The Aeros were an original WHA franchise, which were actually relocated to Houston before ever playing a game. They were originally granted ownership to represent Dayton, Ohio but failed to secure a stadium for their team. The Houston Aeros began play at the Sam Houston Coliseum and were a respectable club in the standings that lacked any real star power in the teams 1st season. That would soon change as Gordie, Mark and Marty Howe would join the squad to begin season 2.

The new additions would vault the Aeros to league supremecy and they would capture back to back Avco World titles in 1974 and 1975. In 1975-76 the Aeros changed venues to the new Summit arena and again were a dominant regular season club. Their bid for a 3-peat was foiled at the hands of the Bobby Hull led Winnipeg Jets in the final round of the Avco World Finals. Again dominant during the 1976-77 regular season, the Aeros would suffer the same fate as the season prior, falling again to the Winnipeg franchise in the semi-final round. The 3 Howe’s left Houston for New England for the 1977-78 season and the franchise was never the same, failing in its bid to become members of the WHA NHL expansion and closing shop prior to the 1978-79 season.

This road blue mesh gamer by Stall & Dean was worn by John Gray during the 1977-78 WHA season. Gray played his college hockey at the University of New Hampshire and then joined the CHL where he spent 2 seasons. In 1974-75, he joined the WHA and spent parts of 3 years with the Phoenix Roadrunners. During the 1976-77 campaign, Gray was dealt to the Houston Aeros where he played for parts of 2 seasons prior to finishing up his career with the Winnipeg Jets in 1978-79. This gritty Left Winger ran off 4 consecutive 30-goal seasons and only failed to hit that plateau in his final season of play, in which he played only 57 games. In 363 games played Gray scored 146 goals and 292 points while accumulating 458 PIMS.

Sewn into the collar of this gamer is the Stall & Dean, wash, size and year tag. The game wear on this stylish road sweater is solid and consists of stick and slash marks, board burns, board paint transfer, un-repaired burn holes, washed out bloodstains, heavy inner pilling, stitch pops at the left wrist and some fantastic material backed team-sewn repair work. On the inside is an old-school garter style fight strap. Shown above are video highlights of Gray wearing this exact jersey during the 1977-78 season. An attractive video matched WHA gamer with plenty of great wear that was worn by Gray during his last year with the Aeros and one that saw him light the lamp 35 times.