HERSHEY, PA — The Hershey Bears turned back the clock over the weekend and brought back one of the most popular logos in franchise history to help the American Hockey League celebrate its 90th season.
Hershey wore throwback jerseys featuring the team’s “Skating Bear” logo. The emblem, initially designed in the mid ’60s, features an illustration of a hockey-playing bear in full gear, with the type HERSHEY in a bold brown rectangle overtop — the same design seen on Hershey’s iconic chocolate bar wrappers.
“I think they’re pretty, pretty sweet,” Andrew Cristall told RMNB of the jersey design before its debut. “I think it’s gonna be pretty cool. They look unreal, so I’m pumped to wear them.”
Per the Bears’ Jesse Liebman, the Lebanon Daily News’ Nancy Orner created the bear illustration after team executives wanted a refreshed emblem for their game programs. The request came after the franchise celebrated its 25th anniversary during the 1963-64 season.
“My husband [Eugene] is a hockey fan, and I knew that if they wanted a bear, that I wanted it to not just be a wooly bear,” Nancy, a member of the photo engraving department, told the team. “I wanted him to be a hockey player. It just seemed to pop up just right.”
The “Skating Bear” logo, which subtly incorporated Nancy’s initials into the animal’s left knee, became so beloved by the team that Hershey quickly made it its official logo. During the 1971-72 season, the “Skating Bear” was added to the front of the team’s jerseys, with one small change: HERSHEY was added over top.
The Bears won their fifth Calder Cup in 1974 while wearing the sweaters at their old barn, Hersheypark Arena.
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
The “Skating Bear” logo was later altered to include an oval, but remained in the team’s jersey rotation for 31 years, officially getting retired after the 2001-02 season when Hershey moved into Giant Center.
The Bears first announced the return of the jersey design on December 3 for the club’s Hall of Fame Night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday and Throwback Night against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday.
Both opposing teams donned special sweaters for the weekend tilts as well, with the Penguins wearing throwbacks from the 2004-05 season while the Phantoms wore “faux back” jerseys, featuring Lehigh Valley’s monster logo and its team name inside Pennsylvania’s Keystone symbol.
Fan response to the “Skating Bear” jersey was off the charts. The team saw 8,917 fans pack into Giant Center to see the re-debut of the sweater and cheer on Chris Bourque, Alexandre Giroux, Boyd Kane, Mike McHugh, and William W. “Tiny” Parry as they were officially inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame.
Though there was one snag. The team advertised that it would sell “Skating Bear” replica jerseys and other merch inspired by the logo that night. But that did not happen, leaving some fans, who came to the game just for that, disappointed.
The next afternoon, Hershey did sell the merch on the concourse ahead of its game against the Phantoms at 3 pm. RMNB was told by Bears season-ticket holder Lee S. that the replica jerseys sold out by puck drop.
📸: Lee S.
Later, after Hershey’s 3-2 win, the game-used “Skating Bear” jerseys were auctioned off to fans.
RMNB reader Maddie H. said that Ilya Protas’s sweater sold for the most at $2,600. Lee S. added that Sam Bitten ($2,500), Spencer Smallman ($2,400), Andrew Cristall ($2,300), and Mitch Gibson ($2,000) rounded out the top five. Every jersey available that was auctioned off went for $1,000 or above except for one.
📸: Now, with the “Skating Bear” jersey put back in the vault, Hershey will wear one other vintage jersey this season. The team will rock “1938 Throwbacks” seven times, beginning in January.
Photos
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB
📸: Ian Oland/RMNB