View source for Teddy bear toss

{{Short description|Christmas tradition at sporting events}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
[[File:Hershey Bears Teddy bear toss 2025.png|thumb|2025 [[Hershey Bears]] Teddy bear toss]]

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 bear]]s or other [[stuffed toy]]s 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 102,343 stuffed toys in a single hockey game, and have collected more than 566,000 stuffed toys since in 2001.<ref name="AHL-2025">{{cite web|url=https://theahl.com/news/hershey-breaks-teddy-bear-toss-record-again|title=Hershey breaks Teddy Bear Toss record…again|date=January 5, 2025|website=[[American Hockey League]]|access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref> 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.<ref name="insidetherink-2023">{{cite web|url=https://insidetherink.com/the-teddy-bear-toss-a-touching-tradition-connecting-hockey-and-charity/|title=The Teddy Bear Toss: A Touching Tradition Connecting Hockey and Charity|last=Zehner|first=Karen|date=December 13, 2023|website=Inside the Rink|access-date=May 18, 2024}}</ref><ref name="thechive-2023">{{cite web|url=https://thechive.com/humanity/inspirational/history-behind-teddy-bear-toss-games-hockeys-holiday-tradition/?utm_postid=4575035&utm_editor=zach|title=The history behind teddy bear toss games–hockey's holiday tradition|date=December 4, 2023|website=[[The Chive]]|access-date=May 18, 2024}}</ref>

==History==
The event encourages spectators to bring [[teddy bear]]s or other [[stuffed toy]]s to games, 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.<ref name="ESPN">{{cite news|url=http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/18325090/nhl-how-teddy-bear-toss-became-hockey-furriest-most-fun-phenomenon|title=How the teddy bear toss became hockey's furriest—and most fun—phenomenon|last=Pinchevsky|first=Tal|date=December 21, 2016|work=[[ESPN]]|location=Bristol, Connecticut|access-date=January 13, 2018}}</ref><ref name="thw">{{cite news|last1=Ground|first1=Stephen|title=The Teddy Bear Toss: From Kamloops to Hershey|url=https://thehockeywriters.com/history-of-the-teddy-bear-toss/|work=The Hockey Writers|access-date=December 12, 2018|date=December 9, 2018}}</ref>

The concept originated with the [[Kamloops Blazers]] in 1993, thanks to marketing director Don Larson.<ref name="CFJC">{{cite news|url=http://cfjctoday.com/article/551058/kamloops-blazers-teddy-toss-tradition-local-fans|title=Kamloops Blazers teddy toss tradition for local fans|last=Donnelly|first=Adam|date=December 5, 2016|publisher=[[CFJC-TV]]|location=Kamloops, British Columbia|access-date=January 13, 2018}}</ref> The first recorded teddy bear toss occurred on December 5, 1993, when a goal by [[Brad Lukowich]] prompted fans to throw over 2,400 bears onto the ice.<ref name="ESPN" /><ref name="thw" /> The tradition spread quickly through the [[Canadian Hockey League]], and around the world; excluding the [[National Hockey League]], which discourages anything thrown on the ice.<ref name="ESPN" /><ref name="thw"/>

==Notable games==
===In North America===
[[File:2005 teddy toss.JPG|thumb|2005 [[Calgary Hitmen]] teddy bear toss]]
[[File:Teddy Bear Toss.jpg|thumb|2006 [[Spokane Chiefs]] teddy bear toss]]

The [[Calgary Hitmen]] set a then record of 28,815 stuffed toys in a single game, on December 6, 2015 at [[Scotiabank Saddledome]], then collected a record of 29,935 stuffed toys in a single game, on December 3, 2018.<ref name="hitmen">{{cite web|url=http://hitmenhockey.com/teddy-bear-toss|title=The Brick Teddy Bear Toss|website=[[Calgary Hitmen]]|access-date=January 13, 2018}}</ref><ref name="global">{{Cite news|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/2384166/hitmen-fans-break-records-in-annual-teddy-bear-toss/|title=Hitmen fans break records in annual Teddy Bear Toss|last1=MacGregor|first1=Lisa|last2=Parker|first2=Brendan|work=[[Global News]]|location=Vancouver, British Columbia|access-date=December 7, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://hitmenhockey.com/article/stallard-goal-makes-fur-fly-hitmen-down-broncos|title=Stallard goal makes teddy confetti, Hitmen down Broncos|last=Pirie|first=Jason|publisher=[[Calgary Hitmen]]|date=December 5, 2015|access-date=January 14, 2018}}</ref> The annual event has collected almost 350,000 bears in Calgary as of early December 2018.<ref name="thw"/>

