six NHL team, purchased on eBay with funds sourced from sales of other goods sold online. I followed the same rules as I did during my 2021 quest for one jersey from each of the 30 MLB teams, which even caught the eye of some MLB ballplayers. You can read about it here.

During that hunt last year, I spent less than $50 US per jersey. I made exceptions – for example, I purchased a new Majestic authentic jersey of Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper. Vintage jerseys, including a Chipper Jones Atlanta Braves jersey made by Russell Athletic, also found their way into my little project.

Now, my dozen NHL jerseys have squeezed their way into my closet, with a Boston Bruins white sweater the last find. I want to write, home jersey, but since the 2002-03 season NHL teams have worn dark jerseys at home. Call me sentimental, but there was nothing like watching Borje Salming rush down the ice at Maple Leaf Gardens wearing his white Maple Leafs sweater.

So, my life-long passion for sports collectibles now includes a minimum one jersey from each American League and National League ballclub, and a dozen Original Six sweaters. The 2021 installment of this obsession stems strictly from 90 days of eBay bartering, which saw me purchase MLB jerseys from sellers from every corner of the U.S., and from a few Canadian sellers.

The hockey sweaters, too, came from every corner of North America. Other rules I set for myself included: buy jerseys and sweaters in excellent to mint condition; purchase a ballclub’s classic jersey, whenever possible – New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs pinstripes, for example; whenever possible, purchase an authentic – not knockoff – jersey, unless the knockoff jersey looked as close to authentic as possible and was in almost new or new condition; and purchase jerseys of stars, superstars or hall-of-famers, although in most cases jersey quality counted first.

Retail sales of MLB- and NHL-licensed merchandise in Canada and the U.S. bring in billions of dollars each year – and that’s not including knock-off products, most of which are illegally imported from China. Most of that merchandise stems from jersey sales – caps and T-shirts are popular, too.

I’ve never been an autograph seeker, unless an autographed item (and there are very few amongst my collection) carried some sentimental value. But there’s something about sports jerseys – and sweaters – that carry more clout than any other piece of sports memorabilia.

I’ll eventually auction off my jerseys for charity, but for now I’m enjoying my new-found collection – and getting a kick out of the fact my wife wants more closet space.

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Award-winning writer, author and broadcaster Jeffrey Reed has covered sports in Southwestern Ontario since 1980. Reach him at jeff@londonontariosports.com.