NHL 100: The origin, evolution and adventures of the iconic Stanley Cup
It’s the grande dame of sports trophies, the oldest contested prize in North American athletics. The Stanley Cup will soon once again be awarded to hockey’s top team, extending a tradition that dates back to 1893.
ORIGIN
The Cup began as a silver bowl, purchased by Canada’s then governor-general Lord Stanley of Preston, whose family was quite taken with the nascent sport, to give amateur teams something to strive for. As leagues and professional teams took over, the Cup became a prize between two leagues and eventually exclusively by the NHL starting in 1926. Only twice has failed to be awarded: in 1919 due to Spanish flu outbreak, and 2005 after a contract impasse between the NHL players and owners wiped out the entire season.
EVOLUTION