Field hockey is popularly played across the globe. It is a fast-paced game and full of quick twists and turns, making it popular among the masses. The modern version of field hockey started in the early nineteenth century ever since then; it has spread to the rest of the world. Although played worldwide, the game is considered to be in the outdoor category where it is played by two opposing teams of 11 players each who use sticks curved at the striking end to hit a small, hard ball into their opponent’s goal. Every player must be aware that it is called field hockey to distinguish it from the similar game played on ice.
Since everything is delivered to us digitally, have you ever thought about how an online hockey game would look? How incredible it is to know that the internet has taken over the major parts of our life so well off that youngsters these days enjoy playing online and indulge in hockey betting lines that have an innate tendency to deliver them the utmost entertainment.
If you are a fan of hockey, whether for online gaming or in the field, here are some interesting facts about the game that will amaze you.
- Despite all the variation that has been recorded, it is said that hockey was first played, and an organized hockey game played indoors occurred in 1875.
- Every player must be aware that Hockey punks have three-inch diameters frozen before each game played so that they do not have any chance to bounce during the game.
- The first puck used during outdoor hockey was used in the 1800s was made of frozen cow dung. This was highly used in the broader arena when hockey was played in its early days. A frozen patty of cow poop was used as a puck.
- The Stanley cup was invented in 1893, which was named for Lord Stanley of Preston, a Canadian Governor-General.
- Did you know? Initially, the Stanley cup was seven inches tall, but today it is recorded to be nearly 35 inches tall.
- The Stanley Cup has been awarded every year ever since 1914. There were certain exceptions only in 1919 during the Spanish flu epidemic, and later in the year of 2005 due to the reason for a strike.
- The shortest player who played in the NHL was Roy Woters, measured to be 5 feet, 3 inches tall. He served as a goaltender throughout 1925-1937 and actively participated in playing 484 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Americans, and Montreal Canadiens.
- The names of twelve women which appeared on the Stanley Cup. They were either team executives or owners.
- The only person who scored the most goals in a game was Joe Malone. He still is the one who holds the record for most scored goals in a game.
- Have you ever heard about the term ‘Five goals, five ways? Well, one of the unique hockey records, Pittsburgh’s Mario Lemieux scored five different ways in one game on December 31, 1988. Every player must be aware that the way he scored a goal at even strength, got one on the power play, another shorthanded, another on a penalty shot, and a final one into an empty net with one second left in the game. Pittsburgh’s is said to be the only NHL player to ever score “five goals, five ways” in one game.
It’s known that hockey has been in and around the world since at least 1363. However, many cultures’ histories involve playing games with curved sticks, which is like going down the memory lane as back as 4,000 years ago to ancient Egyptian times. It was earlier believed that the word hockey originated from the Middle French word ‘hoquet’, which means shepherd’s stave. Today, there are many hockey types, including ice hockey, field hockey, online hockey, roller hockey, sled hockey, and a favorite among kids.