History of Hershey Bears in Timeline
The Hershey Bears, a professional ice hockey team, are based in Hershey, Pennsylvania, a town near Harrisburg. They have played in the American Hockey League (AHL) since the 1938-39 season, making them the AHL's longest-running team in its original city. The team is renowned for its rich history and enduring presence in professional hockey.
1926: Original Six NHL Teams Established
The "Original Six" NHL teams were established in or before 1926.
February 18, 1931: First Hockey Game in Hershey
The first formal hockey game in Hershey took place on February 18, 1931, between Penn A.C. and Villanova University.
November 19, 1931: Swarthmore Athletic Club's First Game
Swarthmore Athletic Club played their first game in Hershey on November 19, 1931, against Crescent A.C. of New York City.
1932: Hershey Hockey Club Founded
Milton S. Hershey founded the Hershey Hockey Club in 1932 to manage professional hockey teams in Hershey.
1933: Hershey B'ars Join Tri-State Hockey League
The Hershey B'ars played their first season in the Tri-State Hockey League in 1932-33
1934: Team Renamed to Chocolate B'ars
The team was renamed to the "Chocolate B'ars" for the 1933-34 season.
December 19, 1936: Move to Hersheypark Arena
On December 19, 1936, the Hershey Bears moved into the newly constructed Hersheypark Arena.
1936: Formation of the International-American Hockey League
The Canadian–American Hockey League and International Hockey League formed the International-American Hockey League in 1936.
1936: Hersheypark Arena Opens
The Hersheypark Arena, originally known as Hershey Sports Arena, opened in 1936 serving as the home to Hershey Bears hockey until 2002
1936: Team Renamed to Hershey Bears
The team was renamed to the "Hershey Bears" in 1936.
1937: EAHL Championship and International Tournament
The Bears won the 1937 EAHL championship and participated in an international tournament in Toronto.
June 28, 1938: Can-Am and IHL Merge
The Can-Am and IHL formally merged on June 28, 1938, to form the IAHL.
1938: Hershey Bears Join the AHL
In 1938, the Hershey Bears began playing in the American Hockey League (AHL), marking the start of their long and storied history with the league.
1938: Hersheypark Arena Opens
The Hersheypark Arena opened in 1938, serving as the home of the Hershey Bears until 2002.
1940: IAHL Becomes AHL
The International-American Hockey League (IAHL) officially changed its name to the American Hockey League (AHL) in 1940.
1942: Fewest Losses in a Season
The Bears had their fewest losses in a single season in 1942-43.
1943: Wally Kilrea's Scoring Title
Wally Kilrea won the AHL scoring title in 1942-43, the first of ten for Hershey.
1947: First Calder Cup Championship
The Hershey Bears won their first Calder Cup championship in 1947.
1948: Arnie Kullman Joins the Bears
In 1948, Arnie Kullman began his twelve-year career with the Hershey Bears.
1949: Kullman's NHL Debut
Arnie Kullman played for Boston Bruins in 13 games.
1950: New Coaching Era Begins
Johnny Crawford becomes the coach for the Hershey Bears in 1950.
1951: Division Title
The Hershey Bears won a division title in the 1951-52 season.
1952: Henderson Takes Over
Murray Henderson takes over as the player-coach for the Hershey Bears in the 1952-53 season.
1953: Sullivan's Record-Breaking Season
In the 1953-54 season, George "Red" Sullivan set a new AHL regular-season scoring record with 119 points and became the second Bear to win a scoring title and the first to be named league MVP.
1954: Don Cherry's Debut
Don Cherry made his professional debut with the Hershey Bears during the 1954–55 season.
1956: Cherry Returns
Don Cherry returned to the Hershey Bears in 1956-1957 season.
1956: Key Acquisitions from Pittsburgh Hornets
In 1956, the Hershey Bears acquired several key players from the Pittsburgh Hornets, including Willie Marshall and Frank S. Mathers.
1957: Building a Championship Team
The Hershey Bears, under Mathers, began building a team that would soon achieve back-to-back Calder Cup titles.
1957: Previous Division Title
The previous division title for Hershey Bears was in 1957-58 season.
1958: Mike Nykoluk Joins the Bears
In 1958, Mike Nykoluk joined the Hershey Bears.
1958: Back-to-Back Calder Cup Champions
The Hershey Bears won back-to-back Calder Cup titles in the 1957-58 season.
1960: Kullman's Retirement
In 1960, Arnie Kullman retired after playing 753 games with the Hershey Bears, scoring 253 goals and 376 assists.
1962: Key Players Join the Bears
Barry Ashbee and Roger DeJordy joined the Hershey Bears.
1963: Hamilton's Playing Days
Chuck Hamilton played for the Hershey Bears from 1963 to 1970.
1963: More Key Players Join
Ralph Keller and Michel Harvey joined the Hershey Bears.
1966: Division Title
The Hershey Bears won their division's regular-season title in the 1966-67 season.
1968: Calder Cup Victory
The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup in 1968-69, their first since the 1950s.
1970: End of Hamilton's Playing Career
Chuck Hamilton's playing career with the Hershey Bears ended in 1970.
