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In 1892, the British Governor General of Canada Sir Frederick Stanley donated the Stanley Cup as "an outward and visible sign" of an annual championship among hockey teams in Canada.
The Cup is unique among championship trophies in that each member of the winning team is allowed to take the Cup home for a day to share with friends and family.
That tradition started in the 1980's, a few years after Montreal Canadiens player Guy Lefleur "stole" the Cup from the team's victory party. He drove the Cup to his boyhood home in Quebec, and placed it in the front yard where his father had built a makeshift rink where he first learned the game.
The very first winners of the Cup were the Amatuer Athletic Association of Montreal, in 1893, and for reasons unclear today refused to accept the trophy. They topped the league again in 1894 and that time accepted the Cup.
I'll post more little tidbits as the playoffs continue.
Posted by Ted at April 13, 2004 06:42 AMI was wondering how many "Stanley Cups" exist today...While i know there is only 1 "true cup", are their any "stand-in Cups" or is their only One, the almost original??
Thanks!
Marc
Posted by: ChesawMarc at April 18, 2004 01:42 PMFor several years, the original cup was used as the trophy, but the NHL decided to create a duplicate for the annual award. It was duplicated right down to the teeth marks in the rim where happy players had bitten down in celebration. The original is now stored at the NHL Hall of Fame, along with the rings containing the names on the rosters of the champion teams. As far as I know, there's only the one duplicate, and it's treated as the "real" one.
Posted by: Ted at April 18, 2004 04:31 PMAs per the question at:
http://rocketjones.mu.nu/archives/024751.html
I believe the "original" cup is in an open display Vault in the HHOF, Toronto.
Then, there is a "real Cup" that has been made in the image of the original, except that additional sections have been added. It is presented to Teams and Travels a great deal.
Rings are rotated and retired as the Cup acquires more engraved names and dates.
Then there is the display Cup, identical to the "real cup", and kept in the Grand Hall of the HHOF.
It does not diminish the lust Canadians have to see, it, touch it, and in our dreams, win it.
Sadly, it is in the possession of the NHL, a collection of Businessmen who profit by opportunity. The Cup is being held hostage by their minion, Mr. Gary Bettman, who nearly ruined the League 10 years ago, and now, is doing more damage as we speak.
My question to you is: how did the Cup come to be in the possession of these "owners"?