Mechanical hockey games have long been popular in Canada. According to Plouffe, Munro Games Ltd. first introduced a mechanical table top hockey game in 1956.
Plouffe reported that until 1972, Munro introduced about 40 versions of hockey games, and each version had a new feature. An older non-mechanical game was played by tilting a slanted surface. It was introduced in 1932 and remained in production while the company "...determined the public's response" to newer mechanical versions. The newer mechanical versions provided greater movement of the players based upon the employed mechanisms. In all of these games, the "puck" was a steel ball bearing.
The photograph above illustrates one of the last versions introduced in Canada. The game is 94cm long x 37.5cm wide x 8.9cm deep. It was donated to the Museum in the year 2000. One can see some of obvious differences between that version and one of the earlier versions pictured in the photograph below. The Museum has three copies of this earlier version, donated to the Museum in the 1980s.
The history of the Munro company is one of its beginnings as a "cottage industry", to a commercial game manufacturer until the demise of the company. As a "cottage industry", members of the family manufactured parts for the game from "at hand" materials, such as the wooden clothespins used as hockey players. In the company's published history, one of the Munro brothers, William stated:
"It was basic, it was crude, but a lot of fun to play. The sides and ends were made of 3/4" lumber from the coal bin. The playing surface was probably 1/8" birch plywood secured to a solid plank undersurface close butted end to end. This was used as a bearing for the moveable players and support to hold the 'deflecting' nails on the playing surface. Deflectors to keep the ball in play were made from scrap strapping steel. The shooter springs were old clock springs and the knobs were wooden pot lids replacements purchased at the hardware store. The control wires underneath were strong butcher chord. I seem to remember the net was green mosquito netting of the cloth type and I believe Mum sewed a bias tape along the edge and then hung it on the wire form."
On one of earlier versions donated to the Museum, a sheet of paper is glued to the back, with the following information and playing instructions:
A game of skill - 2 to 6 players
A steel ball is used instead of a puck
Use finger tip only on controls
Rules: Play is started by shooting puck from shooter and continues until a goal is scored or puck goes out of play. Puck is out of play when it is motionless behind goal net or caught between goalie and goal post. Play or side scoring first ten goals, wings or can be played in three periods of a minute or more a period. Ball must stay in net to be counted.
Penalty: When a player (or side) knocks puck out of rink, opposing player (or side) takes penalty shot.
Penalty Shot: Only the goalie of the penalized side is allowed to play against entire team of his opponent until goal is scored or puck is out of play.
Game should be played on a flat and level surface. If there is more play at one end of game than the other, insert a thin piece of cardboard under rubber bumper or foot to adjust level.
Last update March 10, 2010