Teddy bear toss: a compelling record was established at the AHL match

During the AHL regular-season match between Hershey Bears and Hartford Wolf Pack, an intriguing record was established.

In the course of this game, the home team from Pennsylvania set a new milestone in the history of the Teddy Bear Toss. As Hershey Bears netted their first goal in the match, plush teddy bears rained down onto the ice. In total, fans threw 74,599 toys onto the ice, establishing a new record for the Teddy Bear Toss event. Interestingly, Hershey Bears had previously held the record with 67,309 teddy bears.

By the way, the concept originated in the Kamloops Blazers team in 1993, thanks to the marketing director, Don Larson. The first documented teddy bear toss took place on December 5, 1993, when Brad Lukowich's goal prompted fans to throw over 2,400 teddy bears onto the ice.

The tradition quickly spread in the Canadian Hockey League and worldwide, except in the National Hockey League, which discourages throwing any objects onto the ice.

The collected toys are usually gathered to be gifted to hospitals and charitable organizations. In many cases, players personally donate some of the teddy bears to children in local hospitals.