On December 3, 2017, the [[Hershey Bears]] collected 25,017 stuffed animals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/watch-fans-make-rain-teddy-bears-hershey-021246166.html|title=Fans make it rain teddy bears in Hershey|last=Cantlon|first=Kyle|work=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|date=December 4, 2017|access-date=January 14, 2018}}</ref> In the following season, Hershey beat the previous mark by collecting 34,798 stuffed animals on December 2, 2018.<ref name="pennlive-2018">{{cite web|url=https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2018/12/hershey-bears-break-teddy-bear-toss-world-record-as-34798-hit-the-ice-for-charity.html|title=Watch the Hershey Bears break teddy bear toss world record as 34,798 hit the ice for charity|last=Fisch|first=Zack|date=December 2, 2018|website=PennLive|publisher=[[The Patriot-News]]|location=Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania|access-date=December 2, 2018}}</ref><ref name="espn2018">{{cite news|last=Wyshynski|first=Greg|author-link=Greg Wyshynski|title=AHL's Hershey Bears set Teddy Bear Toss record, collecting 34,798 toys|url=http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/25437991/hershey-bears-ahl-affiliate-washington-capitals-set-teddy-bear-toss-record-collecting-34798-stuffed-animals|access-date=December 3, 2018|publisher=[[ESPN]]|location=Bristol, Connecticut|date=2 December 2018}}</ref> The event also inspired philanthropists in Hershey to pledge cash donations per toy collected.<ref name="thw"/> On December 1, 2019, the Hershey Bears set a record of 45,650 stuffed toys collected in a single game; tossing and collecting the stuffed animals held up the game for 40 minutes.<ref name="pennlive-2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2019/12/watch-hershey-bears-teddy-bear-toss-shatters-world-record-as-45650-stuffed-animals-hit-the-ice-for-charity.html|title=Hershey Bears' teddy bear toss shatters world record as 45,650 stuffed animals hit the ice for charity|last=Lavey-Heaton|first=Megan|date=December 1, 2019|website=PennLive|publisher=[[The Patriot-News]]|location=Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania|access-date=December 1, 2019}}</ref> The toys were split among 40 central Pennsylvania charities.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Andrew|first1=Scottie|title=Fans pelted more than 45,000 stuffed animals at a Pennsylvania hockey team—for charity, of course|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/02/us/hockey-team-teddy-bears-charity-trnd/index.html|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=December 2, 2019|access-date=December 3, 2019}}</ref> The Hershey Bears collected 52,341 stuffed animals on January 22, 2022, claiming a new record for an ice hockey game, after the team did not host teddy bear toss games in 2020 and 2021 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="Gearty-2022">{{cite news|last=Gearty|first=Alec|date=January 23, 2022|title=Hershey hockey fans set world record in Teddy Bear Toss game|work=[[New York Post]]|url=https://nypost.com/2022/01/23/hershey-bears-fans-throw-world-record-amount-of-stuffed-animals-on-ice-in-teddy-bear-toss-game/|access-date=January 23, 2022}}</ref> In January 2023, the Hershey Bears broke their previously set record when they collected 67,309 stuffed animals to be donated to 35 local charities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hershey Bears' Teddy Bear Toss goes viral for a good cause|last=Todd|first=Bijan|date=January 29, 2023|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/washington/capitals/hershey-bears-teddy-bear-toss-goes-viral-good-cause|website=[[NBC Sports]]|access-date=January 30, 2023}}</ref> On January 7, 2024, the Hershey Bears claimed a new record of 74,599 stuffed bears.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss: 74,599 stuffed animals set new world record|last=Weeaver|first=Jared|date=January 8, 2024|work=[[WHTM-TV]]|location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|url=https://www.abc27.com/community/hometown-hero/hershey-bears-teddy-bear-toss-74599-stuffed-animals-set-new-world-record/|access-date=May 18, 2024}}</ref> In the following season, the Hershey Bears set a new record by collecting 102,343 stuffed toys on January 5, 2025, and have collected more than 566,000 stuffed toys since in 2001.<ref name="AHL-2025" />

