“Hockey historians say the handshake dates to English settlers in Canada, who preached an upper-class version of sportsmanship in the 19th century. Soon, tough kids in urban and prairie rinks began imitating imagined dukes and earls of the old country.”

American non-fiction author and sports columnist

George Vecsey is an American non-fiction author and sports columnist for The New York Times. He is best known for writing about sports, and he has also co-written several autobiographies with people outside the sports world. His work has long focused on sports journalism, while his book projects have extended beyond that field. He is also the older brother of sports journalist Peter Vecsey, who worked as a columnist and as a color commentator for NBATV and NBA on NBC.