Stanley Cup Makes Brief Return To Pittsburgh
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Stanley Cup made a pit stop in Pittsburgh Tuesday. It's just one stop along a long tour to promote the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Cup arrived in large box on wheels filled with cushioned blue velvet.
"It's really to protect the Cup when it travels on the airlines. It's form fitted," said Howie Borrow, Keeper of the Cup.
Borrow landed the dream job in 2010. Now, he travels with the Stanley Cup to public events and appearances more than 150 days a year.
"The Cup itself is 35 pounds, but with the case the total weight is 95 pounds," he said.
It's insured for $1.5 million, but Borrow said he thinks it's invaluable.
"I started working at the Hall of Fame in 2004 as a volunteer, then I started working some part-time weekends and then started traveling with some other trophies and then in 2010, I started as Cup keeper," he said.
He only handles the Cup wearing white gloves and continuously works to keep it clean.
"Once at least, maybe twice a day, to take off the finger prints to keep it shiny so it looks good for the cameras and for the kids," Borrow said.
This year, they will retire one of the sterling silver bands into the Hall of Fame, making room for more winning team names to be added.
"They're going to remove this top band here and they'll move it all up one level so they have room to put on a blank band," said Borrow. "The one that they remove is retired to the Hall of Fame and they'll do that again in 13 years."
Borrow said his next stops with the Cup include Minneapolis and Nashville.
Fans hope the Cup winds up back in Pittsburgh for a third straight year.
