Twenty-seven years later Don Larsen’s marketing idea still going strong.

While fans aren’t able to physically toss bears and other stuffies on the ice, they can donate to ensure that children in the pediatric ward at Royal Inland Hospital will be comforted with a stuffed animal.

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The teddy bear toss originated with the Blazers, and is now embraced by every team in the Western Hockey League, many teams in other junior leagues and by minor pro teams.

Don Larsen immortalized his name in hockey lore when he came up with the idea of fans tossing teddy bears on the ice, when the home team scored its first goal in a designated teddy bear game.

It was a marketing idea that started with a truck.

“I was sitting at home one day.” says Larsen. “I think a truck went by — it rattled the house and a little miny teddy bear fell off the mantle. For some stupid reason the idea popped into my head —- why not have a one shot deal.”

It took some convincing —- of the Western League and Blazers management.

“The next day I go hammering on Bob Browns office. I said ‘Brownie, what about this idea.’ He said, well, I don’t know — you know how Brownie was right? He said why don’t we talk to the league. So I phone Rick Doerksen (WHL vice president) and he said ‘let’s give it a shot.'”

So on December 5, 1993, the first teddy bear game took place.

A 16-year old rookie Brad Lukowich was the first player to score a teddy bear goal, in a Blazers game against the Portland Winterhawks.

Larsen expected maybe a couple of hundred bears.

More than 2500 were tossed onto the ice at the Sandman Centre — then known as Riverside Coliseum.

Other teams saw it and latched on to Don Larsen’s marketing brainchild.

The child grew and now involves dozens, if not hundreds of teams, across Canada, North America and even Europe.

Even teams in other sports have done it.

“The source of pride for me isn’t actually starting this thing.” says Larsen. “It’s looking at it now, there’s millions, if you look at in the 27 years, there’s millions of teddy bears that have been donated to kids, thanks for this one little idea. It’s amazing. I guess inadvertantly it’s something I’m going to be known for forever, I guess. Which is pretty cool when you think about. Not everyone gets a chance to do something that leaves a legacy like that. And who would have though simple little stuffed animals.”

The record for the teddy bear toss is 46,500 by the American Hockey League Hersey Bears a year ago.

After 27 years and hundreds of teddy bear toss games Don Larsen says he still gets calls from teams, including NHL teams, which haven’t yet embraced the idea, inquiring about the teddy bear toss.

Although there will be no teddy bear toss games this December, teams like the Blazers, have found a way to keep the spirit of giving in the giving season going —- all hatched from an idea, when a truck drove by.

“I imagine when if I’m buried somewhere, they’re probably going to put some stuffy on top of me.” (ending in laughter)

by Earl Seitz

Twenty-seven years later Don Larsen’s marketing idea still going strong.

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