Young Hockey Phenoms - The Hockey Card Effect

Ever since Sidney Crosby entered the NHL and was eligible to be on an official rookie card (Sidney was depicted on cards while in junior, but these were not considered rookie cards), it seems the hockey card industry has come back to life. We all remember the thrill of buying packs in the 80's as children even though they were basically worthless (at the time) and each pack only cost us thirty five cents. We also remember the rise and fall of the hockey card in the early nineteen nineties. Although none of us like to admit it, the excitement that was generated in the early nineties was mainly due to a young phenom entering the league named Eric Lindros. The downfall of course was due to the fact that too many companies made too many cards making them abundant and devoid of any real value.

Ever since the phenomenal rise and fall of the early nineties, the industry has been trying to regain its fallen grace. At first, card companies realized that there needed to be some kind of production standards on cards. Companies started producing less and slowly the value started to come back. Besides producing a smaller number of set cards, companies started using other techniques to generate interest. Short printing special cards such as rookies brought some value back into the first cards of players entering the league. Nowadays rookie cards are received in a ratio of packs per box (ex. 1 rookie in every 4 packs of a 24 pack box). Special cards started to be introduced into the industry. Plain base cards had become common and boring. Companies began releasing game used material cards, autographed cards, parallel variations, subsets, and many other different varieties of cards. With each new innovation, card companies were slowly bringing back consumer confidence and market share.

Bringing in new types of cards and limiting the production runs were good techniques in order to drive value and boost interest in hockey cards which were coming back from the downs they had experienced. That being said, nothing generates interest in cards more than a young phenom entering the league. Enter Sidney Crosby. Sidney Crosby (much like Eric Lindros before him), has been a catalyst in the jump of hockey card interest since his rookie year in the 2005/06 NHL season. There has been no better year for the NHL to have a player of Sidney Crosby's caliber enter the league. The league had just gone through a lockout period, and the 2004/05 season was a wash. With the start of the 2005/06 season being Crosby's first coupled with the fact that there had been no hockey for NHL starved fans for over a year, it was the perfect catalyst for a jump in hockey card mania. Hockey cards have since been selling strong, with young guns like Crosby leading the push. Card companies have capitalized on the popularity of the young man. Some may say this reeks of the same situation that happened in the early nineteen nineties, but the feel is different this time. This time it seems card companies have learned from their mistakes and are holding sure on keeping production under wraps.

There is no denying that the quality of young players coming into the league is a huge boost to hockey card sales, regardless of other techniques card companies can use. We've seen Lindros and Crosby manias make a difference. John Tavares has entered the league this year and is bringing a Crosby like excitement to the game. History dictates an uptick in hockey card interest for the year. Only time will tell.

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Hockey Hobby Boxes

Invention of Hockey

A lot of speculations have been made as to where hockey originated and who invented hockey. Known as a very famous game in Canada this does not prove its origin in the country. It even, somehow, posted a great debate among them as to where this game really started.

History show a similar sport has been played in Asia . Egyptian paintings where found in a dug site of the tomb of Kheti. The 2000 BC drawings illustrated men holding curved sticks with a ball that is believed to be a very similar sport to Hockey. May it really be the Egyptians who invented hockey?

But other findings prove that Egyptians are not the only one who has the same idea of this sport. In 514 BC, a game with the resemblance of the modern day field hockey was played in Greece . Who invented hockey and where it came from? Its still uncertain. It might be the Persians, who played it as well, or perhaps it came from the Arabs, or maybe from Ethiopia , or it might even be the Mexicans, the Aztecs. All these cultures and countries have documents that tell us a sporting activity of teams have been played with curved sticks and a ball.

Only then during the Middle Ages that Europe recognized it in different names and plays the sport in different styles. French call it Crosse, the Scots named it Shinty, and Irish call it hurling. Earlier than that, the Romans call it paganica. In 1527, France, the word hockey was derived in reference to a curved stick which they call hoquet. This was learned from the records found in Ireland. There were even legends that the term hockey was actually named after a Col. Hockey of Windsor Nova Scotia, hence it was someway concluded that hockey originates from there. But the real answer to the question who invented hockey is still a puzzle?

Facts have it that there are no reliable proofs on who invented hockey. There were no testimonies recorded and no authenticated data to help us figure out the origins of this sport. The basic concepts of the game were found anywhere all over the world, thus telling us that there might really be no invention at all of hockey and it has no birthplace. Just like any other sport of today that has been developed over and over again to suit the demands of all who plays it.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

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Hockey and Its History

How long has hockey been around? It has been around in one form or another almost as long as history. In Ethiopia evidence has been found that dates back 4,000 years. In Greece a tablet that dates B.C. pictures young people playing field hockey. There are records and evidence of this ball and stick game in Rome, Ireland, Scotland, Egypt and South America as well. It was called by different names, but the idea is still the same. "Hockie" as it was called in Ireland centuries ago, is here to stay.

