While hockey was a traditional, age-old sport, it was made exciting on 18 March 1892. Exactly 133 years back, Canada’s Lord Stanley of Preston made a huge announcement that would change the future of hockey. He donated a silver challenge cup which was awarded to the region’s best hockey team. This led to the birth of the Stanley Cup, which the teams fought for over the course of the NHL season.
On same day 133 years back, the Ottawa Hockey Club won its 3rd title and Lord Stanley wrote a letter, saying, “I have for some time been thinking that it would be a good thing if there were a challenge cup which should be held from year to year by the champion hockey team in the Dominion [of Canada].”
The first Cup was awarded back in 1892 to 1914 and the professional team became eligible to compete for the illustrious prize from 1906. However, the big moment came in 1915 when the NHA and PCHA reached an agreement that their respective champions would face each other for the Stanley Cup, and since then it has become the highest honor in sport ever since.
Lord Stanley went on to add, “There does not appear to be any such outward sign of a championship at present, and considering the general interest which matches now elicit, and the importance of having the game played fairly and under rules generally recognized, I am willing to give a cup which shall be held from year to year by the winning team.”
Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour, who was part of the 2024 Florida Panthers champion team, parades the Stanley Cup through his Six Nations hometown of Ohsweken, Ontario, Canada, as fan Gracie General, 14, holds a homemade Stanley Cup, July 24, 2024. REUTERS/Brett Gundlock TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Subsequently, Lord Stanley also purchased a rose bowl worth $1300 today. On the bowl, he had the engraving of “Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup” on one side and “From Stanley Preston” on the other side. With this, the trophy became one of the oldest ones in professional sports. However, over the years this iconic trophy has undergone major design changes in 1924, the simple bowl gradually became 3-foot high trophy. This was due a major change in tradition to etch the names of the players winning the championship each season. Thus the band kept on getting bigger with each passing season, and thus it became the hardest trophy to win in North American sports.
Not just the sheer size of the trophy was tough for the players but even the great players had have their name feature on the iconic trophy. This sentiment was famously explained by game’s greatest player, Wayne Gretzky.
When Wayne Gretzky explained the worth of the Stanley Cup
During his illustrious career, the Great One had the honor of winning four Stanley Cup titles, becoming one of the most decorated players in the sport. While Gretzky knows what it takes to lift this trophy, it wasn’t the easiest of rides for him en route to his titles. Thus, during an interview once, Gretzky talked about the difficulties of winning this cup, which gave a glimpse of the trophy’s worth.
He said, “If you are lucky enough to get your name on that Stanley Cup, that is what is so unique and it is so difficult to win a Stanley Cup. As you see today, the parity with these 30 teams, it is really difficult. So, when you get to lift it, it’s really worth it.”
Further, he also added, “There’s so many good things about the game of hockey, but the greatest things about our sport are our history and our tradition and, without question, the Stanley Cup is probably the greatest trophy in all of sport.”
In the 133-year history, the Canadiens have lifted the Stanley Cup the most number of times with 24 wins. On the individual front, Henri Richard has the most number of Stanley Cup rings with 11 to his credit. Indeed, the cup has a rich tradition and history and the onus now lies on young stars to take this forward.
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