Brunswick-Balke-Collender Cup

The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Cup was a silver trophy awarded to the American Professional Football Association. This group later became the National Football League in 1922. The cup was donated by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, which made tires. It was an early symbol of success in professional football, showing the sport's growth and importance in its early years.

History

A shiny silver cup was given to the early football league, the American Professional Football Association, later called the National Football League, by a company. It was for the team voted as the best each year. The first team to win it was the Akron Pros in 1920 after a great season.

Even though the Akron Pros won the cup, some other teams thought they should have won. Over time, the league forgot about the trophy. Many years later, they remembered the Akron Pros as the first champions. No one knows what happened to the cup after that; it was never talked about again. The only picture we have of it is from old newspaper articles.

Replacement

Starting in 1934, a new trophy called the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy was made for the championship winners. It was named after Ed Thorp, a well-known referee who passed away that year. The trophy traveled from team to team each year, and the winning team's name was added to it. Teams also got smaller copies.

For many years, people thought the last team to win this trophy was the Minnesota Vikings in 1969. But the trophy went missing. It was later found in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, and it listed all the winners up to the 1967 Packers. Since 1970, the league has given the Vince Lombardi Trophy to its champions. A new one is made every year. The Lombardi Trophy was first used in 1967 for the first Super Bowl, and it continued when the NFL joined with the American Football League.