===Around the world===
The teddy bear toss spread to [[Australia]] on June 28, 2014 at [[Icehouse (arena)|Medibank Ice house]] in [[Melbourne]]. The [[Melbourne Ice]] collected 306 toys as part of the [[Canada Day]] celebration events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hewittsports.com/sydney-bears-crash-melbourne-ices-teddy-bear-picnic/|title=Sydney Bears Crash Melbourne Ice's Teddy Bear Picnic|last=Brook|first=Eric|date=July 2, 2014|website=Hewitt Sports|access-date=January 14, 2018}}</ref>

On December 27, 2017 [[Luleå HF]] brought the tradition to Sweden, with a 3–1 over [[Mora IK]].<ref name="expressen">{{cite news|url=https://www.expressen.se/sport/hockey/shl/ovantade-bilderna-det-regnar-in-nallar/|title=Oväntade bilderna–det regnar in nallar|publisher=[[Expressen]]|location=Stockholm, Sweden|language=sv|last=Larsson|first=Jonathan|date=December 28, 2017|access-date=December 28, 2017}}</ref> Bears were donated to a hospital in [[Södra Sunderbyn]], the Woman's Journal in Lulea, and other charities.<ref name="expressen" />

Several teams in the [[Elite Ice Hockey League]] in the United Kingdom organize an annual "Air the Bear" night to collect toys for local charities at Christmas.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.britishicehockey.co.uk/post/the-monday-after-mon-03-dec-18|title=The Monday After – Hockey Family makes you proud|last=Anderson|first=Craig|date=December 3, 2018|work=British Ice Hockey|access-date=May 18, 2024}}</ref>

==Other sports==
The teddy bear toss spread to Italian basketball and made its [[Lega Basket Serie A]] debut in 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lagiornatatipo.it/teddybeartoss-istruzioni-per-uso|title=Teddy Bear Toss: Istruzioni per l'uso|last=Ferraro|first=Raffaele|date=December 12, 2014|language=it|work=La Giornata Tipo|access-date=December 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://ilpiccolo.gelocal.it/sport/2018/12/16/news/l-alma-perfetta-vola-a-110-e-travolge-avellino-1.30007884|title=Alma Trieste perfetta: vola a 110 e travolge Avellino|last=Degrassi|first=Roberto|date=December 16, 2018|language=it|publisher=[[Il Piccolo]]|location=Trieste, Italy|access-date=December 17, 2018}}{{closed access}}</ref>

Australian [[association football|soccer]] team [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]] held its inaugural teddy bear toss in December 2019.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gardiner|first1=James|title=Jets CEO to push for teddy bear toss to spread to other A-League clubs|url=https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/6545564/jets-ceo-to-push-for-teddy-bear-toss-to-spread-to-other-a-league-clubs/?cs=6160|access-date=December 18, 2019|work=[[Newcastle Herald]]|publisher=[[Australian Community Media]]|date=December 16, 2019|location=Newcastle, New South Wales}}</ref>

In February 2023, supporters of [[Beşiktaş J.K.]] in the Turkish football [[Süper Lig]], threw stuffed animals onto the pitch to be donated to surviving children of the [[2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Besiktas fans throw toys on to pitch for children affected by Turkey earthquake|last=Poole|first=Harry|date=February 27, 2023|work=[[BBC Sport]]|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/64782551|access-date=February 27, 2023}}</ref> In October 2023, Polish football club [[Jagiellonia Białystok]] claimed a new world record of 109,407 stuffed animals tossed onto their field.<ref name="insidetherink-2023" /><ref name="thechive-2023" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Portal bar|ice hockey}}
{{Canadian Hockey League}}
{{Teddy bears}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Teddy Bear Toss}}
[[Category:Canadian Hockey League events]]
[[Category:Charity events]]
[[Category:Christmas in Canada]]
[[Category:Christmas in Sweden]]
[[Category:Christmas in the United States]]
[[Category:Christmas traditions]]
[[Category:Hershey Bears]]
[[Category:History of ice hockey]]
[[Category:Ice hockey terminology]]
[[Category:Junior ice hockey]]
[[Category:Swedish Hockey League]]
[[Category:Teddy bears]]