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Make, Model, Year: the Stanley Cup

Posted May 31, 2012 10:09 AM by HUSH

I suppose this is going to be one of those blogposts where I mention how something is made, go over a few specifications, make bad jokes, and otherwise ramble.

Yes, I am talking about the Stanley Cup. How'd you guess, mate?

...via Hockey Chump

From facts and materials, to history and misadventures, this will be CR4's comprehensive guide to athletics' most revered trophy. And, I'll preface this with saying that virtually no science went into the making of this blog post.

What is it?

For the unaware, the Stanley Cup is a chalice awarded to the winner of the Stanley Cup Playoffs hosted by the National Hockey League each spring. It is unique amongst championship trophies in the fact that it is awarded annually (instead of a winner getting a 'keeper' version or duplicate), and each member of the winning club has his or her name engraved upon it.

...via Perez Solomon

Furthermore, each winning individual gets a 24 hour personal period with the cup-with which they can do just about anything they want. Last summer Milan Lucic brought the cup to the top of a mountain. Clark Gillies used it as a dog food bowl, while the 1994 Rangers used it as an oat bowl for that year's Kentucky Derby winner (Go for Gin). It's been kicked into Rideau Canal, left in the bottom of pools, climbed the Hollywood sign, hitchhiked, and that's not even the grossest parts of its legacy.

...via Stupid Hockey

The cup itself is 34.5 lbs. of nickel-silver alloy. It has a silver, electroplated coating which is added by the use of an electrical current which changes the oxidation state of cations in a solution, and coats the submerged metal with misplaced ions--or something. This is done primarily for aesthetic purposes, but also adds some durability to the cup, which is important considering what it goes through, like a rocket attack in Afghanistan on May 3, 2007. Based on materials alone, the cup is expected to be worth about $1,100. This version of the Stanley Cup is not the original, though.

Lord Stanley of Preston had moved to Canada from England in 1888, and witnessed his first hockey game the following year. Following the spectacle, his beard concluded "that it would be a good thing if there were a challenge cup, which would be held from year to year by the leading hockey club in the Dominion." He appropriated $50 (today over $1,200) to purchase a suitable trophy. A silver punchbowl, sold by G.R. Collis & Co. of 130 Regent Street, London, inscribed "From Stanley of Preston" and "Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup" onto the bowl's exterior. It was ready.

The original Stanley Cup...via Newsday

How do you win it?

Originally, it was awarded to the best team in the league from which the previous champions hailed. The first winners were the Montreal Hockey Club (not without controversy) in 1893, which went unchallenged. Teams from other leagues could present a challenge, provided they won their own league's championship as well. The first Stanley Cup Final was March 17, 1894, with Montreal HC defending their championship from Ottawa Hockey Club, 3-1. By 1927, most leagues were not able to compete with the fledgling, yet professional-caliber NHL.

When a team won the original cup, they were allowed to place a silver ring around the cup's base, listing all team personnel. This tradition continued until 1970, when the enlarged cup became unwieldy and worn. The only years the Stanley Cup was not presented were 1919 (flu epidemic) and 2005 (lockout).

You have no idea how much it pains me to depict a Leaf with the Cup...via Wikimedia

A new replica, with sturdier alloy design and bulging lower rings was first presented to the 1970 Boston Bruins. This version was made by Montreal-based silversmith Carl Petersen, who also did the engraving work on the cup from the late 1940s until his retirement about 40 years later. In fact, the Petersen family is responsible for nearly all work done on the Cup. The original cup is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Traditions

The cup has been surrounded by unscientific stigma since its inception. After winning the cup, it has been customary to drink champagne from the cup since at least 1896, as well as raise it over your head since 1950.

...via NHL Snipers

Hockey players who could compete for the cup, but have not won it yet, are not supposed to touch the cup for fear of a jinx. Fans and amateurs are encouraged to kiss and touch it for luck, but it is considered hockey blasphemy to raise the cup above your shoulders.

Teams who advance to the cup finals are awarded either the Prince of Wales Trophy or the Clarence Campbell Bowl, depending upon their conference alignment. Superstition further predicates that the teams shouldn't touch theses trophies, since it is not the end-goal for the playoffs. Teams who did touch the trophies, since 2001, are 4-5. As the below infographic illustrates, there is no direct correlation between touching your conference championship trophy and hoisting the Stanley Cup.

...via Delasean @ Photobucket

Fun Facts

-Three versions: Original, Authenticated Replacement, Display Replica

-Over two dozen engraving typos are found on the cup, including a redacted name (Basil Pocklington)

-The Montreal Canadiens have won more Stanley Cups than any other team (24), with a current cup winning percentage of 23%. Montreal legend Henri Richard has had his name engraved on the cup more than any other player (11), while fellow Habs forward Jean Beliveau has his name on the cup more than any other individual (17).

-In 2006, the cup again became eligible to be awarded to a team outside of the NHL in the event of another work stoppage. This was accomplished by the means of a lawsuit, which argued the cup belonged to Canadian hockey and not the NHL.

-Two full-time trustees serve as cup guardians, who practically live with the cup. The individuals alternate, and also accompany the cup on the 80,000 miles of travel the cup averages each year.

-The Seattle Metropolitans were the first American team to win the cup. The Victoria Cougars were the last non-professional team to raise Lord Stanley's mug.

-The Cup has been a guest of honor for the past five American presidents, but has not been an official guest of a Canadian prime minister since 1993.

-During an NHL sponsored rock show, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot positioned the cup upside down, resting on the bowl. Many players and fans felt Elliot tarnished the cup on purpose, though he later explained he was unaware which side was the cup's base.

Resources

Wikipedia - The Stanley Cup; Traditions and anecdotes associated w/ the Stanley Cup

NHL - Conference trophies: to touch, or not to touch?

ABC News - Strange Misadventures of the Stanley Cup


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#1

Re: Make, Model, Year: the Stanley Cup

05/31/2012 10:43 AM

Ya gotta support the team man....

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Re: Make, Model, Year: the Stanley Cup

05/31/2012 10:51 AM

"What is that?"

"I painted my face."

"You painted your face?"

"Yeah."

"Whyyy?"

"Well you know. Support the team."

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