Earlier this season, the Dartmouth College men’s hockey team unveiled a snazzy new alternate jersey that might be unlike any in college hockey: green-and-white, horizontal barber-pole stripes with a classy “Dartmouth College 1769” crest across the front.

The shirts — or “sweaters” for you hockey purists — bear a passing resemblance to those worn by the Dartmouth men's soccer team in recent seasons and the Montreal Canadiens’ 100th anniversary jersey 100th anniversary jersey worn circa 2009.

It’s a drastic departure for the Big Green, whose jerseys — with a few diversions — historically feature “DARTMOUTH” across the front, often with a uniform number added on.

The gallery above displays the subtle evolution of the Dartmouth jersey — er, sweater — over the years. The Roaring Twenties shirt has a blank front, but it features striped sleeves not unlike what the Green wears now, further proof that a little recycling never hurt anyone. Later jerseys feature the unofficial “Indian” mascot of yore or a plain number, which make the skaters look more like football players.

By the time of Dartmouth’ s two NCAA Frozen Four appearances in the late ’40s, the “DARTMOUTH” was placed across the front, which has mostly been the case ever since. One notable exception: the one-season (1996-97) jersey, which I call the “Dartmouth Mighty Ducks” style because of its resemblance to the 1990s Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Also note the big “D” — slanted and with racing stripes, no less! — in place of the school name.

Hockey fans might be more wont to traditional uniforms than other sports, and the jerseys of the last decade or so offer a modern look that retains elements of past designs. They’re probably the best of the bunch.

Now, where can I pick up a barber-pole jersey?

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Two sources were invaluable to my research: The Dartmouth Digital Library Collections and David Shribman and Jack DeGange’s terrific book Dartmouth College Hockey: Northern Ice, a visual history of the Big Green men’s and women’s teams.

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Dave Bailey can be reached at dbailey@vnews.com or 603-727-3218. When not messing around on the Valley News night desk, he occasionally blogs about football uniforms at gridirongarb.blogspot.com.

 

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