The
Smackwater Block, Wimpy's Place, the
Lexington Business Association and Camp
Cavell were honored to present; "The
Stanley Cup" on display Thursday June
26th at 10:15 AM in the Courtyard of the
Smackwater Block in downtown Lexington!
Don't miss your chance to get up close and
personal with this prestigious trophy!
It
all started on March 18, 1892, at a dinner of
the Ottawa Amateur Athletic Association. Lord
Kilcoursie, a player on the Ottawa Rebels
hockey club from Government House, delivered
the following message on behalf of Lord
Stanley, the Earl of Preston and Governor
General of Canada:
| "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).
"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."
|
 |
| The
Stanley Cup was originally known as
the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup |
Shortly thereafter, Lord Stanley purchased a
silver cup measuring 7 ½ inches high by 11 ½
inches across for the sum of 10 guineas
(approximately $50); appointed two Ottawa
gentlemen, Sheriff John Sweetland and Philip
D. Ross, as trustees of that cup; and set the
following preliminary conditions to govern the
annual competition:
- The winners to return the Cup in good
order when required by the trustees in
order that it may be handed over to any
other team which may win it.
- Each winning team to have the club name
and year engraved on a silver ring fitted
on the Cup.
- The Cup to remain a challenge
competition and not the property of any
one team, even if won more than once.
- The trustees to maintain absolute
authority in all situations or disputes
over the winner of the Cup.
- A substitute trustee to be named in the
event that one of the existing trustees
drops out.
The first winner of the Stanley Cup was the
Montreal Amateur Athletic Association (AAA)
hockey club, champions of the Amateur Hockey
Association of Canada for 1893. Ironically,
Lord Stanley never witnessed a championship
game nor attended a presentation of his
trophy, having returned to his native England
in the midst of the 1893 season. Nevertheless,
the quest for his trophy has become one of the
world's most prestigious sporting
competitions.
EVENT PICTURES AVAILABLE
SOON AT; www.lexmtc.com
&
www.lexingtonmichigan.org
The Smackwater Block is located at 7318
Huron Ave, Lexington MI. 48450
Ph; 810-359-2791
