52,341 stuffed bears tossed onto ice at Pennsylvania hockey game

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania hockey team's Teddy Bear Toss event set a new record when fans tossed 52,341 stuffed bears onto the ice.

The Hershey Bears, an American Hockey League team, held the Teddy Bear Toss during its Saturday game against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The event called on spectators to throw teddy bears onto the ice after the Bears scored their first goal, which came early in the first period.

The 52,341 teddy bears tossed onto the ice broke the previous record of 45,765, which was set by the same team in 2019. The Bears did not have a Teddy Bear Toss in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The stuffed animals collected during the event are being distributed to more than 25 local organizations, including the Dauphin County Children and Youth, Cocoa Packs, Boys & Girls Club of Harrisburg, Palmyra Lions Club, Autism Society Greater Harrisburg Area and Children's Miracle Network Hershey.

The Bears won the game 5-0.