Avco world trophy

AVCO World Trophy Champions


The
Avco World Trophy
, also known as the
Avco Cup
, was the championship trophy of the original World Hockey Association (1972–1979). The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation (a name originally derived from "Aviation Company"), a defense contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division. The trophy was mocked by some for its corporate sponsorship and was never to develop anything approaching the significance and sentiment of the Stanley Cup, its National Hockey League rival. Still, the cup's design was often seen as creative in that it involved a freely-floating etched crystal globe embedded in the "stem" of the cup. The cup was designed by Frank Bonnerkopf of Boise, Idaho.

The trophy was donated to the new league in 1972 along with approximately $500,000 by the AVCO Financial Services Corporation, and became the first major sports league championship trophy to bear the name of a private corporation. Three AVCO trophies exist; besides the one that is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the others are in Winnipeg, Manitoba at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, and





The word seems to be that Jean-Claude Tremblay coined his own nickname, “J.C. Superstar.” If so, good for him. He was a divine defenceman in his time, playing a dashing part in five Stanley Cup championships as a Montreal Canadien in the 1960s and into the ’70s before making a leap at age 33 to the WHA in ’72. He was pencilled in that year for Team Canada’s Summit Series squad, but like Bobby Hull, he was dropped under pressure from the spoilsport NHL.

After 13 seasons in Montreal, Tremblay spun out another seven with the Quebec Nordiques, captaining the team to an AVCO World Trophy championship in 1977 and establishing himself as the league’s dominant defenceman.

“With the exception of Bobby Orr, no-one handled the puck better in his own zone,” the
Gazette
’s Red Fisher adjudged in ’72. Tremblay was, he went on, “blessed with soft hands and an uncanny ability for finding the open man for a pass.”

J.C. Tremblay died of kidney cancer on a Wednesday of yesterday’s date, December 7, 1994. He was 55.

It was earlier this fall that Mikaël Lalancette, sports director of
Le Soleil de Québec
(and Georges Vézina biographer) published a biography,
Jean-Claude Tremblay, le magici

AVCO World Trophy





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History
The AVCO World Trophy was given yearly to the championship team of the World Hockey Association (WHA). The trophy was donated to the new league in 1972 along with approximately $500,000 by the AVCO Financial Services Corporation. Thus the WHA became the only major sports league to have its championship trophy bear the name of a private corporation. There actually exist three AVCO trophies. Besides the one that is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the others reside in Nova Scotia and Winnipeg - home of the first Avco winner, the Winnipeg Jets. The Avco Trophy was retired after the WHA ceased operations in 1979. The Bobby Hull led Jets claimed the trophy on four ocassions while Gordie Howe and the Aeros won it twice.



ALL-TIME WINNERS







1978-79

Winnipeg Jets



1977-78

Winnipeg Jets



1976-77

Quebec Nordiques



1975-76

Winnipeg Jets



1974-75

Houston Aeros



1973-74

Houston Aeros



1972-73

New England Whalers