The Stanley Cup Trophy – Fun Facts

Lord Stanley of Preston, a Queen Victoria appointee, witnessed the 1889 ice hockey tournament and purchased a punch bowl to begin the design.

 

1893 – Originally, the trophy was called,
“The Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup”.
It was awarded, for the first time, to the Montreal Hockey Club, called Montreal HC.

 

1916 – The first American team competes for the “Cup”, in the finals, as the Portland (OR) Rosebuds.
1917 – The first American team wins the “Cup”, the Seattle Metropolitans.

 

1926 – A collection of regional league champions in Canada and the U.S. would compete for the “Cup Challenge Era”, until 1926.

 

By 1927, the only professional organized hockey league was now called, the National Hockey League (NHL).

 

1927 – The  first  NHL  Stanley Cup  finals.
Ottawa Senators defeat the Boston Bruins two games to zero, for the first NHL Stanley Cup Championship.Game .

Game1, OTT:0, BOS 0. 2OT, tie.
Game2, OTT:3, BOS:1.
Game3, OTT:1, BOS:1. 2OT, tie.
Game4, OTT:3, BOS:1.

Best “two out of three” format.

Venue: Game 1+2 at Boston Arena, Game 3+4 Ottawa Auditorium.

NOTE: Vicious, bench-clearing, fighting, included the referees and the Ottawa Police.

 

FYI: 1910 Boston Arena opens. Now called Northeastern’s Matthews Arena, it is the oldest multi-purpose athletic building  in the USA.  Matthews Arena is the oldest indoor ice hockey arena in the country.  Home to many teams such as the Bruins 1924-28, the Celtics 1946-55 and the New England Whalers (W.H.A.) … and the currently the Northeastern Huskies, beginning in 1930.  Home to Game One and Two of the NHL’s  first Stanley Cup Championship in 1927 featuring Boston vs Ottawa (see above).

Note: The Boston Arena/Matthews Arena (re-named in 1982) was site of festivities such as, both Roosevelts and JFK rallys, Lindbergh and Ameila Earhart celebrations, and Beanpot (first in Dec 1952) and ECAC tournaments. The 1987 Northeastern alumni, Reggie Lewis was eulogized there August 2, 1993. Lewis was drafted in the  first-round, by the Celtics. He was an All-Star during his brief 1987-93 NBA career. Reggie Lewis was Boston’s leading scorer (PPG) in 1991-92 (followed by Bird, McHale and Parish) and 1992-93 (followed by Parish, All-Star Xavier McDaniels, ironman Kevin Gamble, McHale).  His jersey number 35 has been retired by both the Boston Celtics and the N.U. Huskies. (info from www.gonu.com)

 

FYI: 1928 Boston Garden opens.  After a boxing card opened the Garden, the Bruins played their first game on November 20, 1928 (MTL 1, BOS 0) over 17,000 squeezed into the event with police battling the over-zealous fans. Bruins home ice from Nov 1928 to September 1995,  Vacant for two more years until careful demolition began, the ‘current’ Boston Garden was built just a few feet from the original building’s footprint.

(*Still looking for video evidence that  BOBBY  ORR  was “the last skater” to leave the Boston Garden ice at “The Last Hurrah” in 1995, WSKB video hosted by Sean McDonough, live broadcast w/ Garden video highlights, does not show the Orr’s last skate around. This ten-minute tribute is on YouTube.  You Tube member, ‘sunanna’ has separated 19 parts of the event, look for part 18. Note: Part 14 at 4:18 Last Hurrah begins.

 

 

TROPHY : Presently, it is the oldest professional trophy, within North America.

Be aware that in yachting, “The America’s Cup” first awarded in 1851, is the oldest, active, international, sports trophy.

Weight : 34 1/2 pounds. Made of Silver & Nickel Alloy.

1932 : ON ICE : The first trophy presentation …on the ice.

