I once saw one of my son's hockey coaches take a bite out of a hockey puck. I guess I need to set that up better. The remarkable action followed his big boasts to the young boys on how it was par for the course during his big, bad days of college hockey (insert caveman sound effect here) to rip off a chunk of the puck with your teeth. Those who dared to doubt, witnessed the jaw dropping action as the coach opened wide, bit down, and a big black chunk disappeared from the six ounce disk of vucanized rubber. Yes, it was all too much, and it got me wondering whether those little black objects were always made out of black rubber. I think the coach actually would have enjoyed puck biting in the early days of hockey. I'm talking way back when...even before they used coal, wooden pucks and cow patties.
After a little bit of researching, I discovered this interesting tidbit..."Mothers sometimes put hot baked potatoes into their children's skates so that the skates would be cozy and warm when the children reached the rink or pond. The potatoes were not thrown away. They eventually froze and were used as pucks. Although rubber was invented in 1839, it wasn't until the late 1880's that someone thought of making rubber pucks."
Interesting and a little something to chew on next time I see a coach take a bite out of a hockey puck!
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