About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Monday, March 08, 2010

H is for HOCKEY HISTORY


The game of ice hockey probably evolved from the game of field hockey that was played in Northern Europe for hundreds of years. The modern version of ice-hockey finds its origins in the rules laid down by a Canadian named J G Creighton. His rules were implemented in the first game of ice hockey played in Montreal, Canada in the year 1875.

In fact, the “rink” or the playing area for ice hockey was actually used in the game called “curling” in Scotland during the 18th century. Initially there were as many as thirty players for each side and the goals were two stones frozen on one end of the ice. The rules for the game of ice hockey were drafted at McGill University in Montreal, Canada in the year 1879. Ice hockey found its way to the US in the year 1893. By the early 1900s, the sport
had become prevalent in parts of Europe including the UK.
The hockey stick was introduced in the early 1800s. The first stick was created of wood with a flat blade. In the 1920s, hockey players began to tape their sticks to increase the hold and strengthen the blade. The banana curve or the bend in the blade which we see today was developed during the phase between the years 1957-1980. A certain player named Bobby Hull broke a stick at a practice match and began to play around with the “bent” stick and found to his amazement that there was far more accuracy in his shots. In the early 1980s, the sticks were formed of metals. By the turn of the 21st century, there have been three types of hockey sticks-wood, composite (reinforced wood sticks) and aluminum. The aluminum hockey sticks are most often used today because of its light weight, durable nature and replaceable blades.
Legend has it that a Canadian by the name of Pierre Lapin introduced the game of ice-hockey. He would implement a crooked stick to help him walk comfortably over the surface of the ice. This particular stick, also known as the first stick is now kept in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto. He swung the stick at a piece of a frozen beaver bladder and came up with the idea of ice hockey. The bladder fell short of a small bay which was an imitation of the goal post. Soon the whole idea developed into a game of ice hockey and many people began to play the game of hockey on the snow and icy area. The then Prime Minister Stanley Park decided to form a league of talented player and offer a prize to the winning team. A tea pot was offered as the prize. The prize soon began to set a trend for future games. In 1926, the National Hockey League (NHL) emerged unquestionably as the top league in North America and took official control of the cup. The tea-pot shaped prize now known as the Stanley Cup is the most coveted trophy in the world of ice-hockey. (from here)

And as you all know, Canada won the Olympic gold medal in the men's AND women's hockey just last month. Here you see Canadian fans (click to enlarge) lined up patiently waiting to see that game at Canada Hockey Place in Vancouver, BC. As Canadians, even facing such a historic game as they did this day, everyone behaved well even up to hours after the medal was won. There was a lot of yelling, cheering, and singing of "O Canada" but no fighting or rioting. Hockey truly is Canada's sport of choice! And now that the Olympics are over, the National Hockey League is back in full action, and all Canadians anxiously await the playoffs for the Stanley Cup in May. Will it be a Canadian team or an American team? It really doesn't matter since both countries have players not only from both countries, but also from countries around the world.

17 comments:

Goon Squad said...

Seriously?
Where in the hell do you Canadians get your history from???

Shrinky said...

You guys did fantastically well in the games, as well as succeeding in hosting one of the best Olympic venues in memory - I simply loved the outpouring of exuberance witnessed on the streets this year, the atmosphere must have been electric! You are an almost immposible act for us in London to now follow.. eek!

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Congratulations! I fully enjoyed watching both the male and female Canadian Teams win the Olympic Ice Hockey goals. The boys certainly kept our hearts racing before they finally clinched it.

Leslie: said...

Welcome Goon Squad - I believe I referenced my data here but you can also check out SportsKnowHow.com

Unknown said...

Way to go Canada! Way to go : ) You are super stars at hockey an so many other things as well : ) Excellent!

Sylvia K said...

Great way to celebrate the H day, Leslie! It was so wonderful to see Canada's team win! So exciting and it was such fun to see all the excitement that everyone there felt! Have a wonderful week!!

Sylvia

Christine H. said...

Bobby Hull was a childhood hero of mine, but I didn't know that about him. Thanks for a very interesting read.

Stan Ski said...

I knew a Canadian who was so fanatical about Ice Hocskey and the Stanley Cup, it's all he ever talked about.

Mara said...

I had never seen a game prior to these Olympics. I never really liked (field) hockey, even though the Dutch are quite good, but ice-hockey is so different: fast and furious and such fun to watch.

If only I could keep my eye on that puck...

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

I thought of you as these teams won (and were they not the most intense games to watch)? They were thoughts of congratulations and how HAPPY you must be. Those were THE best Olympic Games I've ever seen.

photowannabe said...

Loved the Olympic game and Canada played their hearts out. A well deserved victory.

Hildred said...

Great post, - lots of information I didn't know about, including the naming and origin of the Stanley Cup.

Ah, the Olympics are something to bask in....

Bradley Hsi said...

Congratulation for the Canadian Hockey teams.

Roger Owen Green said...

There are rules in hockey?

I jest. Figured you'd go with hockey. Saw the end of the men's game; very exciting.

Sheila @ A Postcard a Day said...

I'm sad to confess I know next to nothing about ice hockey, though I should now use the past tense after reading your fascinating post. I assume it's popular in the more northern European countries but I wonder if it will ever become more mainstream elsewhere.

Smalltown RN said...

Leslie great post...and yes Hockey is the Canadian past time....I commend you on a well written, researched and educated post. I think Goon Squad should have done his homework before he posted.

Kim, USA said...

Congratulations!!

H for Hairdo