1950 : HOIST : The first player to actually hoist the Cup over his head was Ted Lindsay (DET).

1995 : KEEPER OF THE CUP. Currently, Phil Pritchard (known for his white gloves) Previously, Mike Bolt.

2001 : AIR TRAVEL : Since 9/11/2001, the Cup rides as baggage, not belted to a passenger seat, as before.

2008 : RISK : Insured for $ 75,000.

2008 : CHARITY : In seven years, it has raised over $ 7 million for charities.

2011 : RISK : Insured for $ 1.5 million.

(Info from:  Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2008, The Post Game, 2011)

 

NOTE: The Borg Warner Trophy is awarded to the winner of the Indianapolis 500. (a replica is actually given, not the original trophy) The Borg-Warner is 5 feet, four inches tall and weighs 153 pounds of mostly, sterling silver. This unique cup is wrapped in a checker board design, like a race-winning, checkered flag. The alternative squares are the faces of the drivers, sculpted in miniature relief. It is insured for over a million dollars.

 

2011 : ROAD RULES from one of the Cup Keepers, Howie Barrow :

1 –  “Have It Home By Midnight”. The Cup has a curfew.

2 – “No Casinos or Gentlemen’s Clubs”. Classy Cup Only.

3 – “Don’t Get It Wet”. It can’t swim, it’s just a cup.

4 – “No Sky-Diving”. It can’t fly, either. it’s just a cup.

5 – “No Heavy Lifting”. Not for you. Hoisting for Stanley Cup Champion players, only.

BOOK  ABOUT  THE  STANLEY  CUP:

More fun tales and adventures of the Cup in this KEVIN ALLEN paperback.

“Why Is the Stanley Cup in Mario Lemieux’s Swimming Pool? : How Winners Celebrate with the World’s Most Famous Cup?”

(2000) 224 page paperback. by USA Today, hockey, beat writer KEVIN ALLEN.

 

TEDDY  GREEN :

– “Terrible Ted”. An over-flowing record of 7 of 8 seasons with more than 100 penalty minutes.

– 1964-65 All-Star Game, BOS defenseman

-1968-69 All-Star Game, BOS defenseman

-1969  THE FIGHT. [Sept 21 BOS vs. STL]  Concussion, cracked skull and brain damage in a stick-swinging fight with Wayne Maki.

-1969-70 Did not play, due to the injuries in that fight.

-1969-70 The 1970 Bruins included severely-injured skater, Teddy Green {#6}, to the engraved Stanley Cup roster, even though he did not play a single game in the 1971-72 championship season.

– THE COMEBACK .

-1971 SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 11-15-71 ” My Last Rites” by Teddy Green, the tough guy becomes very introspective, in a lengthy article about his comeback. Insecure about wearing a helmet, in a league that no one worn helmets. Green scoffs at himself needing to wear a helmet, in his P.O.V. article.

HELMET, F.Y.I.: Retiring in 1974, Gump Worsley [MINN] was the last “NO – MASK” goalie to win the best goalie prize, the Vezina Award, in 1966 and 1968 .

Note: Pittsburgh goalie Andy Brown played an entire “no-mask” game on April 7, 1974, in a 6–3 loss to the Atlanta Flames, and became the last No- Mask goalie. Brown was assessed 60 penalty minutes in the 1973-74 season, this was a rare record for goalies, which he held until Gerry Cheevers (1979-80) was rung up for 62 minutes. Andy Brown’s brief three-year NHL career, as a goalie with “no mask”, ended with a stint in the World Hockey Association (WHA). Finally, in 1979, the NHL begins a mandatory rule for all skaters to wear helmets, for safety, with the exception of anyone who has signed an NHL contract before 1979.

GOALIE PENALTY MINUTES,  ALL-TIME  LEADERS,  F.Y.I.:

#7 Andy Brown…. 60 PIM [1973-’74}

#6 Ed Balfour…61 PIM  [’93-94]

#5 Gerry Cheevers…. (BOS) 62 PIM [“79-’80], That is 42 games, in net, with 62  minutes in the box!

