Totally WWII - War-Time Hockey Concept Jerseys

The Totally WWII project is a fictional league that takes place during WWII. These jerseys are what I think each country would have worn if they had fought the war on ice rather than on land, sea or air. These designs are not based on any kind actual jerseys, and I have not done hours upon hours of research into the history of each country to determine what really would have been worn. If you're a history buff, you'll probably be annoyed. Think of it as going to a movie to see a flick that is loosely based on facts... Enjoy.

Here are the teams:

1. Team USA - Unveiled
2. Team Canada - Unveiled
3. Team Imperial Japan - Unveiled
4. Team Nazi Germany - Unveiled
5. Team Soviet Union - Unveiled
6. Team Great Britain - Unveiled

Comments

[Leia]

What about Team GB? Considering they were Olympic champions during the war years!

[johnny griswold]

Yeah, I should probably add GB. I was trying to stick with five teams and figured if I didn't include Canada, i'd get yelled at by those north of the border. I'll make it six.

[johnny griswold]

Oh, and if anyone has any images of national team jerseys of the WWII era, shoot me a link. Not that I'll be modeling my jerseys after those, but I like good reference materials for sparking ideas.

[Veritas1325]

This is a cool idea! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

[Iain Childerhose]

http://www.jerseycity.ca/productDetails/1082895/1016623/1000462
It's a few years earlier than WWII but this might give you an idea.

[Iain Childerhose]

there are some pictutres of the Canadians 1948 winter Olympics jerseys here:
http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/newsroom/news_e.asp?id=5636

[johnny griswold]

Those are great! Thanks Iain

[Dave]

What about Italy?

Speaking of which, does anyone know why Italian national sports teams wear blue uniforms? I always found that weird considering they already have three national colors.

[johnny griswold]

Italy didn't make the cut. I didn't want to have to design EVERY country. Too time consuming. However, I'm not against people designing their own Totally WW2 jerseys.

[Dave]

Sounds like a challenge if I ever heard one...Accepted!

[Leia]

Here's a picture of the 36 Olympic winning team. I'm guessing that the stripes would be red and blue..

[johnny griswold]

Awesome. Thanks Leia. It really helps as far as getting inspiration. I've already created the Team USA logo based off of the photos that Iain provided. The Team Nazi Germany will be tough. I don't want to do the obvious giant swastika!

[josh]

you could always go with the nazi eagle emblem

[johnny griswold]

Yeah, that's what I've started to illustrate now, Josh. It's much less harsh than the big circle and swastika.

[Mike Majeski]

You could always do a Penguins style logo with Hitler on skates holding a hockey stick ;)

But yeah, the Eagle idea would probably be better.

[MikePho3niX]

Here is a jersey from the Kitchner Rangers remembering Novemer 11

http://chl.ca/images/news/Featured/MMC08_Commemorative_Jerseys_AB35910.jpg

[johnny griswold]

Ha. Hitler could be wearing a scarf, too! Cause, you know, it's cold.

[Dave]

I would assume the Nazi symbol should be a shoulder logo. Circle logos are always the best for that. They did have some cool Eagle logos. Coat of arms perhaps?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Reichsadler.svg

Though, the Hitler with the scarf works too :D

[Koho]

Remember this? http://www.icethetics.info/archive/2008/7/28/monday-morning-variety.html I say the Swastika is a good shoulder patch but that's it, something unexpected but relevant needs to be Nazi Germany's primary.

[johnny griswold]

Yeah, I do remember that. The swastika is part of that eagle insignia, but it's not gonna be just the giant version in a circle as in the link/photo you posted Koho. I also think it would be too easy and lazy of me to do that. I took the easy and lazy way out on the Imperial Japan jersey. It was just too perfect adding the big rising sun. (not the one with the rays, just the circle alone)

[charlesthekittykat]

will the nazis have a swazi?

[Mike]

Definitely ought to do the rising sun (with rays) on the Japanese jersey, that would look cool.

[johnny griswold]

charles, the swastika issue has been discussed in the comments of this post. yes, there will be a swastika incorporated in the design. i would imagine that the nazis would definitely incorporate that image into a jersey. (see an example posted by Koho in the above comments)

[Dave]

Just for some research into the differences between the Japanese flags:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Japanese_flags

[Link]

I think its important to remind everyone that the Nazis were a political party and not representative of the entire state of Germany. Certain symbols would imply an ice hockey team that represented a specific segment of the population.

[johnny griswold]

I'm sure everyone is well aware of the history of Nazi Germany and WWII. I'm willing to bet that Team Nazi Germany would have incorporated the swastika. It will be part of my design. I'm not here to rewrite (or re-illustrate) history.

[Veritas1325]

I think that since this is a WWII themed jersey design exercise, there's no question that the iconography most closely identified with Nazi Germany during World War II must be included in any hockey jersey design. While Link is right that the Nazi party and the use of the swastika were, at origin, political in nature, tne Nazi symbolism - specifically the swastika became representative of the entire country during Hitler reign of evil.

