Sunday Fun-Day Fun-Facts

The first hockey cards were included in cigarette packages from 1910 to 1913. After 1918, only one more cigarette set was issued. This set was relased during the 1924-25 season by Champ's Cigarettes.

During the 1920s, some hockey cards were printed by food and candy companies, such as Paulin's Candy, Maple Crispette, Holland Creameries and La Patrie. This practice continues today as many food manufacturers have produced hockey cards such as Kraft Foods.



Until 1941, O-Pee-Chee printed hockey cards but stopped production for World War II.



Food issues returned during the 1951-52 season with sets issued by Shirriff Desserts, York Peanut Butter and Post Cereal.

Parkhurst Products began printing cards in 1951, followed by Topps Chewing Gum in 1954-1955.

One of the most famous sets in hockey card history was created by O-Pee-Chee in 1979-80 which included the infamous Wayne Gretzky rookie card. After many years of white borders on the cards, the blue border from this set is rumoured to be due to an abundance of colour being available after the production of Old Vienna beer packaging from Carling O'Keefe.



After many years of only Topps and O-Pee-Chee, the expolosion of the sports card market in 1990-91 saw new producers named Pro-Set, Score, Upper Deck, and Bowman.