#4 Tom Barrasso….. 70 PIM [’88-89] (born in Stow, MA, first goalie to play (not just sign) “pro” right out of High School (Acton-Boxborough). Barrasso notches 5 seasons in the top 50 seasons of goalies in the “penalty box”.

#3, #2 and #1  RON  HEXTALL  ….. [104 PIM, 104 PIM  & 113 PIM] [1987, 1988 & 1989] The Flyers rookie net-minder smashed this record (and some noses) with the Broadstreet Bullies a.k.a. the Philadelphia Flyers. In 1988-89 the goalie Hextall was 8th of nine Flyers with over 100 penalty minutes. Hextall appears 6 times in the top 22 seasons of goalies in “box”!

[information: www.quanthockey.com,  www.legendsofhockey.net ]  LOL, That’s right…. it’s hockey… so it is  .NET!

 -More TEDDY GREEN, THE COMEBACK ….

-1972 – January 24th 1972. Teddy Green Night at the Boston Garden. BOS vs. MTL.

-1971-72 Boston Bruin Stanley Cup Champions. Six Bruins played all 78 games , including Teddy Green.

-1973 WHA Championship,  New England Whalers. Green named team captain.

-1974 Wayne Maki dead at 29. {Green’s combatant} Maki dies of brain cancer only 18 months after his diagnosis.

-1976 WHA Championship, Winnipeg Jets.

-1978 WHA Championship. Winnipeg Jets.

-1991-94 As Head Coach of the post-Gretzky Edmondton  Oilers, regular season record  just .408 and playoffs 8-8 at .500 .

-2013 Teddy Green, Born in 1940, retired from the NHL in 1994. Currently, age 73 in 2013. Green is a two-time All Star, the two-time NHL Stanley Cup winner and three-time W.H.A.’s AVCO WORLD  TROPHY, championship winner.

 

 

WORLD HOCKEY ASSOCIATION (W.H.A.) 1971-79

This upstart league that had substantial financial backing that drew  many N.H.L. stars to play for W.H.A. teams, like Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Hull, Derek Sanderson and Gordie Howe. Four teams merged into the N.H.L. as the W.H.A. dissolved in 1979.

 

 

THERE   ARE   THREE   STANLEY  CUPS .

The first is “The Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup” which is always on display, in the Hockey Hall of Fame, in Toronto.

The second “Cup” is the 1993 replica Cup, also at the Hall for tourists to see. (see my 2006 picture)

In 1963, the “Presentation Cup”, also the third Cup, is now the trophy that the players hoist upon conclusion of the championship game. It is the parade trophy and “spend a day with each player” trophy. The entire roster and staff are engraved on removable  bands to make room for new champions. The current custom allows 100 days for the players to enjoy the Cup before returning it to the league.

 

STANLEY CUP  MISTAKES : 
FYI: Pat Mc Reavy (BOS) name is misspelled “McCreavy”, as a player, on the 1941 Bruins Championship.

FYI:  Dickie Moore (MONT) won six Stanley Cups while playing for the Canadians. This Hall Of Famer has his name spelled five different ways on the Cup. (D. Moore, Richard Moore, R. Moore, Dickie Moore, Rich Moore).

FYI: The 1972 Boston Bruins name is misspelled, B Q S T Q N .

 

 

STANLEY  CUP   NAMES

Who’s name is engraved on the Cup the most times ?

Four men’s names are engraved on the Cup 8 times. One has nine and one has ten.

Montreal’s  Henri Richard (MTL) has his name on the Cup, eleven times!
11 x – Henri Richard MTL
10 x – Jean Beliveau MTL
9 x  – Claude Provost MTL
8 x  – Yvan Cournoyer MTL
8 x  – Jacques Lamaire MTL
8 x  – Maurice Richard MTL
8x  – Red Kelly DET / TOR
7x  – two players.
6x  – fifteen players.
5x  – twenty-six players.

