Hockey's Best Traditions and Weirdest Superstitions

Sports Illustrated Kids: Traditions and Superstitions

By: Elliott Smith

Narrated by: uncredited

Going to a hockey game? Don't leave before the handshake line. And if you're in Detroit, be sure to buy an octopus before the game. But first, hit the ice to discover the ins and outs of good sportsmanship, good fun, and good luck in hockey. This book will delight young sports fan with some of the best and weirdest practices on the ice and in the stands.

©2022 Elliott Smith (P)2024 Capstone Press

Critic reviews

This series is proof positive that it’s only a weird superstition if it doesn’t work! While all sports are built on tradition, perhaps some of the most serious superstitions are in baseball and hockey. From in-game “rules” like avoiding pitchers during a no-hitter to “curses” like the Chicago Cubs’ famous curse of the billy goat, there’s no shortage of finger-crossing in baseball. Hockey has its own unique quirks, like players growing playoff beards and tapping the goalie’s pads for good luck. Basketball and football have their own oddities, both at the collegiate and professional level, like Steph Curry’s curious habit of chewing his mouthguard and the tradition of awe-inspiring battles between HBCU marching bands, most of which are even more highly anticipated than the football games themselves. With fun, engaging writing, this series is a surefire hit for most libraries. VERDICT A winning first purchase. (Abby Bussen, Muskego Public Library, WI)