Ice Hockey first came to Hershey, PA in 1931. The first game of ice hockey was played on February 18, 1931. Pennsylvania A.C. played Villanova. Swathmore A.C was the first team to call Hershey home. It was then that Milton Hershey and John Sollenberger realized hockey was there to stay. The Hershey B'ars were created and they joined the Amateur Hockey League in 1932. In 1938 they became members of the American Hockey League. They played their first professional game on November 5, 1938 in the Hershey Park Arena. They were renamed the Hershey Bears in 1936 because people thought the name Hershey B'ars was too commercial. The Hershey Bears now call the Hershey Park arena their home but their future home will be the GIANT Center. The Hershey Bears have won the Calder Cup eight times. The official mascot to the Bears is Coco.

http://www.hersheybears.com/index.asp