1971: Ralph "Cooney" Weiland Elected to Hall of Fame
Ralph "Cooney" Weiland was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971.
1972: Mathers Steps Down as Coach
Frank Mathers stepped down as coach of the Hershey Bears in 1972-73 season.
1972: Gordie Howe's Remark
Gordie Howe remarked in 1972 that "Everybody who is anybody in hockey has played in Hershey."
1972: Nykoluk's Retirement and Jersey Retirement
Mike Nykoluk retired in 1972 as the AHL's then fourth all-time leader in points, and his jersey number eight became the first to be retired by the Bears.
1973: Hamilton Takes Over as Coach
Chuck Hamilton became the coach of the Hershey Bears in 1973.
1973: Frank Mathers's First Coaching Stint Ends
In 1973, Frank Mathers's initial tenure as coach of the Hershey Bears ended.
1976: Rhode Island Reds Move
The Rhode Island Reds franchise moved to New York state and became the Binghamton Dusters in 1977 after the 1976-77 season.
1977: Hershey Becomes Only Original AHL Team
In 1977, the Hershey Bears became the only original AHL team to continuously operate in the same city since the league's inaugural season.
October 14, 1978: Coco the Mascot Debuts
Coco the Bear, the official mascot of the Hershey Bears, made his debut on October 14, 1978, at the Hersheypark Arena.
1979: Gary Green Leaves Hershey Bears
In 1979, Gary Green left his coaching position with the Hershey Bears.
1979: Sixth Calder Cup Victory
The Hershey Bears won their sixth Calder Cup in the 1979-80 season under player/coach Doug Gibson.
1980: Successful Season
The Hershey Bears had a successful 1980-81 season under coach Bryan Murray, setting a team record for goals.
February 7, 1981: Lofthouse's Record-Breaking Night
On February 7, 1981, Mark Lofthouse set a team single-game record of eight points.
1981: Murray Leaves Bears, Inness Takes Over
Early in the 1981-82 season, Murray left the Bears to coach the Washington Capitals, replacing Green. Former Hershey goalie Gary Inness, who had retired the previous year, took over as the eleventh coach in Bears history after briefly serving as the team's trainer.
1984: Mathers' Brief Return
Frank Mathers briefly returned as coach in 1984-85 season.
1984: Coaching Changes in Hershey
In December 1984, Frank Mathers returned as interim coach of the Hershey Bears, replacing Inness. Mathers had previously coached the team until 1973. Later, Bill Barber took over as coach for the final sixteen games of the season.
1984: Start of Flyers Affiliation
The 1984-85 season marked the beginning of a twelve-year affiliation between the Hershey Bears and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers shared the club with the Boston Bruins in the first year before becoming the sole parent club from the next season through 1995-96.
1985: Successful Season Under Paddock
In 1985-86, John Paddock's first season as coach, the Hershey Bears finished first overall in the regular season. Ross Fitzpatrick became the third Bear to score 50 goals in a season, Ron Hextall set a team record with three consecutive home shutouts and was named AHL Rookie of the Year, and Tim Tookey won the Jack Butterfield Trophy as playoff MVP despite the Bears losing in the Calder Cup finals.
1985: John Paddock's Coaching Tenure Begins
John Paddock began his four-season tenure as coach of the Hershey Bears in 1985.
1985: Tookey Returns
Tim Tookey returned to Hershey Bears in 1985-87 season.
1986: High-Scoring Season for Hershey
During the 1986-87 season, the Hershey Bears' top line of Tookey, Fitzpatrick, and Allison dominated the league in scoring. Tookey set a team record with 124 points and won the AHL scoring title and MVP award.
1987: Hershey Bears Reach 50-Year Milestone
At the start of the 1987-88 season, the Hershey Bears became the first professional hockey club outside of the NHL to reach the half-century mark. They also won a league-record 50 regular season games that year.
1987: Mathers Receives Lester Patrick Award
Frank S. Mathers was honored with the Lester Patrick Award for his contributions to hockey in the United States.
1987: Hershey Bears Win Calder Cup
In the 1987-88 season, the Hershey Bears won their seventh Calder Cup championship under coach John Paddock.
May 12, 1988: Hershey Bears Win Calder Cup with Undefeated Playoff Run
On May 12, 1988, the Hershey Bears completed an unprecedented 12-0 playoff run, defeating the Fredericton Express to win their seventh Calder Cup championship.
1989: Tookey's Third Stint
Tim Tookey began his third stint with the Hershey Bears in 1989-94.
1990: Springfield Indians' Playoff Streak Begins
The 1990-1992 Springfield Indians began a playoff series winning streak.
1992: Mathers Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame
Frank S. Mathers was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.
1992: Don Biggs Sets AHL Scoring Record
In the 1992-93 season, former Hershey Bear Don Biggs set the AHL single-season scoring record with 138 points while playing for the Binghamton Rangers.
1992: Springfield Indians' Playoff Streak Ends
The 1990-1992 Springfield Indians ended a playoff series winning streak.