 

WOMEN’S  NAMES  ON  THE  STANLEY  CUP.

FYI: There are 12 women’s names engraved on the Stanley Cup.

1 – Marguerite Norris,.
– Detriot Red Wings 1954, 1955 Champions.
– Norris was the first woman to have her name engraved on the Cup.  Her name is on it twice.
– She took over as President of Detroit Red Wings (1952-55) when husband died in 1952.
– Her father James Norris Sr. has best defensemen trophy named after him, The Norris Trophy.

 

2 – Susan Samueli,
– Anheim Ducks, 2007 Champions.
– Wife of owner.

 

3 – Sonia Scurfield.
– Calgary Flames 1989 Champions (formally, Atlanta Flames)
– Wife of owner, (husband died 1985, due to avalanche)

 

4 – Marie Denise De Bartolo York.
– Pittsburgh Penguins 1991 Champions.
– Daughter of Edward De Bartolo Sr. , who made Marie the owner and president of the Penguins.                            – Note: Edward DeBartolo Jr. , N.F.L.  Hall Of Fame as contributor, San Francisco 49er’s owner for 23 years, winning 5 Super Bowls.

 

5 – Marie Carnevale
– 2000 New Jersey Devils Champions.
– She was the assistant to owner Lou Lamoriello (NJ Devils, President and GM, NHL HOF as builder) Lamoriello is a three-time New Jersey Devil, Stanley Cup winner (executive) in ’95, ’00 and ’03. Marie’s name is engraved on the Cup, with the 2000 Cup-winning staff.
– Her title : Hockey Operations and Assistant to the President – GM.

 

6 – Callie Smith .
– 2000 New Jersey Devils Champions.
– NOTE: Member of the same staff as NJ Devils’s 2000 staff as, Marie Carnevale.
– Her title, Hockey Operations – Scouting Staff Assistant.

 

7 – Charlotte Grahame .
– Colorado Avalanche 2001 Champions.
– Executive Director of Hockey Administration of the Colorado Avalanche.

Note 1 : Her son, John Grahame has his name on the Cup for the 2004 Tampa Bay Lighting Championship. This is the only mother/son combination of engraved names on the Stanley Cup.
Note 2 : Her husband Ron Grahame was a NHL goalie for the Bruins. He was traded to L.A. Kings for their first round draft pick in 1979, who turned out to be Ray Bourque.
Note 3 :Bourque’s name is on the Cup with Colorado’s Ms. Charlotte Grahame, for the 2001 Avalanche’ Cup victory.

 

8 – Nancy Beard.
Detriot Red Wings 2002, Champions.
Her title:  Executive assistant.

 

 

.
LLITCH CONNECTION -See Below-

FYI: Detroit Red Wings 4 Championships 1997, 1998, 2002 & 2008                                                                     Marian Llitch, with husband, Mike, founded Little Caesar’s Pizza in 1959. Mike Llitch is the owner of the Detroit Red Wings (NHL) and the Detroit Tigers (MLB).

9 – Marian Llitch, mother, name on Cup,  4x 
10 – Denise Llitch, daughter, name on Cup  4x
11 – Lisa Llitch Murray, daughter, name on Cup,  4x
12 – Carole Llitch Trepeck, daughter, name on Cup  4x

 

FINALLY………………………………………………………………..

The “Original Six” team of the NHL: 

Boston Bruins,

Chicago Black Hawks,

Detroit Red Wings,

Montreal Canadiens,

New York Rangers,

Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

The Boston Bruins have won 6 STANLEY CUPS.

1928–29,

1938–39, 1940–41,

1969–70, 1971–72,

2010–11.

 

 

“The Stanley Cup Trophy  –  Fun Facts”    by     Ed Mullen,      June 2013.