If you made a visit to England in the 17th or 18th century, you might see a slightly different and more chaotic version of hockey. Villages would play against each other-and it could actually be the whole village. Sixty to one hundred players on a hockey team were not uncommon. The teams would try to get the ball into the opposing team's common ground. The hockey games often took several days to play and many players ended up with broken limbs and other injuries. They had umpires, but the umpires could not make any calls unless a player or team asked them to.

Finally, some common sense was used, and stricter rules began to be introduced. A headmaster in England limited his students to a mere 30 players on the field for each team at one time. In the 1860's Eton College of England actually wrote down some rules. Then, in the 1875, the Hockey Association was formed and more rules were agreed on. The field at this time was 200 meters long and all of the players on each team ran around following the ball. Even more structure was added to hockey with the "pyramid" formation of 11 players: one goalie, 2 backs, 5 forwards, and 3 halves. The umpires were also given the authority to make calls without being asked to by the players.

The first year that this sport was played in the Olympics was 1908 when men were allowed to play. Women were not allowed to compete in the Olympics in this sport until 1980. Now every continent has teams and many countries send teams to compete not only in the Olympics, but in The World Cup and The Champion's Trophy as well.

There are still many variations of this sport which can appeal to all ages, abilities and situations. So, if you are interested, look for a league and get into it.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Recreation and Sports. For more information about hockey [http://www.flyhockey.com] visit flyhockey.com [http://www.flyhockey.com]

History of Pakistan Hockey in Olympics

Pakistan Hockey Federation was established in 1948, to guide and look after the players. The Pakistan Hockey team was also given a name-Green Shirts. Since then, Hockey has become Pakistan's national game. Pakistan has a glorious history in Men's Hockey. The past is glorious. The nation has won 3 gold medals in field hockey in summer Olympics. The journey actually started with 1956 Olympics, when the Pakistani national side reached Olympics final for the first time. The nation got independence in 1947, so this was a big achievement. India defeated Pakistan in this final, but the green shirts never lost hope. They level the defeat of 1956 final with an impressive victory in Olympics of 1960.

In the next 4 Olympics, Pakistan never left the field without going to the victory stand. Pakistan proved it that their winning the Olympics in 1960 was no fluke. Pakistan played the final match in 1964, 1968 and 1972 for 3 consecutive Olympics, winning the gold medal in 1968 and silver medal in the other two Olympics.

Pakistani Green shirts were not able to reach the final of the Olympics in 1976 and 1980, but they did strike back full force in 1984 and snatched the gold medal from the strongest opponent West Germany. After 1984, Pakistan has reached the victory stand in Olympics hockey only once. That was back in 1992, for a bronze medal.

In fact Pakistan's first international win was over Belgium on the 2nd of August, 1948, at the fourteenth Olympic Games. Since then, their game has been progressing from strength to strength. And world-class players like-Hassan Sardar, Mohammed Saqlain, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mansoor Ahmed, Sohail Abbas, Kaleemullah Khan, Waseem Ahmad, Shahnaz Sheikh, Samiullah Khan and Manzoor Hussain, among others-will forever find their names etched in letters of gold!

The Pakistan Hockey teams are best remembered for their performances at the various Olympiads. Every Summer Olympics is after all an international event, and it requires a lot of grit and excellence to overcome competition from so many participating countries! And this Pakistan managed to do wonderfully, especially on the "hockey" field! The winning squads were carefully chosen to represent the country, and they did not fail the faith placed in them! Their record has really been enviable! They are the proud owners of three gold medals at the Summer Olympics held in 1960, 1968, and 1984. The 1960 Olympics was special to Pakistan as Pakistan won the gold medal in Olympics for the first time.

Also, Pakistan defeated the arch rival India in the final. In the 1968 Olympics final, Pakistan defeated Australia to snatch the crown. Pakistan beat West Germany in 1984 to win the gold medal third time. Since then Pakistan has not performed in the usual brilliant way in any Olympics. And so what if they did not receive gold medals during the other Olympiads? They did manage to bag 3 silvers and 2 bronze in their place! The nation is proud of its hockey history, and wishes to get back to the crown once again very soon.

For further information, please visit History of Pakistan Hockey Team [http://www.pakistan-hockey.com/]

Box Hockey

Box hockey is an active game played with a five sided box, a puck, sticks and played outdoors. Its main objective is to shift the hockey puck from the box's centre through holes placed at the box's each end, also called the goal.