1995: End of Flyers Affiliation
The 1995-96 season was the last of a twelve-year affiliation between the Hershey Bears and the Philadelphia Flyers.
2001: Teddy Bear Toss Begins
The Hershey Bears held their first annual Teddy bear toss charity event in 2001.
2002: Giant Center Becomes Home Arena
In 2002, the Hershey Bears moved into their current home arena, the Giant Center.
2002: New Arena and Team Identity
In 2002, the Hershey Bears moved to the Giant Center and unveiled a new team identity with updated colors and logos.
2002: Hersheypark Arena Becomes Practice Facility
In 2002, the Hersheypark Arena became the Bears' practice facility.
2005: Hershey Bears Become Capitals Affiliate
In 2005, the Hershey Bears became the primary development club for the NHL's Washington Capitals.
2005: Capitals Return as Parent Club
In 2005, the Washington Capitals returned as the Hershey Bears' NHL parent club after a 21-year period with other NHL teams.
2005: Playoff Series Win Streak Begins
The 2005-2007 Hershey Bears began a playoff series winning streak.
December 20, 2006: 5,000th Regular Season Game
On December 20, 2006, the Hershey Bears played their 5,000th regular season game, defeating the Albany River Rats 7-4.
May 2, 2007: 500th Calder Cup Playoff Game
On May 2, 2007, the Hershey Bears played their 500th Calder Cup playoff game, a 4-3 victory against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
2007: New Reebok Edge Uniforms
In the 2007-08 season, the Hershey Bears introduced new Reebok Edge uniforms, including updated versions of their "old school" jerseys.
2007: Playoff Series Win Streak Continues
The 2005-2007 Hershey Bears continued their playoff series winning streak.
2008: 11-Game Win Streak
In 2008, the Hershey Bears set a then-club record with 11 consecutive wins.
2008: Hershey Wins Tenth Calder Cup
In 2008-2009 season, the Hershey Bears won their tenth Calder Cup championship.
November 29, 2009: Start of Home Win Streak
On November 29, 2009, the Hershey Bears began a record-setting 24-game home win streak, which ended on March 19, 2010.
2009: Hershey Bears 2009-10 Season Highlights
During the 2009-10 season, the Hershey Bears achieved remarkable success, including a franchise-record 12 consecutive wins and a 24-game home win streak. They also set a new AHL record with 60 wins and came close to tying the single-season points record. Furthermore, the team won their second consecutive Calder Cup, defeating the Texas Stars after being down 2-0 in the series.
2009: Back-to-Back Calder Cups Begin
The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup in 2009, starting a run of two championships in a row, eventually winning again in 2010.
March 19, 2010: End of Home Win Streak
On March 19, 2010, the Hershey Bears' 24-game home win streak ended.
2010: Back-to-Back Calder Cups Complete
The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup in 2010, their second championship in a row, for the franchise's eleventh total Calder Cup win. They overcame a 0-2 deficit to the Texas Stars to win the series 4-2, becoming the first AHL team to achieve this comeback in the Finals.
2011: Playoff Appearance
In 2011, the Hershey Bears qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs.
2012: Hall of Fame Established
The Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame was established in 2012 to honor individuals who made significant contributions to the franchise.
2012: Playoff Appearance
The Hershey Bears qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs in 2012.
2012: Uniform Overhaul
The Hershey Bears redesigned their uniforms for the 2012-13 season, incorporating chocolate brown, tan, and white colors, along with new logos.
2013: Playoff Appearance
In 2013, the Hershey Bears reached the Calder Cup playoffs.
2013: AHL Outdoor Classic
The Hershey Bears hosted and played in the 2013 AHL Outdoor Classic at Hersheypark Stadium against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, losing 2-1.
2014: Missed Playoffs
The Hershey Bears did not qualify for the playoffs in 2014.
2015: Playoff Run
The Bears made it to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs in 2015 but were defeated by the Hartford Wolf Pack.
2016: Calder Cup Finals Appearance
In 2016, the Hershey Bears reached the Calder Cup finals but were swept by the Lake Erie Monsters. Chris Bourque won several awards, including the AHL regular-season MVP and the league's top scorer.
2017: Missed Playoffs
The Hershey Bears failed to qualify for the playoffs in the 2017-18 season.
January 20, 2018: AHL Outdoor Classic
On January 20, 2018, the Hershey Bears hosted their second AHL Outdoor Classic at Hersheypark Stadium against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and were defeated 5-2.
2018: World Record Teddy Bear Toss
Starting in 2018, the Hershey Bears consecutively broke world records for the most teddy bears collected during their annual Teddy Bear Toss event.
2019: Playoff Appearance
The Bears made the playoffs in 2019, where they were eliminated in the second round by the Charlotte Checkers.
2020: Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy Win
The Bears won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the best record in the AHL in the 2020-21 season, although no playoffs were held.
2022: Playoff Appearance
In 2022, the Bears qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs but lost in the first round to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
2023: Calder Cup Championship
The Hershey Bears won the 2023 Calder Cup Championship after overcoming a 2-0 series deficit against the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
2024: Calder Cup Championship
The Hershey Bears won their most recent Calder Cup championship in 2024.
