Seattle Ironmen Apparel
presented by Vintage Ice Hockey
Shop our collection of unique Seattle Ironmen apparel, commemorating the war-time team from the Pacific Northwest. Check out our selection of Seattle Ironemen jerseys, t-shirts, and other items and the history of the Ironmen below. We are an American small business dedicated to bringing back the history and designs of fondly remembered and long-lost hockey teams from throughout hockey history.
Seattle Ironmen Jerseys
Our Seattle Ironmen jerseys are a custom design that is an homage to the sweaters of the original Ironmen, but is also unique in its own right. They have embroidered elements and fully cut and sewn seams for that old school jersey feel.
These jerseys feature embroidered "ironmen" logos sewn onto the chest of the jersey. The Ironmen usually only wore an "S" or the words "Seattle Ironmen" one their chest, so this is a customized chest logo.
The Ironmen did wear a white and dark color scheme with a mid-chest color split that we've captured here, along with a set of five stripes on both the arms and lower chest. All of these features are embroidered at the seams for that old school look and feel; nothing sublimated about it.
Further, we mimicked the two stars on each shoulder that the Ironmen wore to the best of out ability using modern production methods. Two stars are embroidered onto the jersey over each shoulder, including one red star for a pop of color.
Finally, the names and numbers. We do offer a blank option at a lower price point without names and numbers. If you'd like yours customized, we are keeping true to the Ironmen's original design with no numbers on the arms. On the back, we have an option for a stitched name bar with heatpress lettering and large heatpressed numbers across the back. Both the name and back numbers are red, to further add color to the Ironmen and bring what we believe to be their red, white and blue color scheme to the modern age.
How our jersey pre-orders work.
We're a small mom and pop shop and due to lack of well, everything, we are not able to customize our retro hockey jerseys on the fly. Instead, we need to send them out to get made in batches. To be able to offer customization, we open up individual jerseys for pre-orders when we debut them and again later on depending on demand for that particular jersey. So if you are interested in customization or an unusual size such as youth or goalie cuts, pre-order time is the time to buy! You never know when (or if) these jerseys might be available again.
All that said, we do plan to keep stock available continuously for blank jerseys in sizes small through 3XL for most teams. Please note that pre-order jerseys are expected to ship 2-3 months from the date the pre-order period ends and payment in full is required at the time of purchase. In stock blanks will ship on our normal timeframes and usually leave the warehouse within a couple of days. You can read our pre-order policy here.
Who were the Seattle Ironmen?
Scrappy. Gritty. Steely. “Rough and tumble”.
It would be difficult to describe The Seattle Ironmen without some variation of these words. Part of the Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) in the 1940s and 50s, the Ironmen were rightfully nicknamed “The Bad Men of the Pacific Coast”. Though the entire PCHL was rough, the Ironmen were among the roughest teams.
In the midst of World War II, a group of men working for Isaacson Steel decided to form a hockey team. They called themselves the Seattle Isaacson Iron Workers and joined the Northwestern Industrial Hockey League (NIHL) for the 1943-44 season. The NIHL was comprised of various teams that all represented some field of wartime industry. Hockey was a great distraction from the war. It allowed people the opportunity to blow off some steam. Men who worked in these wartime industries probably needed a mental escape from war manufacturing and talk. Their entire lives revolved around prepping for it. Though travel wasn’t easy, the league was considerably active and maintained a decent schedule between Oregon, Washington State and Vancouver. Since there was considerable darkness lingering over the country during this time, the NIHL players were determined to ensure their hobby (and the joy it created) stayed relevant. However, with the PCHL gaining traction in the Northwest, the Ironmen decided to move up and the amateur league for their next season in 1944-45. This league would eventually become the old WHL of the 50s-70s and would see the Ironmen travel as far south as San Diego.
Who were the Seattle Ironmen?
Scrappy. Gritty. Steely. “Rough and tumble”.
It would be difficult to describe The Seattle Ironmen without some variation of these words. Part of the Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) in the 1940s and 50s, the Ironmen were rightfully nicknamed “The Bad Men of the Pacific Coast”. Though the entire PCHL was rough, the Ironmen were among the roughest teams.
In the midst of World War II, a group of men working for Isaacson Steel decided to form a hockey team. The NIHL was comprised of various teams that all represented some field of wartime industry. Hockey was a great distraction from the war. Men who worked in these wartime industries probably needed a mental escape from war manufacturing and talk. Their entire lives revolved around prepping for it.
The Bad Men of the Pacific Coast
The Ironmen were naturally tough both on and off the ice. Most of the players still worked for Isaacson Steel, which fabricated parts used in naval shipyards during World War II. This was probably why some hockey historians refer to them as Seattle’s “steeliest team”. They solidified their reputation over and over again as they continually earned an astounding amount of penalty minutes in each game. In 1947-48 for example, they amassed 1200 in 66 games, far and away the most in the league that season. This ultimately dubbed them “The Bad Men of the Pacific Coast”. The Ironmen were a picture of perseverance as they kept their team going despite injuries, illnesses, appendectomies, and players fighting off blood poisoning. One player, Vern Kaiser, was also suspended for throwing his stick at an opponent which cost the player his vision in one eye. Though there were continuous obstacles and they struggled to get enough men on the ice for some games, the Ironmen pushed forward.