[johnny griswold]

The crest design is finished and I illustrated it based of off this design.

http://i3.iofferphoto.com/img/item/797/469/01/o_4RM6JKcdsttvj8m.jpg

It's not exactly like this, but 95% accurate. I took some liberties here and there.

[Hockey Week]

There are some great possibilities, especially with the Rising Sun concept, but if you want to do this right, you have to hold to the standards of 1939-1945.

They weren't able to do tough graphics such as that, these sweaters were wool with felt logos. Anything super complicated would not be true to the period. Block striping with lots of bright colors that we might not use today would also be very appropriate then, and a barber pole wouldn't exactly be out of the question. I hope that is kept in mind when the concepts are posted.

Also, working at the Holocaust Museum in DC, I'd know this, the Nazi party WAS Germany from 1933-1945. All other political parties were banned. There were no elections, there were only Nazis, and anybody who disagreed became a political prisoner. Any German team would need swastikas and other Nazi symbols, looking at the 1936 Berlin Olympics would be a great reference if you want proof, but during that time, 0% of the population was openly anti-Nazi, implying that the National Socialist German Workers (NAZI) Party and Germany were one in the same

I have a bunch of my own i'd like to submit for this, how would you like them packaged? One image with all of them? separate images? photobucket page?

[johnny griswold]

Hey Hockey Week, that's some great input.

As for the images, you can package them up and email them to: puckdrawn@yahoo.com

[johnny griswold]

Also, as a follow up to Hockey Week's comment ... Yes, I am trying to stay true to the standards of 1939-1945. All of my reference jerseys are from that period. However, I probably won't go crazy with trying to make the crests look felt. The crest designs will not be complex, but more of something that would be seen during that time. Since the designs are done in Illustrator, it's natural that they will have a sharpness to them. If time permits, I can try to tone that down.

[Hockey Week]

I'm glad you're keeping the time period in mind, which you've done rather well with your 80s redesigns. When I first thought of how to do things, I had all these great ideas that I realized could never be done then, and I was hoping others would realize the same.

That's not to say that some great things couldn't have been done. After all, look at the intricate leafs designs of the early years, the detail of the St. Louis Eagles, or even the multiple star logos of the New York Americans. But lots of stuff simply would not have been practical, and fades impossible...and screen printing? forgettaboutit.

I don't think you should bother going for a felt look, after all, i'm all about the design and not the presentation (I'm a guy who still plays original Nintendo games, afterall). It doesn't matter if it's pretty, it matters if you can understand the concept.

REMINDER TO EVERYONE: I just remembered this myself, I need to adjust my design, Canada did not fly the flag you see today during WWII. The "Maple Leaf Flag" was created in 1967. the Canadian flag at the time of WWII was this http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/Flag_of_Canada_1921.svg/800px-Flag_of_Canada_1921.svg.png
as hosted on wikipedia. Definitely do some research on this, everyone.

I'll be sending those images along when I get them all done, I've gone above a beyond with some extra countries, though admittedly, I used national symbols that already existed at the time instead of creating new logos.

[johnny griswold]

Another great comment, Hockey Week.

One thing to keep in mind is that I'm not trying to pour through archives of photos to create a replica of WWII hockey jerseys. This would be considered some fake hockey skirmish that the warring countries take part in instead of actual bullets and bomb combat. This "league" is not the Olympics, nor will I stick with EVERY standard design of the time. They don't all look like sweaters. Since it's a "jersey concept", they still look like jerseys. Hope that makes sense.

[johnny griswold]

Wow, I didn't realize that was the flag Canada flew pre-1967l

[Hockey Week]

Oh I understand, I've just been making jerseys for countries in WWII that would have fit in in the 1940s, using logos that already existed (Nazi Eagle, Mussolini's bundled arrows, I stole Britain's current hockey logo the flag-lion). I wasn't thinking of any kind of league or anything - i'm not someone who imagines these images doing anything after they're created, unlike many at icethetics who wanted to use the iceHL for some kind of simulation.

It is just a nifty idea, to break the norm of concepts meant for a team to adopt now, with so many people saying this that and the other thing involving RBK and "modern" hockey. To have something deliberately throwback is nice...and yet it's new, not a recreation of anything that existed then, at least not intentionally. It's "created heritage", something I applaud the Wild for doing, and I like the idea, personally.

I haven't been much for references, excepting nhluniforms.com and the occasional symbol search, but it just occurred to me that the Canadian Maple Leaf Flag did not exist then, they were officially British, and I know I'm going to include at least a British flag patch in my concept when I get home from work. If anyone else is making concepts, it's a historical fact that should be kept in mind, even if it isn't used. Sorry, I'm a history major, I'm all about this kind of stuff.

