The Hershey Bears broke a world record again on Saturday.
During the 20th annual Teddy Bear Toss, hockey fans threw more than 50,000 stuffed bears onto the ice. Every year, the minor league affiliate for the Washington Capitals in Hershey, Pennsylvania holds a charity event for more than 25 local organizations.
Fans are encouraged to bring their new or gently used stuffed animals to the game, and after the first goal is scored, to throw them onto the ice. After the seemingly endless monsoon of plush toys comes to a halt, they are collected, counted and donated.
This year, the Bears collected 52,341 different animals. The massive number broke the team’s own record that was set in 2019 with 45,650.
"I wish to commend my friends at the Hershey Bears - and Hershey Sports & Entertainment," said American Radio Presenter Toby Knapp from his home studio. "Some of my best memories are at Hershey Bear games... and to see this toss evolve over the last 20 years... has been amazing!"
Knapp, who started his career at iHeartRadio at FM97 WLAN in nearby Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is a Hershey enthusiast, a long-time "regular" of the parks and hotels, and has emceed many Hershey Bear matches during his career.