Lord Stanley The Man Behind the Cup

Frederick Arthur Stanley, Lord Stanley of Preston, was Canada's sixth Governor General (1888-1893). Historians have traditionally been satisfied to draw a brief timeline of Stanley's life to serve as the man's biography. But such an oversimplified timeline does a great disservice to the stories that developed around Stanley's term as Canada's Governor General, to the man himself and, of course, to the story behind affixing his name to the Stanley Cup. Stanley possessed a strong vision and expert diplomatic skills at a time when the very existence of Canada was in question. When the aggressive policies of the US threatened war with Canada and when domestic strife began to pull apart the nation, Stanley remained loyal to Canada and aided Prime Minister John A. Macdonald in captaining the Dominion's safe passage through treacherous political waters. After witnessing a hockey game at the Montreal Winter Carnival in 1889, Lord Stanley and his family were smitten. Just as the game had made an impression on the Stanleys, conversely, the Stanleys made a terrific impact on the game. Hockey became, in large part due to the Governor General's direct stamp of approval. In 1892, Lord Stanley announced that he would donate a trophy for the amateur hockey championship of Canada. The next year, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association became the first recipients of the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, better known as the Stanley Cup. By that time, however, Lord Stanley had returned to England and assumed the family role as Earl of Derby. Yet, Lord Stanley could not have predicted the immense impact his gift to hockey would have. Young men grow up dreaming of one day hoisting the Stanley Cup in triumph and having their name inscribed on sports most cherished trophy. Still, Stanley's less-visible legacy is equally as important to the nation and rightfully deserves to be shared and celebrated.Shea, Kevin is the author of 'Lord Stanley The Man Behind the Cup', published 2007 under ISBN 9781551682815 and ISBN 1551682818.