Hershey Bears 2023 Teddy Bear Toss Sets New World Record

Thanks to the generosity of the best fans in the American Hockey League (AHL), the Hershey Bears have once again established a new world record in one of the most iconic events in all of sports! The Hershey Bears, the oldest and most decorated team in the AHL, collected 67,309 teddy bears and stuffed animals during the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss held on Sunday, January 29, 2023. This surpasses the club's previous world record of 52,341 collected in 2022. 

The world-famous event, held during Sunday's game versus the Bridgeport Islanders, traditionally sees fans throw stuffed animals onto the ice following Hershey’s first goal of the game. Unfortunately, the Bears were blanked by Bridgeport, 2-0, so the stuffed animals were thrown onto the ice following the conclusion of the contest.  Since the Bears once again broke the Teddy Bear Toss world record, the Sweigart Family Foundation will make a $50,000 donation to Children's Miracle Network. The club has collected an astounding 389,508 teddy bears since 2001.

Following the conclusion of the game, dozens of volunteers took to the ice to assist in the collection of the stuffed animals, including team members from Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (HE&R), Children's Miracle Network Hershey (CMN), and Hershey Junior Bears.  Once collected from the ice, the stuffed toys were counted, sorted by size and bagged by more than 110 volunteers. 

As part of the club's Hershey Bears Cares initiative, which showcases the philanthropic activities and volunteer efforts of Bears players and staff members throughout the community, the collected teddy bears and stuffed animals were donated on Monday to more than 35 local organizations, including Bethesda Mission, Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, Hershey Food Bank, and and Falcon Packs. Members of HE&R's Young Professionals Employee Resource Group were on hand to help distribute the stuffed toys to community recipients. 

HE&R and the Hershey Bears hockey club thank the GIANT Company and the best fans in the AHL for their unwavering support of our communities and for putting thousands of smiles on the faces of local children!