Hockey is one of the most popular sports in the world, but what are some facts that you may not know? Read further so that you can find out more about this amazing sport!
● Did you know?
Men’s field hockey has the fastest swinging speed compared to any other sport, not even golf or baseball. The fastest wind speed recorded is 104 mph, more than 167 km/h!
Hockey is a fast-paced, exciting game that has existed for an extended period of time now. While watching, it might seem difficult, but it isn’t as difficult as it seems in practicality. Hockey games are divided up into three periods of 20 minutes each.
Each period lasts for two 20-minute halves. There are usually ten Field players and one goalkeeper in one team, similar to soccer, another exciting sport. The players must carry a hard, plastic ball with a hockey stick towards the goal of their rivals.
The team that scores a higher amount of goals wins the game. Professional hockey teams usually have 20 or more players on their roster, but only six are allowed to play at one time.
There are various equipments that are needed to play hockey like helmet, stick, elbow pads, gloves and much more. You can easily get all the equipments required in this game from best companies like Ritual Hockey.
● Montreal, 1875: First organized indoor hockey game played
The game of hockey has its roots in the 1800s in England. The game was traditionally played outdoors on grass, but Montrealers were the first to organize an indoor game at their Victoria Skating Rink in 1875. This paved the way for the future of this sport and introduced it to a new audience.
The game was initially played outdoors on natural ice but became a popular pastime for Canadians during the winter months. Originally called “hockey sur glace” or “ice hockey,” it eventually became known as “indoor hockey” because it could be played inside. In 1887, the International Hockey League established six teams from across Canada.
● About 637,000 registered players existed in Canada in 2017/18
There were more than 637,000 players in Canada as of 2017. It’s been a long-standing tradition that Canadian kids come out on ice skates and learn how to play ice hockey. For some of these kids, the sport develops into something more than a hobby – they end up going on to become professionals and play for their national team.
● Wayne Gretzky is the NHL’s all-time highest scorer.
Wayne Gretzky is the National Hockey League’s all-time highest scorer, and he also holds 61 other NHL records. Born to a minority family in Ontario, Canada, he was exposed to hockey at an early age.
As a child, his father would drive him 40 miles to watch games as many as 3 times a week because Wayne missed school for those games. The high level of play and proximity allowed Wayne to learn the ins and outs of the game from his heroes.
● India is credited with the most significant number of victories in a pool match.
India is credited with the greatest number of victories in the form of a pool match, but few will tell you that they are also ranked first or second in the other two forms of matches. The first form is called “Best-of-Seven,” often abbreviated as “7’s.” This type has each player/team play one game after another until one side wins six games out of seven. This unique form had its beginnings in India only.
● 1908: Introduction of hockey in Olympics.
Hockey made its Olympic debut in 1908, and the stakes have only gotten higher since then. The first Olympic hockey games came as a surprise to many, as few people had been playing hockey at the time. It was a battle of the north against the south at the 1908 London Olympics, with Canada leading from start to finish against Great Britain. Within 12 years of being introduced, hockey became an official Olympic sport. However, women were not allowed to compete in it as late as 2002.
Conclusion
Hockey is an enjoyable and exciting sport to play and watch. In conclusion, I hope you have found some interesting facts about hockey. I believe that these facts have provided you with some insight into the wonderful sport of hockey and I hope that you will enjoy the sport even more!
