Читать книгу Now You Know Big Book of Sports онлайн

45 страница из 137

When and where was the first official NHL All-Star Game played?

Great hockey isn’t something usually associated with an NHL All-Star Game, but fans do get to see the year’s best players assembled in one spot, the players selected get to have a bit of fun (and grab some more money), and players who aren’t picked get a rest. The league began choosing All-Star teams in 1930–31 and staged a few All-Star benefit games for the survivors of dead players (Ace Bailey in 1933, Howie Morenz in 1937, and Babe Siebert in 1939). However, the first official All-Star Game was played on October 13, 1947, at Maple Leaf Gardens. The initial format had the Stanley Cup champions from the previous season play a team of All-Stars picked from the league’s other five clubs. In 1947 the All-Stars beat the Cup-winning Toronto Maple Leafs 4–3. Since that first official match, the All-Star Game has been moved from the beginning of the season to the middle and now the Eastern Conference All-Stars play the Western Conference All-Stars.