Maple Leafs Hid Jersey Names

In the 1970s, Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard refused to place player names on jerseys because he wanted fans to buy game programs to match numbers with identities. When the NHL required names for the 1977-78 season and threatened a fine, Ballard ordered white names on white jerseys and blue names on blue jerseys, making them nearly impossible to read. The Leafs wore the blue-on-blue version during a game on February 26, 1978, before further league sanctions forced Ballard to use contrasting white letters.

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