Sports

Keeper of the Cup: Blackhawks Celebrations 'Way Bigger' in 2013

Every year, Hockey Hall of Fame employees travel with the Stanley Cup to make sure it remains safe. Mike Bolt has been doing it for 14 years.

By Michael Sewall

The Stanley Cup comes to Crestwood and 115 Bourbon Street on Wednesday, but one man was actually in charge of bringing it: the "Keeper of the Cup." 

If you aren't familiar, the Hockey Hall of Fame, located in Toronto, assigns people to travel with the Stanley Cup each summer, when every hockey player, coach and organization member gets to spend a day with it doing just about whatever they want. 

Read: 
Stanley Cup Set to Appear Nearby, Find Out Where and When

Patch caught up with the Keeper of the Cup, Mike Bolt, on Wednesday in Western Springs.

Patch: How does one become a Keeper of the Cup?

Bolt: Well, like any kid growing up in Canada, I wanted to go win the Cup. But that wasn’t going to happen, so working at the Hockey Hall of Fame was the next best thing. I’ve worked there for 18 years and been handling the Cup for 14.

Patch: You must see a lot while protecting the Cup. How do the celebrations here compare to 2010?

Find out what's happening in Beverly-MtGreenwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bolt: It’s way bigger. In 2010 I expected it to be big, because of the big market here and being an Original Six team, but at the time it was the biggest I had ever been to. But with the new fan base they got in 2010, it’s just been an absolute mob scene.

Patch: What makes the Stanley Cup so special? Why haven’t other sports been able to replicate its mystique?

Find out what's happening in Beverly-MtGreenwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bolt: It’s such a magnet. It’s bigger than the players, and it’s the same trophy every year. They get it for a summer, but they don’t own it. It represents all of hockey. There’s fans of other teams that want photos with it, and I don’t think you see that in other sports. Being so old, and you can see all the names, I’m sure they can see their favorite players from growing up.

I talked to a couple of (baseball players) who said, “It’s so cool they get to drink out of it. We’re just playing for a bunch of flags.”

Patch: What is Stanley Cup etiquette? What are the rules you have to enforce?

Bolt: For the most part, they can do what they want. If he decides he wants to drink out of it, he can do that. One thing is you have to earn the right to hoist it. Really, just have fun and keep it respectful. (Blackhawks captain Jonathan) Toews just took it on a seaboat to water ski with it. In 2010, (Andrew) Ladd had it flown to the top of a mountain at 4:45 in the morning so he could get a sunrise picture with it.

Patch: What’s the most interesting place or action you’ve personally seen with the Cup?

Bolt: We took it to Afghanistan one year, which was interesting just to be in the middle of a war zone. It wasn’t after the Stanley Cup Final, it was a visit with the Hockey Hall of Fame. We played ball hockey with the troops and it was really neat. It opens up so many amazing opportunities to go different places. I just enjoy sitting back and watching the joy it brings to so many people. 

To see current and past moments with the Cup, go to the Stanley Cup Journal on the Hockey Hall of Fame website


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here