Trophies Associated With Sports

Professional athletes in the modern era have the opportunity to earn a sizable salary -- one that allows them to live comfortably after they retire -- but it is not money by which they are remembered. The success of an athlete is measured by his or her achievements, such as record-breaking performances and trophies won.

  1. Stanley Cup

    • The Stanley Cup is awarded to the winner of the National Hockey League playoffs each year. It was donated by Lord Stanley of Preston in 1892 and is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes in North America. The names of each player on the winning team are engraved into the trophy, which stands at 35.25 inches tall and weighs 34.5 pounds.

    FIFA World Cup Trophy

    • The FIFA World Cup Trophy is awarded to the winners of the soccer World Cup, which is held every four years. The FIFA World Cup Trophy was introduced in 1974 to replace the Jules Rimet Trophy, which was permanently awarded to Brazil in 1970 after it became the first nation to win the tournament three times.

    Vince Lombardi Trophy

    • The Vince Lombardi Trophy is awarded annually to the winner of the Super Bowl. Originally known as the World Championship Game Trophy, the trophy was renamed for the legendary Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi, after his death in 1970. Lombardi led the Packers to the first two Super Bowl titles in 1967 and 1968.

    Larry O'Brien Trophy

    • The Larry O'Brien Trophy is awarded each year to the winners of the National Basketball Association playoffs. The NBA Championship Trophy was introduced in 1978 before being renamed in 1984 after former NBA Commissioner Larry O'Brien. The trophy weighs just under 16 pounds and is approximately two feet tall. A new trophy is created each year by Tiffany & Co. Silver Shop.

    Commissioner's Trophy

    • The Commissioner's Trophy is awarded each year to Major League Baseball's World Series champions. The trophy was first awarded in 1967 following the St. Louis Cardinals defeat of the Boston Red Sox. The trophy features 30 flags -- one for each team in the league -- and is made from sterling silver. It is the only trophy of the four major sports leagues in the United States that is not named after someone.

    Other Major Trophies

    • The Claret Jug is awarded to the winner of the British Open in golf, while the William Webb Ellis Trophy goes to the winner of the Rugby Union World Cup. The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the best player in college football, while the top-rated college basketball player receives the James Naismith Trophy.