July 11, 2011

The More You Know Monday - Hockey Trivia

Hey guys, happy Monday! 

Just want to give one more shout out to all of ya'll that linked up to the Storytellers Blog Hop this weekend. What a great turn out, once again! 

I am behind on getting to all of ya'lls links, so I am on that today. Don't worry, I promise to make the rounds. :)

Feels like I haven't written about hockey in a while now. You might not feel the same way, though, lol. I'll have to give ya'll an update on our schedule and heading back to Europe sometime this week. The season is approaching quickly, and I am already excited for the adventures it brings with it. 

Anyways, will get to that later in the week. For now, another edition of 'The More You Know Monday'! This week, featuring good ol' random hockey facts. Hope you enjoy!


- There are more professional hockey teams in Texas than any other state in the union. Way to go, cowboys!
Hey, it is catching on! (source)

- According to legend, hockey was the first team sport to place numbers on the backs of sweaters. It's said that the idea came from Joe Patrick, an organizer of the Pacific Coast Hockey League in 1911. He saw a photograph in a newspaper from England showing a cross country runner wearing a number pinned to his back. Joe thought it was a good idea that should be tried in hockey. His two sons, who ran the Vancouver and Victoria teams, agreed. On opening night of the 1911-12 season, all players in the league wore numbers and within three years, numbered sweaters were adopted by teams in all leagues.

Ya'll remember these awful jerseys, right?!

- The English Governor general of Canada, Lord Stanley of Preston, was so impressed by the growing popularity of hockey in Canada in the late 1800s, that in 1892 he bought a silver bowl with a gold interior finish and decreed that it be given each year to the best amateur team in Canada.
Your generosity has left your name in history! (source)
- Total Number of Individuals Engraved on Cup: 2,163 (not actually sure if this includes Boston from this year?!)

- There are actually three Stanley Cups: the original bowl, the authenticated Cup, and the replica at the Hall of Fame. The original bowl was awarded to the champion until 1970, and is now displayed in the vault room at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

The Montreal Hockey Club (Montreal Amateur Athletic Association) win the first Stanley Cup (source)

- The authenticated version or "Presentation Cup" was created in 1963. The NHL at the time felt that the original bowl was becoming too thin and fragile, and thus requested a duplicate trophy as a replacement. The Presentation Cup is the one currently awarded to the champions of the playoffs and used for promotions. Although the heads of the NHL felt that they needed to keep this 'new' trophy under wraps. This version was made in secret, and its production was only revealed three years later.

- The Zamboni was invented, not in Canada or some other cold climate, but rather in California. Frank Zamboni, a California rink operator, came up with the idea. The machine grew out of an experiment he conducted with a tractor pulling a sled across the ice at his rink. The one-driver Zamboni made its debut in 1949 and soon became the norm at rinks all over the world!

Don't know why they didn't stick with this original fancy design!? (source)
Hope you enjoyed this hockey tid bit. Even you non-hockey loving southerners!
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22 comments:

  1. i need to link up nexttime!

    but anyways, that is really interesting about hockey and the history of it! and it's funny that there are more teams in TX than anywhere else (I think i find that interesting because i dont associate hockey and texas together to be honest!). hope you had a great weekend girl!

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  2. Love that Texas has more hockey teams - it's logical. The best way to beat the TX heat is inside an icy, hockey rink. I wonder if it makes your body tingly to go from Houston in August to inside a hockey rink - like the hot and cold pools on a resort?

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  3. Ahh great facts there!! It's nice being a student for a change! On my tavels (yey!!!) this summer I am in Toronto and have the Hockey Hall of Fame on my list of places to visit! Now I know some cool facts- thank you!!

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  4. My family is from Pennsylvania, lots of hockey there! Unfortunately, not much here in Florida...;)

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  5. Texas has the most hockey teams?! Wild!

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  6. Right on the ball with Hockey History - I grew up with most of these facts and great blog TexaG. Right good stuff, eh.
    Cheers, Lilly

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  7. I suppose it makes sense that the Zamboni was invented somewhere without any natural ice, right?

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  8. Surprised you didn't mention when Lord Stanley lost the cup in the bottom of the pool. Oh wait, that was the Rangers.

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  9. Filing this away for when I'm on Jeopardy. I'll totally win that bitch!

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  10. Another interesting The More You Know post (as always) :) I never would have guessed that Texas would have the most teams!?! Hope you are enjoying your time in Canada!

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  11. Texas for real has the most hockey teams in the US? Crazy and yet cool!

    Oh, and thanks for hosting the Storytellers Hop! It was great fun again...discovered a couple of new blogs :)

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  12. Wait...what are they going to do when they run out of room for names on the cup???? Make a fourth one? Stop the madness!

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  13. Had no idea that's where the Zamboni came from! And hellllll yeah to Texas being the boss that it is!

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  14. @Oilfield - well thanks, glad you liked!
    @Megan - not like you are busy or anything lately :) lol. They do have a lot of teams there! Hope you had a good one too!
    @Miko - Exactly, see, you get it! lol.
    @Missy - Haha, yes, you relax and be the student for once! So fun! I have never been there, you will for sure have to blog about that!
    @Hannah - I know there are a few minor league teams in Florida. One of the best names ever for a team is there...the Everblades! haha
    @Kara - I know right, guess it makes sense I met my hockey playing husband there :)
    @TheSaucy - Thanks! I had to impress the Canadians too :)
    @Meri - I guess so, the more I thought about it too I thought the same thing!
    @Copyboy - Haha, oh geez, I could do an entire post about how many times the cup has been destroyed. Love it!
    @Jordan - you can apply, right after me :)
    @KT - glad you all enjoyed! I am enjoying my time here, lots of time to just relax, so can't complain!
    @Katie - I know right, I had heard that before, but had to verify it....online of course, lol. I am so glad you enjoyed the blog hop and found some great new reads!!
    @Dwija - I do believe so! Wouldn't that be cool to have your name first on that new cup.
    @Meg - Cali and Texas representing in hockey, haha, oh yeah!

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  15. You know what they say! They put the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto so people may get a chance to see the cup in their lifetime...44 years and counting since the last cup :(

    http://mylifeinawinebottle.blogspot.com

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  16. I love your little history lessons- especially about the jersey numbers and Stanley cup. Very interesting!

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  17. Texas may have had the most pro teams but were they any good? I learned some new hockey history today thanks.

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  18. I never would have guessed Texas has the most hockey teams, guess those Texans gotta find a way to keep cool huh?!

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  19. I knew most of this - except that part about Texas! I would've guessed California had the most...

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  20. @Jen - oh, so sad, lol. That is pretty funny, though!
    @Shay - well glad you liked! I thought it was pretty interesting too :)
    @Ryan - You are welcome. Guess it makes sense now that I met my husband there!
    @An Irish - seriously, what else are you going to do in the sweltering heat?!
    @Heather - I thought so too. Maybe things have changed. At least I think they are very close!

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  21. I love this post! Hockey is the BEST sport ever!!

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Whoomp, there it is!