If you’re a hockey fan, you may have heard of a ‘clapper’. It’s the noise that a hockey puck makes as it hits the ice or other surfaces. When the puck makes contact with the surface, it will vibrate or ‘clap’ for a second or two before going silent.
This sound is one of the most distinctive characteristics of hockey and is an integral part of the sport. The noise that a clapper makes can range from a loud ‘thwack’ to a ‘ping’ or a ‘crackle’. Based on the surface that the puck impacts, the sound that it makes will vary as well.
The presence of these pucks in play makes the game more exciting for the spectators. The speed at which they travel and their unpredictability make it difficult for the players to control. This is why clapping pucks is such an important part of the game.
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Origins Of The Term
It’s not entirely clear where the term ‘clapper’ came from. One of the earliest written records of the term can be found in a 1921 issue of the American Journal of Mathematics. In this article, the author gives an overview of how to become a mathematician and talks about the importance of getting a good start in life. A section of the article (starting on page 45) is devoted to teaching the reader about pucks and their clapping.
On pages 46-47, the author writes:
“It may seem strange that a game associated with brute physical forces should have developed such strategic and tactical elements, but hockey was originally designed for war. The game was created in Canada during World War I, when it was first played by the Canadian military. They realized that they could use hockey to train their soldiers for warfare. The game began as an evolution of a traditional style of lacrosse played by the Canadian military. The object was to score as many points as possible while protecting your goalie from being scored on by your opponent. Since the goalie was the ‘scorer’s protector’ he needed to be alert and quick on his feet to make the saves as the game progressed. The original puck used in the game was similar to the one used in lacrosse. It had a flat surface and was made of wood, bone or paper.
“As time passed, the original goal of using hockey to train soldiers became obsolete. However, the game continued to grow in popularity and was eventually expanded to include more players. Instead of just two teams of eleven, there were now four or more teams of different sizes playing. Puck size also increased, with the introduction of synthetic materials that were more suitable for flying through the air than through the ice. Finally, in an effort to make the game more exciting, the dimension of time was added to the rules. This gave the game a faster pace and the spectators more action to follow.
“Hockey became popular in Canada and the United States in the early 1920s, and the game was adopted by communities around the world, having been brought to Europe by English settlers during the British empire. The sport had become a major part of Canadian culture, and young Canadian men began entering professional hockey leagues in Europe and North America. Canadian hockey players, many of whom were trained at military academies in Canada, became an important part of the international sporting landscape. While some older generations of Canadians preferred to watch games on TV, more and more families were taking in games live, especially since many of the prominent hockey leagues had started offering family-friendly events so that even the kiddie pool could experience some excitement.
“The clapper was a major part of the excitement that the game of hockey provided. The slapping of the puck across the ice was a bold attempt to imitate the sound of a machine gun, and it caught on with spectators and players alike. Because of this, the game of hockey is often referred to as ‘the war sport’ or ‘the military sport’
“One of the most prominent early adopters of the clapper was the Seattle Thunderbirds, a member of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team took the sound of an actual machine gun and turned it into a cheering section cry, using the pucks made famous in World War I. The team’s goal song was ‘Goose Bay’, and one of their nicknames was the ‘Gunners’. Fans of the team would encourage their fellow spectators to join in the song during home games by clapping their hands in rhythm with the music. The Gunners would later change their name to the ‘Hawks’ and continue to encourage and participate in this tradition. It seems that many teams from the WHL, an intermediate league between the NHL and the minors, were enthusiastic about the sound that a clapper made and adopted this tradition soon after. Other teams in the league followed suit, and before long, the slap-slap-slap of the puck on the ice surface became one of the most recognizable sounds in sports. Later on, after the WHL had been supplanted by the professional NHL, fans would still clap during games to show their support for their favorite teams. Today, the slap-slap-slap of the puck hitting the ice or other surfaces is a part of hockey that is as exciting to watch as the game itself.
Types Of Clappers
There are several different types of clappers that are used in hockey. They are often made of hard plastic and can range in size from around 2 inches to 4 inches in diameter. The smaller the size of the clapper, the louder it tends to be. The larger the size of the clapper, the quieter it tends to be.
The small circular ball used in table tennis is sometimes confused with a clapper. However, these balls are typically made of rubber or plastic and do not have the same properties as a hockey puck. They do not travel as quickly through the air, and they do not make the same kind of noise when they hit the surface. Therefore, they are not suitable for imitating gunfire sounds!
When playing on an outdoor rink in the snow, the sound that the skaters make as they speed around the ice is another type of clapper. It tends to be a very ‘crackling’ sound, especially since the puck is often hidden in the snow as it flies by. The only time that it is generally not covered by the snow is when it makes contact with the ice or other surfaces, depending on the speed at which it is traveling at the time. These sounds can be quite distracting, especially to players and coaches, so the officials sometimes have to tell players to pipe down!
Noisy Vs. Lyrical
Although it’s not always easy to determine what makes a noise in hockey, there are certain noises that are typical of the game. One of the most notable features of hockey is its tendency to make noise. The speed at which the puck is moving and the fact that it’s often hidden from view make it tricky to determine where the sound is coming from. This is why there are several distinctive noises associated with the game.
One of the most prominent sounds in hockey is the whoosh that the puck makes as it rushes by at high speeds. This is made more prominent by the smaller the diameter of the puck, the greater the sound it will make. When a puck is moving at high speeds, it will also make a crackling noise as it hits objects around the ice, particularly when it skids on an intersecting surface. The puck will also make a loud ‘crack’ as it passes through the air, due to the kinetic energy that it gains as it moves. Another important sound in hockey is the thud that a large ice block makes when it hits the ice or other surfaces. This often indicates a goal or an important play in the game, because the goalie or an important player might have hit the ice surface.
While watching a game at home, fans will often clap in support of their favorite teams. There are several different ways that they can do this, but none are as effective or as impressive as the one that I just mentioned. One way is by stamping their feet in rhythm as they clap. This creates a unique sound that is truly a feat of coordination. Another way is by using a hand clap, but an even louder sound can be achieved by using the entire hand. Some fans might even bounce their hands on the spot, while others will simply pat their hands together in front of their faces. Still other fans might use their hands to mime the sounds that they are making, or they might shout and cheer with every hit.
During a game, the referee will often call for a break in the action if there is too much noise or if the noise is getting out of control. The officials might also ask the players to pipe down if they are distracting the other team or are preventing the game from being played in a fair and appropriate manner. The noise that a game of hockey makes is an important part of what makes this sport so unique and exciting to watch.