The AHL's Hershey Bears have once again broken the cuddliest record in the world.
At the end of their 2-0 loss to the Bridgeport Islanders, fans threw 67,309 teddy bears onto the ice at the GIANT Center. Considering the arena has a capacity of 10,500, that is an absurd number. That set the record for the largest teddy bear toss in history, beating the number that Bears fans set in 2022 with 52,341 teddy bears.
With five seconds remaining in the game, there was a whistle, and that's when the bears came flying over the glass. Despite the pleas from the PA announcer, the bears kept coming, and the game ended a few seconds early as the stuffed toys began to pile up.
The teddy bear toss has become an annual tradition at Bears games, and the organization has collected 389,508 bears since it began in 2001.
The teddy bears will be donated to more than 35 local organizations that assist children. Because a new world record was set, the Sweigart Family Foundation will also donate $50,000 to the Children's Miracle Network.
Bears fans have now set a new high-water mark for the teddy bear toss, and it will be hard for them to top this year's number, but they've proven that they can elevate their game.
