The Hershey Bears are getting quite a bit of mascot support!
On Sunday, Jan. 5, the ice hockey team hosted their annual Teddy Bear Toss, which saw 100,000 bears flying onto the ice rink, breaking their previous world record of 74,599 last year.
In a video shared on Instagram by the Hershey, Pa. team, numerous stuffed animals were thrown over the glass to celebrate the team’s first goal against the Providence Bruins.
“The world-famous event, held during today’s game against the Providence Bruins, sees fans throw stuffed animals onto the ice following Hershey’s first goal of the game in what is a spectacle that truly must be seen,” a press release from the Hershey Bears reads.
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The club added, “Hershey forward Mike Sgarbossa scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal at 14:45 of the first period to tie the game against Providence at 1-1 and ignite the downpour.”
Piles of teddy bears were then collected on the ice rink, with many players such as right winger Pierrick Dubé and goaltender Clay Stevenson jumping on top of the stuffed animals.
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The early celebration preceded the Hershey Bears’ 5-1 victory at the end of the game, which was attended by a sold-out crowd of 10,514.
The Teddy Bear Toss, which has taken place for charity since 2001, has collected a total 566,450 teddy bears.
Sunday’s stuffed animals will be donated “to over 35 local charities as part of the club’s Hershey Bears Cares program.”
The club’s numerous local and regional charities include Vista Autism Services, Schreiber Pediatric, Central PA Food Bank, Off the Streets, Gigi’s Playhouse Lancaster, Milton and Catherine Hershey Schools and Autism Society Greater Harrisburg Area.
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