Teddy bear toss

Lore & Background

The concept originated with the Kamloops Blazers in 1993, thanks to marketing director Don Larson. 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. 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. The promotion has spread to other sports including basketball and soccer, and across the globe to Europe and Australia. Notable games include the Calgary Hitmen setting a then record of 28,815 stuffed toys on December 6, 2015, then collecting 29,935 on December 3, 2018. The Hershey Bears have set multiple records: 25,017 on December 3, 2017; 34,798 on December 2, 2018; 45,650 on December 1, 2019 (which held up the game for 40 minutes); 52,341 on January 22, 2022; 67,309 in January 2023; 74,599 on January 7, 2024; and 102,343 on January 5, 2025. The event also inspired philanthropists in Hershey to pledge cash donations per toy collected. The teddy bear toss spread to Australia on June 28, 2014 at Medibank Ice house in Melbourne, where the Melbourne Ice collected 306 toys. On December 27, 2017, Luleå HF brought the tradition to Sweden. Several teams in the Elite Ice Hockey League in the United Kingdom organize an annual 'Air the Bear' night.

Reader's Guide

The teddy bear toss has become a significant charitable tradition in hockey, particularly in junior and minor leagues, where it combines fan engagement with community giving. The Hershey Bears claim a record of 102,343 stuffed toys in a single game and have collected more than 566,000 stuffed toys since 2001. The event has spread beyond hockey to other sports, including Italian basketball in 2014, Australian soccer with the Newcastle Jets in December 2019, and Turkish football club Beşiktaş J.K. in February 2023, whose supporters threw stuffed animals for surviving children of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Polish football club Jagiellonia Białystok claim a world record of 109,470 stuffed toys at any sporting event. The tradition's legacy is one of seasonal charity, with toys donated to hospitals and charities, and players often personally delivering bears to children. The event's growth from a single game in Kamloops to a global phenomenon underscores its appeal as a simple, impactful way for fans to contribute to their communities during the holiday season.

Did You Know?

• The first teddy bear toss was on December 5, 1993, after a goal by Brad Lukowich of the Kamloops Blazers.
• The Hershey Bears collected 102,343 stuffed toys on January 5, 2025, a record for a single hockey game.
• The NHL discourages the teddy bear toss because of its policy against anything thrown on the ice.