The hockey hobby, as we know it, was born in the 1950s. But it didn’t simply materialize overnight. It slowly came together as a result of a confluence of diverse factors we haven’t seen since. After years of austerity imposed by the Great Depression and World War II, a booming post-war economy put Canadians in a spending mood. In fact, the very act of spending was viewed as a patriotic duty, an effort that was deemed critical to ensure prosperity moving forward. Many were happy to do their part. Well-paying jobs and easier access to credit led families to splurge…