Every player faces each other on either side of the box, attempting to move the puck to the left portion. If a player succeeds in making the puck to leave the box through the goal, the player scores a point.

The first player who gets to score the set goal amount wins.

Box hockey History

The origin of this game is mired as a mystery. However, the game has gone around right from the late nineteenth century. Box hockey had witnessed huge resurgence in United States, right from the mid 70s to early 80s. This was a part of the dramatic rise of staffing and funding to the Parks and Recreations departments across the country to reduce the then prevalent youth violence.

Many kids, from Maine to Fairbanks, Alaska, remember playing this game in summer during this time. Andy Brody, in 1994, established Box Hockey International, beginning to mass produce and market the bigger floor version. You can still purchase handmade suitcase type games at the Lowell Festival even today.

They also have a dozen or so setup each year to play during festive occasions. Box hockey has also been used for agility training in camps and hockey schools throughout U.S. and Canada.

Equipments used

Below are the equipments required to play the game:-

- Box - Nearly 3 foot wide x 1 foot high x 8 foot long high constructed three plywood dividers. Two shortened hockey sticks.

- A single hockey puck - The best one for box hockey is a floor hockey puck.

For more information on other sports, such as Soccer including the World Cup 2010, visit one of the links within this article. It's a one stop shop for anything regarding the FIFA World Cup.

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.

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A Piece of the Miracle - 1980 USA Hockey Team Collectibles

The 1980 USA hockey team played what could be called the most memorable game in hockey history. So significant was the game that Sports Illustrated voted it as the greatest moment in sports. It also captured the imagination of the whole nation, which at the time was reeling from the stressful 70s. It was also the game that made the chant 'U-S-A! U-S-A!' popular, which has since been the rallying cry in many international games. No wonder memorabilia related to the 1980 USA hockey team are very much sought-after.

Why they matter

In an era where the playing field was dominated by the Soviets, the 1980 USA hockey team were never considered a threat. It was very unlikely that the US Olympic team, composed of collegiate and amateur hockey players, could ever hope to win against the heavily-favored Soviet Union team.

Of the 12 teams that joined the competition at Lake Placid, New York, the US team was seeded 7th. Two years before the competition, the Soviet team had won against the NHL All-Stars for the Challenge Cup. The score? 6-0. In an exhibitions game in 1980, the Soviets also scored 5-3-1 against the National Hockey League teams. They were also manned by some of the most legendary hockey players in history, including team captain Boris Mikhailov and goalie Vladislav Tretiak.

Another factor that added to the excitement of the US vs. USSR game was the Cold War, where the US and the Soviet Union had an uneasy and long-standing participation. It also helped that during an exhibition match 13 days before the actual competition, the Soviet Reds defeated the Americans 10-3. A column in the New York Times said that unless a miracle is performed by the US or another team, the Soviets were expected to take home the gold medal.

But history was going to be written differently. Under the tough guidance of coach Herb Brooks and the leadership of team captain Mike Eruzione, the US team scored: the first point from Buzz Schneider, two from Mark Johnson and the last from Eruzione himself. The US team went on to win the gold medal.

A piece of the Miracle

One of the most popular 1980 USA hockey team collectible is a group-signed jersey, valued at about $1,300.00. It includes signatures from Eruzione, Craig, Johnson, Schneider, Neal Broten, Steve Christoff, Dave Silk, Phil Verchota, Mike Ramsey, Ken Morrow, Mark Pavelich and 9 other players. The jersey comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from Steiner Sports, one of the most respected and reliable authenticators of sports items and memorabilia.

Hand-signed jerseys are probably the most expensive collectibles from the 1980 US hockey team, with prices over $1000. Hockey sticks are also highly-coveted and are in the same price range.

While Mike Eruzione and Mark Johnson stirred the crowd for their scoring, it was goalie Jim Craig who bore the brunt of the Soviets' attacks and kept them at bay through his strong defense. This makes any Craig-signed memorabilia special. An example is a Miracle on Ice puck priced at about $80 and a hand-signed photograph of Craig draped in the American flag after the US team won the gold medal against Finland. The photos are limited edition 8" x 10" size and comes with a COA from Grandstand Sports & Memorabilia. It is priced at $130.

Another memorable collectible from the 1980 US hockey team is a photo showing the team crowding the podium during the awards ceremony. It's hand-signed by 20 team members and includes a certified hologram and COA. There are also hand-signed pucks by individual players that cost from $70 to $80.

Another great collectible is the reprint of the New York Times front page dated February 25, 1980 with the headline, 'USA Hockey Victory Stirs Celebration'. This was printed 3 days after the US defeated the Soviet team and a day after they defeated Finland to win the Gold Medal. The item costs about $90.

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