Canadian Facts: Sports Edition

If you’ve been outside lately, you’ve noticed the evenings have cooled down, the days have shortened, and leaves are starting to change and fall. Do you know what this signals? No, not the official transition into autumn – well, yes that, but autumn also heralds in the start of the season for two of Canada’s favourite sports: hockey and basketball. Soon, the country will come together to support the Raptors (the only Canadian team in the NBA), or perhaps argue in favour of one of our many hockey teams. Regardless, Canada has a long history with both of these sports… and a few others! Here we have rounded up a list of popular sports that are intertwined with Canadian history, and our favourite socks you can wear to show off your support (or your skills!).

First off: don’t forget about our current sock of the week, the J.B. Field’s Colourful Full Cushion Bamboo Crew. These Canadian made, 80% rayon from bamboo socks come in five colours and have a mid-weight cushioning on the sole which make them extra comfortable for sports or boot wear.  This week, they’re 40% off – that’s only $8.40!!

I remember the first time I heard a tourist refer to hockey as “ice hockey”. I was incredibly confused. Um, what other type of hockey is there…? Oh, right, field hockey – the sport that is actually quite popular in other nations. But for Canadians, ice hockey is just hockey, and it’s also one of our national sports (it’s the winter national sport, in fact!). Hockey is hugely tied into Canadian identity; the first ever recorded game of ice hockey took place in Montreal, Quebec in 1875. There are 7 Canadian teams in the National Hockey League, but hundreds of thousands of Canadians across the country are registered as hockey players. If you’re Canadian and don’t play it yourself, you definitely know someone who does. Want to let everyone know you play hockey? Or want to grab a gift for someone who talks nonstop about waking up at 4 am for practice? We have plenty of hockey themed sock options!

You would think there would be more than one Canadian team in the National Basketball Association, considering the man who invented basketball, James Naismith, was born in Ontario! Though the Toronto Raptors are currently the only team repping Canada in the NBA, the support for them is unparalleled. The Raptors won the NBA playoffs for the first time in 2019, and both the win and the subsequent celebrations are legendary – hundreds of thousands of people crowded downtown Toronto for the celebratory parade, including me! Get ready for the upcoming NBA season by wearing a pair of one of our Raptors socks, or one of our many pairs of basketball themed novelty socks. Trust us, they’ll be sold out soon enough – we have every faith the Raptors will continue to dominate.

The oldest evidence of the game of curling is dated to the year 1511 and was found in Scotland – making it the oldest sport on this list! Curling was brought to Canada by Scottish emigrants, and the sport has been popular here ever since. Curling is allegedly the most televised women’s sport in Canada, and the Canadian men’s team has won the most gold medals for curling at the Olympics! So, even though it was created in Scotland and brought here by Scots, I think it’s safe to say that in the 21^st century, curling is a very Canadian sport. One thing I noticed about curlers is they really like curling. Does that describe you, or a friend or family member? Let even more people know about your curling obsession by rocking one of our pairs of curling themed socks!

Did you know there are Canadian and American versions of football? Canadian football evolved from rugby football, and was previously considered to be a form of rugby before establishing itself as its own sport. There are notable differences between the Canadian and American versions of the game, including a larger pitch and more players in Canada. The Toronto Argonauts, one of the teams in the Canadian Football League, is the oldest professional sports team in North America to keep its original name – it was established all the way in 1873. They’ve also won the most Grey Cups – the CFL’s version of the Super Bowl. At least one of our teams continuously makes it to the finals… Whether you’re on the pitch, discussing football with a friend, or drafting your fantasy football team, show your love of the sport with one of our many football themed sock options. When someone inevitably comments on how great your socks are, impress them further with your new knowledge about Canadian football!

 I was riding my bike around the Toronto Islands one summer when I found a sign commemorating Babe Ruth, the famous baseball player, and the day he hit his first home run – right near Hanlan’s Point? In Toronto? It’s true! Hanlan’s Point Stadium was a baseball stadium and lacrosse grounds constructed in 1897 on the Toronto Islands. The stadium closed in 1937, but will forever live in baseball fans' memory as the place that Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run at the age of 19. Today, the Toronto Blue Jays are the only Canadian team in Major League Baseball. Going to see a Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre is a popular summer activity in Toronto, and a bit of a tradition – if you’re visiting, or have a friend visiting, and have never watched a professional sport in Toronto before, attend a Blue Jays game! The subways are always filled with groups of friends and families wearing the signature blue uniforms to show their support before and after a Jays game. You don’t have to purchase a full uniform to show your support, though: we have Blue Jays sock options, and other baseball themed socks if you prefer a different team (gasp!).