It started in January 2016 as a fun joke. It ended up being one of the best times of his life.
Charlie McManus, AKA: T-Shirt Guy, became as visible as Caps superfans like Horn Guy, Goat, and TJ Yoshie over the last year due to his ridiculous t-shirt designs that he would create and wear to games.
Using the app Yoshirt, McManus would blow up the images, usually taken by fellow bloggers, so that the print would encompass every inch of the fabric.
On Sunday, the Caps Jersey Off Their Backs night, McManus asked nine different fans to help him salute the Capitals after another record-breaking year. The supporters all put on McManus’s original shirts — each cost about $40 to print and ship — and stood in front of the glass during warmups. Afterwards, in an incredibly kind gesture, McManus let each helper keep the shirt they wore.
Charlie explained to me in an email.
Well, it’s really been an absolute joy to be able to celebrate the spirit and talent of our guys in my own little way. I hope that other fans, and maybe even the boys, have gotten a kick out of it, and that it might have added some kind of spark to the already amazing Capitals experience.
But even though the only expectations are those I have placed on myself, I don’t think I can sustain it and maybe it’s run its course. I won’t say there won’t be any more, but I have to rein it in. And, knowing myself, it usually takes some kind of grand event or major coup to get me to change, so I thought this would be a neat way to wrap up the season and prepare for the playoffs…by having my own “Shirt Off Our Backs Day”.
I didn’t have 9 friends who would all be at the game at the same time and willing to show up early enough for warmups, so I thought a little help from RMNB might allow me to share the experience with some fellow rabid fans (thanks again, you guys were great!) And I hope that giving the shirts some life beyond my dresser drawer might keep the spirit growing. Now let’s go get that Cup!
GIF via @carolmaloney4
No, thank YOU, Charlie. And we hope you come out of retirement soon.
Thanks @CharlieMcManus9 for letting me be part of your awesome warm-up tribute tonight!! 😂 @Capitals @russianmachine pic.twitter.com/FhMk3OvmpP
— ellie k (@of_elk) April 10, 2017
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Headline photo: @carolmaloney4
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