The Ironmen had many successes, including a 1945 regular season championship, and some players found the team to be a catalyst for a great career. Fred Shero, for example, was part of the Ironmen during his playing career before becoming the coach of Philadelphia’s infamous Flyers, or “Broad Street Bullies”. Much like the Ironmen, the Flyers were known for their rough play and record-breaking accumulation of penalty minutes. He went on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and his quote, “Win today and we walk together forever” has been repeated in locker rooms across North America for decades. The brotherhood he found within the Ironmen carried with him throughout his time coaching and playing in the NHL. Other notable players spent time with the Ironmen, including Stanley Cup Winner Al Rollins, though you rarely see the Ironmen noted on their resume.
So, with all this notoriety, why haven’t we heard more about the Ironmen?
The Bad Men of the Pacific Coast
The Ironmen were naturally tough both on and off the ice. Most of the players still worked for Isaacson Steel, which fabricated parts used in naval shipyards during World War II. In 1947-48 they amassed 1200 in 66 games, far and away the most in the league that season. This ultimately dubbed them “The Bad Men of the Pacific Coast”. One player, Vern Kaiser, was also suspended for throwing his stick at an opponent which cost the player his vision in one eye.
Notably, Fred Shero, was part of the Ironmen during his playing career before becoming the coach of Philadelphia’s “Broad Street Bullies”. Stanley Cup Winner Al Rollins also spent time with the Ironmen, though you rarely see the Ironmen noted on their resume.
Seattle Ironmen 1951: The End of an Era
The Ironmen didn’t exactly have a glorious end, which is probably why their legacy often gets overlooked. Though the Ironmen had some good years, their unpredictable and violent reputation left fans leery of attending games. With a history of cross-checking officials, female fans nearly getting struck by opposing teams, and riots in the stands, attending games became more of a liability than entertainment for fans. The team also lost many of its Isaacson Ironmen crew over time, with only a handful of the original players sticking around for the last season in 1954-55. Adversity continued to mount against the Ironmen, but many refused to let the franchise die.
Frank Dotten was, without question, the biggest supporter of the Ironmen. He was a player, then coach, manager, and owner. He tried his best to strategize every possible way to make the Ironmen successful. Despite his best effort, the downfall of the Ironmen really hit home in 1951. Violence during games was at an all-time high. Fights occurred between players, coaches, and even between players and fans in some cases. The Ironmen weren’t winning. The games were too violent (for everyone involved), so no one was paying to watch the Ironmen play. Thus, they suffered a serious financial downfall. On the cusp of the PCHL being renamed the Western Hockey League (WHL), Dotten saw an opportunity. He decided to advertise a “rebrand” of the Ironmen: whoever came up with the best new name for the Ironmen would receive season tickets. Just as the PCHL became the WHL, the Iromen became the Bombers as Seattle's representative in the WHL. In later years, Seattle would be repped by the Americans and the Totems.
Today, the NHL's Kraken sit in Seattle's hockey spotlight. Admirably, the Kraken franchise has made several “hat tips” to their Ironmen ancestors. Their 2022 retro-block jersey honored the Ironmen and their contribution to Seattle hockey. The design is similar to the Seattle Ironmen jersey adorned in so many notorious brawls during the 40s and 50s. The “S” in the center of the jersey is reminiscent of the Seattle Ironmen’s logo. Though the Ironmen had a volatile reputation, they are the picture of hard work and perseverance. Even now, the Kraken perform best when they play hard and show a little of that classic grit that was such an iconic characteristic of the Ironmen.
Seattle Ironmen 1951: The End of an Era
Though the Ironmen had some good years, their unpredictable and violent reputation left fans leery of attending games. With a history of cross-checking officials, female fans nearly getting struck by opposing teams, and riots in the stands, attending games became more of a liability than entertainment for fans. The team also lost many of its Isaacson Ironmen crew over time, with only a handful of the original players sticking around for the last season in 1954-55.
Today, the NHL's Kraken sit in Seattle's hockey spotlight. Admirably, the Kraken franchise has made several “hat tips” to their Ironmen ancestors. Their 2022 retro-block jersey honored the Ironmen and their contribution to Seattle hockey. Even now, the Kraken perform best when they play hard and show a little of that classic grit that was such an iconic characteristic of the Ironmen.
Seattle Ironmen Jerseys
Our Seattle Ironmen jerseys are a custom design that is an homage to the sweaters of the original Ironmen, but is also unique in its own right.
The Ironmen did wear a white and dark color scheme with a mid-chest color split that we've captured here, along with a set of five stripes on both the arms and lower chest. All of these features are embroidered at the seams for that old school look and feel; nothing sublimated about it.
Further, we mimicked the two stars on each shoulder that the Ironmen wore to the best of out ability using modern production methods.
Finally, the names and numbers. We are keeping true to the Ironmen's original design with no numbers on the arms. On the back, we have an option for a stitched name bar with heatpress lettering and large heatpressed numbers across the back. Both the name and back numbers are red, to further add color to the Ironmen design.
Please note that pre-order jerseys are expected to ship 2-3 months from the date the pre-order period ends and payment in full is required at the time of purchase. You can read our pre-order policy here.
Free Shipping
All of our products ship free within the USA!
Note: Pre-order products ship in 2-3 months
Returns & Exchanges
We make it easy to return non-customized items for any reason at all. Read our policy here.
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