Why Is the Stanley Cup in Mario Lemieux's Swimming Pool?: How Winners Celebrate with the World's Most Famous Cup

by Kevin Allen

The Stanley Cup, steeped in tradition and lore, revered by any player to set foot on the ice, drop-kicked into a canal?!Follow the true exploits of the most celebrated of sport's trophies beyond the champagne toasts and all-star embraces. Why Is the Stanley Cup In Mario Lemieux's Swimming Pool? is a globe-trotting romp filled with surprising and often touching accounts of what really happens once hockey's greatest quest has been conquered and the celebration begins off the ice.

The prestigious trophy has held everything from beer to infants, and has been carted from Moscow's Red Square to Bob's Big Boy. Why Is The Stanley Cup In Mario Lemiuex's Swimming Pool? includes:
-- Stories of raw emotion and personal triumph, a visit to Mike Keane's one-hundred-year-old grandmother's nursing home, and a presentation by Joe Nieuwendyk to his blind professor during a reception at Cornell University
-- Raucous anecdotes of high comedy nights abandoned on street corners, visits to strip clubs, golf course hi-jinks, and a trip to the bottom of Mario Lemieux's pool. Unbelievable twenty-four-hour world travel to Sweden, Russia, and beyond, mysterious tales of the Stanley Cup ghost, and reflections from hockey's greatest of the greats -- Howe, Gretzky, Esposito, and Hull

Genres: Hockey, Sports, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is possibly one of the most unique hockey books I've ever read. The premise is to describe different players' experiences with the Stanley Cup, not their solely their experience playing for the cup but their experience with the Cup itself and what it represents. Short chapters are based on a few dozen player interviews, from New York Ranger Murray Murdoch, who at the time of writing was the oldest living Stanley Cup winner, to players from the modern day who by NHL directive each get a day with the Cup. Many of the older players interviewed seem a bit envious of the modern players and their day with the cup, but they also had their own stories to tell of the Cup, the camaraderie of their teammates, and the deep meaning that sharing a Cup win with parents, family, and long time friends. A very interesting book. A hockey book collector would be hard-pressed to find anything else quite like it.

[Evan davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the world of hockey it is usually impossible to find a good book that really captures the essence of the tradition and respect that makes up the game. Most books about hockey usually focus on one aspect of the game, but the book Why Is the Stanley Cup In Mario Lemeuix’s Swimming Pool? tells the story of hockey’s pride and joy, the Stanley Cup. The book is about the author, Kevin Allen, and his interviews with the great champions of hockey from the original six era to today’s greats, with people such as Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe, Patrick Roy, Claude Lemeuix, and many more.

It may seem like a slow read at first, but once you get past the first few parts, Kevin Allen does an excellent job of making these players into just ordinary people. There is one particular interview that the author does a great job of portraying the dedication it takes to accomplish a life goal and that is the one with Lanny Mcdonald. Lanny Mcdonald was a 17-year-old veteran who was a phenomenal scorer but he had never won a cup. That all changed in 1989 when he took the Calgary Flames to their first and only championship. During his interview, Lanny talks about how sometimes it takes a lifetime to achieve a person’s goal, and sometimes that’s not even enough, and that when you do finally win a cup it goes by so fast, you just can’t believe that it’s happened. I believe that this book would be great for any avid hockey fan or someone who just wants to learn more about the game.

[Robyn]

Strange that I never added any of my hockey books to my GoodReads account. Wonder which box I've got them stored in...

Had this since it was first released in paperback, 2001. Fun read.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid read, albeit a bit outdated, goes up to the 2001 finals. Lots of great stories though!

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most Penguins fans have probably heard the title story - but even if you have, this is an excellent read. The author talked to dozens of players and others who won the Cup, plus a few reporters who covered championship teams, and compiled their stories of what they did with the Cup into a highly readable book. (Also it is a book which is not full of spelling errors that should have been easily caught. This seems to be an issue with more and more modern books, and it irritates me. Admittedly I see this more in fiction.)

The oldest person in the book first won the Cup in 1928. So it has plenty of depth. And there are lots of great little details, like about how Bud Poile "had to put a deposit on his skates" in his first year with the Leafs. (This was in the 40s.)

My favorite parts were probably the bit about how Lanny McDonald and Joey Mullen advised the then-twentysomething Gary Roberts (currently a Penguin) and Joe Nieuwendyk to enjoy the Flames' 1989 Cup run, because this doesn't happen every year. Written in 2000: "Nieuwendyk won last year, but it took him ten years. Roberts still hasn't been back." (From page 109.)

There's also a bit about current Penguin Petr Sykora, who won the Cup with the Devils:

"Patrik Elias insisted that Petr Sykora's jersey be brought on the ice for the celebration because he had been carried off the ice on a stretcher early in the game after being walloped by Dallas defenseman Derian Hatcher's crushing hit. Sykora, Elias, and center Jason Arnott had been the Devils' top line throughout the playoffs. It was [coach Larry] Robinson who put on Sykora's jersey to honor the injured Devils warrior." [Yeah, I hate that injured warrior crap too, in a sports context. Y helo thar, overused and generally inappropriate trope!]

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stanley Cup is the greatest prize in sports. What other trophy is older, with a more glorious history? Some may say that it's not as cool because you have to give it back every year, but I say nay. Less than $50 of silver in 1893 makes the most coveted and widely traveled trophy in sports. It has been left on street corners, in car boots and swimming pools; been peed in by infants; served as jello molds and champagne glasses and a dog dish; climbed mountaintops and gone fishing and visited Lenin's tomb. The tears and kisses and hugs and unprofessional engraving jobs, the dismantling to bang out the dents left by celebrations all have contributed to the aura of coveted glory that this Cup carries.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, I was firstly drawn the title of this book. It was catchy and it definitely drew the reader in. But I was kind of disappointed while reading because most of the stories weren't about how the players celebrated with the cup but about the games and their careers. And I may have enjoyed it more if those stories were from players that I knew. But most of those types were from the early days of the NHL when Montreal was winning every year. Now when I got to the second half of the book and the stories were more what I expected them to be, I really enjoyed it!

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever wondered what players did with the cup? If you did i recommend this book. Some players had pool parties with it. Martin Brodeur organized a road hockey game and the winner got to dance with the cup. One player even let a horse drink from it. A long time ago a player chucked the cup in the late. IN the book there are many more stories like these.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked "If the Cup Could Talk" better than this book. Both are worth reading if you want to hear the stories surrounding the Cup and to find out some interesting history about it. But if you have to choose one, go with If the Cup could talk.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great history of the Stanley Cup told in anecdotes by players who have won the coveted trophy.

[Richard Mulholland · Rating 3 out of 5]

very cool toilet read.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

You definitely have to be interested in hockey to enjoy this book. I thought the way it was written was confusing at some times, but enjoyed all the player stories.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Behind the scenes with the greatest trophy in sports. The anecdotes range from hysterically funny to deeply moving. A must for any hockey fan.