Above From left: Edmonton Grey Cup Committee Chair Gerry Haracsi and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s Jeff McWhinney, the Keeper of the Grey Cup, pose with the iconic 114-year-old trophy. The Grey Cup was brought to Morinville by OK Tire and on display at the Napa Show & Shine in Morinville on Saturday, June 17. – Stephen Dafoe Photo
by Morinville Online Staff
The Canadian Football League (CFL) and its Official Auto and Commercial Vehicle Service and Tire Retail Partner, OK Tire, joined forces to tour the Grey Cup across Canada this summer. The iconic championship trophy made a grand entrance at the Morinville Show N’ Shine on Saturday, June 17.
Gerry Haracsi, the Edmonton Grey Cup Committee Chair, and Jeff McWhinney, the Keeper of the Grey Cup from the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, were present to talk about the Cup and pose for pictures with excited football fans.
The Grey Cup bears the names of 3,950 individuals, representing teams and players from the past century-plus of Canadian football. From the University of Toronto Varsity Blues’ victory in the inaugural game on Dec. 4, 1909, to last year’s Toronto Argonauts’ triumph, the Cup’s engravings narrate a tale of perseverance, teamwork, and the spirit of competition.
With its rich history dating back to 1909, the Grey Cup holds a special place in the hearts of football enthusiasts nationwide, and many attendees at last weekend’s Napa Show & Shine eagerly stopped by for a look and a photo with the Grey Cup.
Jeff McWhinney, the Keeper of the Grey Cup, spoke passionately about the trophy’s significance, saying, “What you see here is probably the greatest storybook that we have in Canada. We’ve got two verbs on this: Dedicated and Presented, and it has 3950 constitutions of soul and reverence. It tells us exactly what the rest of us Canadian citizens aspire to and need to uphold—the honour, the integrity, dignity, and diversity of this great nation, this great league, and this great community.”
The Cup will continue its journey, making stops at various OK Tire dealerships nationwide. The Cup will next appear during Lacombe Days on July 15.
“We’re going into our 115th year, 100th competition. We see so many really cool people that respect this. The approach, the reverence that it has been given,” expressed McWhinney. “It’s pretty cool to have these people here to respect the Cup.”
What a pleasant surprise to see the Grey Cup at this year’s Show n’ Shine. Thanks to everyone involved in making that happen. Been to five Cup games myself over the years, so the CFL holds a special spot in my heart. Also a big pat on the back to all the organizers of the car show. Great to see it back again. Looking forward to the next one.