Hockey Pucks & Balls

You cannot play hockey without a ball or a puck. Ice hockey uses a an ice hockey puck; road hockey uses a street hockey puck or ball; roller or inline hockey bats around roller hockey pucks or balls and field hockey uses a field hockey ball. Each hockey sport has developed its own type of ball or puck. Each has its own developmental history.

The history of hockey pucks dates to the 1800s. Originally, all types of hockey used a ball during the game. Until 1860, hockey players played the game with a hurley ball. This was difficult to manage on the ice. It bounced off and into the spectators. When, however, someone got the idea to slice the ball at each end, creating a flat “puck,” the speed and possibilities of the game changed. The wooden flat former hurley ball stayed on the ice surface making the game swifter.

Goodyear was to increase the velocity of the game further and introduce a new method of hockey puck production. In 1939, the company invented vulcanized rubber. The first vulcanized rubber hockey puck, however, did not enter play until the 1880s. In 1886, the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, played a game against Queen’s University. This was the same year, the Amateur Hockey Association decided to adopt an official ruling creating the vulcanized puck as the official puck.

Since then, the hockey puck has changed only a little. It is now a standard size and weight. An official hockey puck must be made of vulcanized rubber, measure one inch thick, be three inches in diameter and weigh between five and one-half and six ounces. You can purchase lighter and heavier pucks, depending upon their purpose. There are colored hockey pucks for practice and children. For 1996-1998, there was even a “smart” puck. Fox television used it to create a visible blue streak on the screen to help educate viewers. Die-hard hockey fans thought it ridiculous; new fans found it insulting.

Today, the hockey stick and puck remain integral to the game. Hockey pucks can obtain speeds of up to 120 miles per hour so wear protection. Professional hockey pucks are very hard. Until the game starts, they are kept frozen. This reduces bounce to a minimum. Pucks usually bear the crest or logo of the home team, e.g. in a home game the New Jersey Devils official pucks sport their log. Signed hockey pucks can be quite valuable.

An inline or roller hockey puck is the same size as an ice hockey puck but weigh around three or four ounces. Roller hockey pucks come in bright colored plastic (usually red, orange, yellow, pink, or green) or with a vulcanized rubber base. To drive them along, some may also have glide pegs or ball bearing type wheels.

A street hockey puck is the same size and shape as an ice hockey puck. What differs is the material. Street hockey pucks and ball or road hockey balls are plastic or rubber, sometimes hollow but always lightweight and highly visible. The balls are usually florescent orange in color. The composition varies according to manufacturer and purpose i.e. warm or cold weather, indoor or outdoor surface.

In field hockey, a stick and ball are necessary to the game. Originally, players used a leather ball with a seam comparable to a cricket ball. Today they play with a seamless, more durable plastic ball. PVC balls are common. These balls do not soak up water and behave in a more reliable manner. This makes them optimally suitable for high-level play and players. As with other sports, lighter and cheaper balls are available for practice. These are made of PVC or plastic and are cork filled.

Several companies mass-produce pucks and balls. Cranberry, de Beer, Gray and STX make field hockey balls. Mylec manufactures roller hockey pucks. Ice hockey pucks are the product of Proguard, Nike-Bauer, Vicerory and others, but there is only one NHL Official black hockey puck.