The teddy bear toss is a popular Christmas season promotion most common at junior ice hockey and minor league hockey games. Fans are encouraged to bring teddy bears or other stuffed toys to the game, and to throw them onto the ice when the home team scores its first goal. The toys are gathered to be donated as presents to hospitals and charities. In many cases, the players themselves personally donate some of the bears to children at area hospitals.
The Hershey Bears claim a record of 74,599 stuffed toys in a single hockey game.[1] The promotion has spread to other sports including basketball and soccer; and across the globe to Europe and Australia. Polish football club Jagiellonia Białystok claim a world record of 109,470 stuffed toys at any sporting event.[2][3]
- ^ Weeaver, Jared (January 8, 2024). "Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss: 74,599 stuffed animals set new world record". WHTM-TV. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ Zehner, Karen (December 13, 2023). "The Teddy Bear Toss: A Touching Tradition Connecting Hockey and Charity". Inside the Rink. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "The history behind teddy bear toss games–hockey's holiday tradition". The Chive. December 4, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2024.