Something for future reference, a later project, perhaps, http://oldjerseys.checkoutmypage.com/ineuro.html
is a site of "old" hockey jerseys you can buy, this particular page is all international teams - many real, but many of the countries never played hockey. but, it's an interesting idea to come up with, say, an Antarctica jersey, or a Palestine jersey, and some defunct countries. Weimar Germany, Labrador, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia could all be fun...again, something for a rainy day much later on.

[Hockey Week]

crazy stuff, isn't it? VERY different. I last saw it on a History Channel special about D-Day, it was the only one i've noticed showing that flag instead of the 1965 (sorry, my mistake) flag, and it took me a good minute to remember the difference. See? You've learned something already, and that's the great side effect of projects like this. more info here, I recommend the history section: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_flag

I also won't be including sleeve numbers. Not because it's something that takes extra effort to add, but because they didn't really exist then.

[johnny griswold]

Ahhh, that oldjerseys website is a good resource for inspiration.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Canada sport a sweater with a maple leaf and the word "CANADA" in an arc under the leaf in the Olympics then?

As for the numbers, I won't be including them on my concepts. Not because I'm lazy, but because of the way I have my jersey displayed. Like the Totally 80's project, they are displayed on the mannequin torso (whatever that's called), and the numbers would be illegible. (and you're right, didn't notice numbers on the old jerseys).

I did come across a photo of the 1936 UK gold medal winners, where the goaltender had a jersey different than the rest of the team. It was just a series of repeating horizontal stripes.

I'm not sure if I'll be including shoulder patches. On the research I've done, I don't remember seeing shoulder patch designs.

[Nick]

thats pretty disrespectful to put a nazi jersey in there.

[johnny griswold]

How is it disrespectful, Nick?

Why would I create a concept series, based off of a war that DID exist, with a country that DID exist, with a Nazi regime that DID exist, without actually including them?

If I was filming a WWII movie, should I pretend that the Nazis had no part in that war?

C'mon, dude. Don't be so overly sensitive. I'm not glorifying the Nazis.

[Koho]

Nick that's like saying the holocaust never happened.

[Hockey Week]

Working at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC, I have a bit to say about this.

Johnny, for once, I agree with you (though I'm still staunchly opposed to your thoughts on baby blue). It is an historical project, and they must be included if any sort of objectivity is to be maintained. People should be just as offended about Imperial Japan considering their atrocities in China, but that is not something we see often in America. It is indeed a fine line, but I think you are still in the right here, especially since you're trying to avoid giant swastikas.

On the opposite side, Koho, I find that to be a bit extreme. Here at the USHMM, we walk a very fine line, because we have to show the nazis without glorifying the nazis. We have done a good job of that, as everything is very tastefully done and no Neo-Nazi could make it a shrine to themselves, but obviously there is still hate. The recent shooting here has shown that there is still hatred out there, still people who support the nazis, and so we must be mindful and careful of what we do. None of these jerseys ought to glorify the nazis too much, which is difficult considering the purpose of a jersey and the effectiveness of nazi propaganda. The nazis should be included within this greater project, but not alone.

What would be easily outside of the bounds of decency would be any kind of Jewish team or representation. Short of that, we should not take offense, we should only be aware of what happened and be mindful of glorification of any Axis powers.

Now back to jerseys, Touche' sir! There were no shoulder patches until 1960 (Black Hawks), but there were sleeve patches where the numbers are today. These appeared as early as 1924 (Pittsburgh Pirates), was used on one arm frequently (Montreal Canadiens), and used even during WWII (Detroit Red Wings). Any secondary logos would work well on the sleeves.

Also, you are right about Canada, the Maple Leaf has always been a symbol of their land (look back to the first flags of Canada, in my previous post), but it was not the nice and simple one of their current flag. That would be something to keep in mind. In war time, when patriotism is very important (like Detroit's V for Victory sleeve patch of 1942), a salute to the crown would not be abnormal for a British Protectorate.

By the way, as long as this is staying relatively apolitical, I'm loving this discussion of history and hockey jerseys.

[johnny griswold]

Hockey Week, this is the first time you've agreed with me?? Sheesh! I'm such a reasonable guy. haha.

I will make sure that this concept stays apolitical. Any disrespectful comment will be deleted.

This is just a fun, historical project. Of course I will be taking artistic license.

[Hockey Week]

Just sent you an email with 22 images. If you didn't get it, I'll add them to my photobucket. Hopefully you can use them.

idk what it is man, but the logos you hate, I love, the logos you love, I hate. ditto jerseys. I'm surprised you're the one doing the historic concepts, because it's something I can really get into (i'm a history major, can you tell? lol). It's a great idea and i hope it gets really fleshed out, perhaps others will join in.

maybe once it's been on here for a while and is old news, send this over to icethetics and see if anyone else jumps on board. just a suggestion.