“The Fastest Game on Earth”; A Few Things You May Not Know, Historically Speaking

“The Fastest Game on Earth’ is what hockey is called, today.

Did you know that hockey or a game like it, was played for thousands of years by the Vikings? It is written in the Icelandic Sagas. Who knew this game is so old?

The word ‘hockey’ was first used in the English form in 1363. The word ‘puck’ could be a Scottish Gaelic or a Irish word meaning ‘to poke’, ‘deliver a blow’ or to ‘punch’. Maybe that is how all the punching came to be?
A form of hockey was played in the Middle Ages till the Dutch Golden Age. Some might disagree with this as the game used a wooden bat instead of a stick. Even the Natives in Eastern Canada were playing a form of hockey hundreds of years ago. The modern form of hockey started in the 19th century. Now, there are teams from all over the world.

Players might look like they are floating and gliding from net to net, up and down the ice the teams race. If to you the players seem to skate fast? They are…..the players reach speeds from 20-30 m.p.h.

The game has two codes of play to follow. The one they use depends where and whom is playing. The first code book is the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the second book is from the Canadian and North Americans’ National Hockey League. (NHL)

Selected by the league, they used to have four officials on the ice. That was two linesmen and two referees. Most now use the three-men system, one referee and two linesmen.

In 2011 there were 85,827 female hockey players in Canada and 65,609 in the U.S.A. In the United States Hockey League (USHL) the first female to enter was in 1969-1970. The male and female leagues are basically the same except for the female league being less physical.

Now that you all know a bit more history of hockey, go out and make some hockey noise! Push up them eye-glasses and impress your friends!!

*All information came from Wikipedia under ice hockey