The Hunt Begins
I started where everyone starts: the internet. I scouderred all of the big sports apparel sites. I even checked out some of those auction places. Plenty of Knicks jerseys, of course, some Georgetown stuff, even a few Dream Team jerseys, but no Magic. This was proving more difficult than I anticipated. It was a limited amount of time during his career.
Digging Deeper
After striking out with the major retailers, I started getting into the more niche corners of the web. I found some forums dedicated to basketball jerseys, vintage sportswear, that kind of thing. I posted some messages, asking if anyone had a lead on a Ewing Magic jersey. I figured these were the real hardcore collectors; if anyone knew, it would be them.
- I checked every day, hoping for a reply.
- I spent a bunch of time just browsing those forums, learning about different jersey types and manufacturers.
- I got super into it, to be honest!
Success (Finally!)
After a week or so with no luck, I was starting to lose hope. Then, bam! A private message. Some guy said he had a Ewing Magic jersey, game-worn even, that he was willing to part with. We exchanged some messages, haggled a bit on the price (it wasn't cheap!), and finally agreed on a deal.
The Goods Arrive
I was like a kid on Christmas morning when the package arrived. I ripped it open, and there it was, a beautiful, blue and white, number 33, Patrick Ewing Orlando Magic jersey. It was even better in person than in the pictures. I put it on immediately, of course. My wife might have rolled her eyes, but I didn't care. I finally had my unique piece of basketball history.
It just goes to show you, sometimes the hunt is half the fun. And now I have a conversation starter for any basketball gathering. I felt good!
