The Calgary Flames is a professional team based in Calgary that competes in the National Hockey League. The team is a part of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 1972 as an Atlanta Flames in Atlanta originally, they relocated to Calgary in 1980 and changed their name to Calgary Flames.
The Calgary Flames share the province of Alberta with the Edmonton Oilers, another NHL team. Like any other team, Flames have a mascot to bring fun and entertainment elements to their games on the ice. Their mascot became an instant big hit among the fans as they introduced new characters and fun elements to entertain fans during the intense situations.
Harvey the Hound is a spirited and entertaining mascot that represents the Calgary Flames in the National Hockey League. Harvey the Hound stands at 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 200 lbs. Harvey's commanding presence sets him apart from the other mascots and he plays a prominent role for entertainment in the NHL. The giant character makes fans experience joy on the ice in every game.
Calgary Flames Mascot Harvey the Hound history
Introduced in 1983 by Grant Kelba, Harvey the Hound is renowned because he holds the distinction of being the first-ever mascot in the NHL. Fnas jokingly called him Calgary's "first-round draft pick." Since his introduction, he has been a favourite mascot among all.
Later, he became a second mascot for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League. In a game between the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins on February 16, 1984, where the Flames achieved victory over the Penguins with the hat trick of Lanny McDonald and Doug Risebrough, Harvey became a centre of attraction and beloved among all the fans.
He has been a beloved character and gained limelight at various events. Hound also participated in seven All-Star Games and a promotional tour to Japan for the NHL. Kelba sold the mascot Harvey to the Flames in 1996 and he performed till his retirement in 1999. Kelba's legacy is still alive in the NHL as Harvey the Hound, leaving a lasting impression with his 15-year career.
Calgary Flames Mascot Harvey the Hound funny incidents
In an incident that happened on January 20, 2003, Harvey made headlines when he mocked the Edmonton Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish. In response to mocking, the head coach pulled out Harvey's signature tongue and threw it off in the crowd.
Surprisingly, the Edmonton Oilers scored three goals after that and secured victory against the Calgary Flames. MacTavish commented humorously "Once we got the tongue out of his mouth, we started to turn things around a little bit." post-game. The incident caught the attention of the huge crowd and became a hot topic of discussion.
Harvey the mascot of Flames has created many funny incidents, once he had a playful fight with TSN broadcaster Gary Green. Harvey made funny signs to tease Green. In response to his funny signs, Green would pretend to be annoyed on TV. Events like these have made Harvey the Hound one of the renowned mascots in the NHL.
The mascot of Calgary Flames collaborated with Healthy Paws Forward Veterinary Hospital. Together, they started a cause called "Harvey's Hounds Pet Cut Out section". Asking people to submit the pictures of their pet to showcase them in the stadium. In return the pet owners paid some fees and they raised $2400 The money they collected was to support charity causes. It was a fun and interactive way to work for community and charity causes.
FAQs
A.Mascot for the Calgary Flames Harvey the Hound was introduced in 1983 by Grant Kelba.
A.Craig MacTavish pulled Harvey’s tongue out in response to his mocking during a game between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.
A.Harvey the Hound stands at 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs around 200 lbs.
A. Grant Kelba played the role of mascot in the NHL who retired in 1999.
Q.Harvey the Hound was the first-ever mascot introduced in the NHL in 1983.