At least no time soon but fans will soon be able to ride with pride. Coming to an intersection or boulevard near you; Hartford Whalers vanity plates.
Longtime Whaler fans Jerry Erwin and Peter Hindle -- known as the Whaler Guys -- who even host a public access TV show of the same name, were the driving force behind making the license plates a reality. "We've worked on this for about five years, Erwin said. Hindle added, "it's not often when you can say 'Hey, I just helped pass a bill.' It sounds crazy but we collected over 1000 signatures."
Hindle, a business analyst at a major healthcare company and Erwin, a CCSU Police sergeant also lead the Whalers Brigade, a separate entity from the Whalers Booster Club, they noted. Hindle pointed out that Connecticut residents can get Red Sox vanity plates, even Penn State alumni plates, "The bottom line is how could you not have a Whalers plate! It's almost a sin."
Along with state rep representative Kurt Vail (R-Somers), House Majority Leader Matt Ritter (D-Hartford), and State representative Tony Guererra (D-Rocky Hill, Newington, Wethersfield) the Whalers plate bill gained momentum.
Guererra is the co-chairman of the transportation committee, "I was a bit skeptical at first," Guererra said, "but as the days kept going and weeks kept going and calls kept coming in, I was shocked to see how many supporters were out there to get the plates in Connecticut."
Both Hindle and Erwin added that a portion of the proceeds from the $60 Whaler plates will go to the Connecticut Children's Medical Center. All that needs to happen now is for the Governor to sign off on the Whaler plate bill.
Hindle exclaimed, "In January of 2018, we will have Whaler plates and probably many others will too."
There is no final design picked for the Whaler plates, only some mock-up designs. To find out more click on the Whalers Brigade Facebook page.