Hockey Stickers and the Sport's History

Hockey has become such a widespread sport it is played many different ways in many different places and there are so many fans. So why don't many people don't know about the history of hockey? Hockey has been around for centuries and had gone through a lot to become what it is today

Hockey has been around since early civilization such as the Rome, Scotland, Egypt and South America. Evidence shows hockey was played even before Christ. It was a simple game played on a grass field with a ball and a stick. In fact, it was typically called "the ball and stick game" there were many other names for it but the one that stuck was what the Irish called it, "hockie."

It wasn't until the 17th and 18th century that the game became unusually competitive. In England, different villages would play against neighboring villages. There were up to 100 players to a team. Games would last as long as a month and players would get injured. Instead of friendly competition, the game became about proving something and manhood. There were umpires but they barely made calls. Not only had this sport become chaotic, hockey was dangerous. People started to realize this and rules became a prominent part of the game.

The rules were scarce at first but as time grew the rules gained strength and complexity. The rules were established along with the Hockey Association in 1875 by Eton College in England. One of the major rules was giving the umpire more authority. This alone calmed the game down and made it more civilized. Another rule limited the number of men allowed on the team to 30. As the years passed more rules were added restricting the aggression and organizing the way the game is played.

Today the dominant branch of hockey is ice hockey. Ice hockey started in Montreal Canada in 1875. A Canadian legend says that Pierre Lapin was the one to stumble upon the sport. He used a crooked stick to help him walk across the ice. This all happened when he swung the stick at a piece of beaver bladder that had surfaced. When he hit the bladder it traveled across the ice and landed just short of a small bay, imitating the goal. Soon after this, the idea developed into a game that would be worldwide!

Hockey today is huge! There are so many teams and they are constantly in the media. The men and women who play are paid millions and have contracts. The fans are just as passionate as the players. There are so many ways to show your love for your team. Fans wear signed jerseys and t-shirts and hats and have hockey stickers on their cars. There is national league that these teams belong to. Hockey has become an enormous part of our culture.

Hockey then and hockey now are very different. In the beginning there was chaos and no organization! Today, there are rules and regulations and over three officials that run the game. There used to be upwards of 100 players on a team. That has since been limited. But although there are all these differences, the game has not changed all that much. The men who play now have the same love and passion for the game that existed 4000 years ago. There is still that competitive spirit and that adrenalin-rush that the players get when they step on to the field or the ice. The men of these different times are really not that different. What is different is the publicity of it. People didn't get to support their team in ancient times like fans do today. There was no spirit wear, no hockey stickers, no team flags. Village folk couldn't sit down in their huts and "put the game on." Today we watch games on our TVs and sometimes if we are lucky we get tickets to see the game in person. There are significant differences, but these differences haven't changed the game at all.

"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."- Wayne Gretzky This quote transcends through past centuries and centuries to come. This is what remained consistent in the game, the strategy and the passion to play.

StickerGiant is a team. A team that provides the world with the coolest hockey stickers ever known to man! The team works together to achieve one common goal, please sticker buyers. The captain of the team is John Fischer. With nine years under his belt, he has over 20,000 stickers. There are more being designed and printed every day with the help of team mates throughout the company.

In case you are wondering, the StickerGiant community consists of Liberals, Conservatives, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Atheist. We are a slice of the American pulse and we like it that way. So, stand up for who you are and pick out a sticker that represents who you are. Say it with stickers !