HISTORY OF THE GAME
©Stiga Games AB - Thanks to Stiga Games for providing their history.

Who actually invented table hockey? According to a French Canadian newspaper, the game of table hockey was invented in 1930 by a man named Don Munro. In 1939, a man entered the offices of Stockholm games company Aristospel, carrying an unwieldy wooden construction that he called table hockey. Aristospel found his design interesting, and by Christmas of that year the game had been put on the market. Aristospel dominated the table hockey game market for nearly 20 years, with sales peaking at 25,000 games a year, which was a significant volume for that time. The game was subsequently manufactured under a licence in the USA and a handful of countries in Europe.

In 1957, a challenger took to the ice – Tranås-based STIGA. The first seasons under Stig Hjelmkvist's coaching were rocky, and both the game and its appearance were strikingly similar to Aristo's. But two years later, the king of Swedish hockey, Sven "Tumba" Johansson, signed with the company and things began to take off. Over the following years, almost 100,000 games were sold every year, and those children who didn't get a Tumba game for Christmas had probably already been given one as a birthday present.

At the beginning of the 60's another games company, Alga, also joined the fray. Much to everyone's surprise, Tumba jumped ship and joined the newcomer. Alga's game was more refined, and had both round corners and higher sideboards. The game was also the first one to feature three-dimensional figures. Another new addition was the fact that the right winger (but not the left winger) was able to play behind the goal. However, after only two years, Alga stopped manufacturing the game because of major quality defects.

In 1972, Aristo went bankrupt following 34 tough seasons with its table hockey game. Since then, nobody has really been able to compete with STIGA. A common challenger has been a magnetic table hockey design, which has repeatedly attempted to push its way up onto the rink with the aid of washed-up celebrities.

The first official Swedish table hockey game championships were staged in 1982. The clear winner was Göran Agdur. The next big revolution came in 1983, when Stiga's World Championship table hockey game was launched. The game's main new features were that the left winger could go behind the goal and the game slots could be slightly repositioned. In 1987, the game was relaunched with additional refinements, and now everyone thought the limit had been reached. But at the time, no one had seen the Stiga Stanley Cup Table Hockey Game. Stiga Stanley Cup is the official NHL game, with hand-painted figures, both left and right flanks, and a number of different teams to choose from.

---

TABLE HOCKEY TIPS & TRICKS

Reducing Wear on your Table Hockey Game

Even though Stiga Table Hockey Games are solidly built, some like to play the game a little harder than others. Here is a fun project which can add durability to your game.

An easy and cheap way to protect the hole area from the wear of the rods is to glue small washers around the holes. I would recommend a #8 washer.

You will need to pull off the rubber knob at the end of the rod to slip on the washer. Make sure to use glue that can bond metal to plastic. And be careful not to get any glue on the rod itself.

Once applied, the washers can provide added protection. Of course your game will last just fine without the washers. This is simply a fun project for enthusiasts.


Lubricating the Game Mechanism

When you first open the game, it is normal for some rods to feel stiff, especially the Left Wing. Using a spray lubricant such as silicon spray or Liquid Wrench, spray lightly into the white circular areas of the player gear. Turn the rod to distribute the spray evenly. Also treat the spring assembly area of the Left Wing. This will vastly improve the fluidity of the rods and transform even the most sluggish player into a veritable bolt of lightning.

You can also lubricate the track by spraying a Q-Tip and then running it up and down the inside of the track. These sprays can be messy and have an odor so use as little as possible. Just a quick short spray will do. Protect your surfaces with newspaper or spray outdoors. Repeating this treatment at regular intervals will help maintain your game.


Preparing the Ice Surface

The faster the game, the more fun it is. There are several ways to prepare the ice surface and speed up the game:

• Potato Flour
  • Spread a thin layer of potato flour over the ice surface, sweeping it around with a soft brush. Then vacuum up the remains. Potato flour is as slippery as ice so make sure you also vacuum it up from the floor if any spills. Potato flour is available at most health-food stores.
• Wax
  • An evenly applied coat of wax on the ice surface will make the game play faster. Don't forget to buff well. You can choose floor wax, furniture wax or car wax but make sure it doesn't contain any abrasives which may scratch the ice surface. I use Butcher's Wax and it works great.
• Lubricating Sprays
  • Many players have used spray lubricants such as Endust or furniture polish. You can also use silicone spray lubricant or Amourall. Using these sprays can get a bit messy, so you will want to wipe up the excess carefully and perhaps spray over newspaper or outdoors. It's a good idea to remove the goals and players off the ice before applying. And don't forget to treat the puck also!

Eliminating the "In-and-Out" Goal

It can be frustrating when you score a goal and then the puck does an about face! A clever way to prevent the puck from popping out of the goal is to hang small metal chains from the crossbar. Now you get a cool jingling sound when you score and the puck stays put in the goal.


Keeping the Game Still

During a furious battle, you and your opponent have put a little extra muscle into the game and now it is moving all over the table. A simple way to keep the game still on the table is to purchase plastic suction cups and attach to the table legs. Rubber mats can also prevent game movement.


Proper Positioning

Playing your Stiga game on the rug with your kids can be fun and intimate! But it can also be uncomfortable. Playing the game on a table at chest height is the ideal positioning for playing table hockey. It will save strain on your back and will also give you a better overview of the game. You should position your chair back far enough that the rods just touch your stomach when they are fully extended out. Sitting too close will hamper your ability to properly manuver the rods. Proper positioning will allow you to play the game to your fullest and can be the difference between winning and losing.