Balfour Championship Ring

Bruins fans stock up on championship merchandise

When Ken Bearse found out Thursday morning that Modell’s Sporting Goods in Brockton was selling Bruins championship merchandise, he ran to his car to get to the store before the items sold out.

“I was lucky to get it,” said Bearse, of Whitman, referring to the championship T-shirt he was already wearing.

When interviewed at the Westgate Mall store on Thursday, Bearse actually was on his second trip to Modell’s to buy Bruins merchandise – and he planned to return again to get a shirt with the team roster on it. That one had sold out.

Bearse was just one of thousands of Bruins fans rushing to sporting goods stores hoping to get their hands on Stanley Cup championship merchandise before the team’s “rolling rally” parade on Saturday in Boston.

The Bruins brought the Stanley Cup back to Boston by winning Game 7, 4-0, Wednesday night in their championship series against Vancouver.

At Modell’s, Alayna Gaziano of Brockton was buying shirts for her three children, her husband, her mother and her mother-in-law for the parade, as well as a tank top for herself.

“I was going to come last night, but I was too tired,” she said.

Ryan Marks of Brockton only bought himself a cap.

“I’m a hat guy. I wear hats every day,” he said. “There’s no better hat to wear right now.”

The championship and the cap were an early birthday present; he will turn 26 in two weeks.

“I’m a die-hard Bruins fan. I waited 26 years for this,” he said.

John Bulman was out buying shirts and a cap, including a shirt for his niece in Florida who is a huge Bruins fan. However, Bulman has something that most Bruins fans can’t buy: A 1972 championship ring.

Bulman, of Norwood, said a friend who works for Balfour, a manufacturer of championship rings, told him he was sending him something in the mail and asked for his ring size. He got the ring about a month ago.

“I’ve had many people stop me and want to try the ring on and take pictures with it,” he said.

Bulman hopes to get a new 2011 championship ring, too.

Jill Hebert, the general manager for Modell’s in Brockton, said the Bruins Stanley Cup merchandise was flying off the shelves, with “locker room” items being the most popular stock.

“It’s a great atmosphere with the customers,” she said. “There’s a pride for Boston and a pride for this sport now.

UIL Partners With Balfour to Offer Official State Championship ...

AUSTIN, Texas, April 1, 2011 (Investrealbig.com) — The University Interscholastic League (UIL) and Balfour have partnered to offer official rings, commemorative jewelry, award jackets, patches and plaques for all UIL State Championships including athletic, academic and music tournaments. These items that feature the UIL logo will be available for purchase through local Balfour sales representatives, as well as an e-commerce site currently under development by Balfour.

“We are pleased to partner with Texas-based Balfour, a trusted high school partner for generations, to recognize the outstanding achievements of our State’s finest high school students and athletes,” said Dr. Charles Breithaupt, Executive Director of the UIL.

Balfour will also serve as title presenter of the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award , a distinguished award established by the UIL in 1991 to identify and recognize outstanding teachers who play a special role in the lives of young people as UIL directors, sponsors and coaches.