Of all the major sports trophies, none can compare to the storied history and quirkiness of the Stanley Cup. Here are some interesting facts and crazy stories about the iconic trophy—which is older than the National Hockey League.
1. The Stanley Cup is named after Frederick Arthur, Lord Stanley of Preston.
Frederick Arthur, Lord Stanley of Preston, was the Governor-General of Canada when he purchased the decorative cup in London for 10 guineas in 1892. Stanley donated the cup to award Canada’s top amateur hockey club after he and his family became infatuated with the sport at Montreal’s 1889 Winter Carnival; it was first awarded to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (or MAAA) in 1893.
2. There are actually three Stanley Cups.
Stanley’s original cup from 1892, known as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup (above), was awarded until 1970, and is now on display in the Vault Room at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
