Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day

Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day, established by Thomas and Ruth Roy of Wellcat Holidays, is celebrated on January 23 every year to give snowplow drivers a day to have fun.

Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day history

Snowplow drivers have to work for a long hour per a day to keep the streets safe for drivers. They keep city roads and rural areas drivable so business can continue as usual. For all their hard work, snowmobilers got a little bit of fun today; they are allowed to see how many mailboxes they can knock down with their plow, and they are given "an extra twenty points to increase one person into the next town." It is unclear how many bonus points are awarded to snowplow drivers for just one regular mailbox takedown.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, carriages and coaches used skis instead of wheels during the winter months, which actually meant more snow on the ground than no snow to get around. . Instead of plowmen, there were "snow guards" who rolled the snow to make the skis smooth. They actually put more in some cases, such as under covered bridges. Snow removal at that time was mainly done on sidewalks.

In the mid-19th century, several patents for horse-drawn sleighs were made, and they began to be used on residential streets and alleys. In 1862, Milwaukee became the first major city to try them, and they quickly expanded to other cities. Their invention helped usher in the idea that municipalities are responsible for clearing snow. Around this same time, plows were placed in front of intercity steam trains, and salt began to be used on the streets, although it was deprecated.

In 1888, a legendary blizzard hit the East Coast; which lasted three days, snow fell 50 inches, and high winds produced 40-foot snowfalls. In response to blizzards, cities changed the way they plowed. They divided the city into several zones, hired more tractor drivers, and assigned them routes. They also started sending out plows in the early stages of storms, instead of waiting until there was a lot of snow.

The rotating snowfield, which would become the basis for the modern home snow blower, was introduced in the West around the same time. In snowy areas in the mountains, plows that simply pushed the snow off the railroad tracks were ineffective. This new plow creates snow inside and shoves it out on top. It can throw snow 200 feet away, sending it off the tracks.

With the arrival of the automobile, all the snow had to be cleared on all roads, and horse plows couldn't do the job. Motor dump trucks with plowshares appeared as early as 1913, and crawler tractors with plows were also introduced. After being plowed, the snow is hauled away using shovels, cranes and railroad graders. In the early 1920s, Hans and Even Overaasen, two brothers from Norway, as well as Carl Frink of New York, came up with different designs for car-mounted snowmobiles. After that, the engine snow removal was really successful.

How to Observe Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day

Snow drivers prayed for snow in Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day, because it was their lucky day to get their mailboxes out while they were at work. If you are a snow driver, it might be a good idea to introduce a points system with your fellow drivers. Since a driver gets 20 points for hitting a mailbox too hard going to the next town, they'll probably get five points for knocking just one person over. If you're not a snow driver, Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day is your day to play defense. You must protect your mailbox from the snow!