2021-22 Gibson Cup Series
Friday, March 25 - 7:30 p.m. - Calumet Colosseum
Saturday, March 26 - 7:30 p.m. - Dee Stadium
Sunday, March 27 - 5 p.m. - Calumet Colosseum (if needed)
The Stanley Cup of the North
Hockey’s oldest rivalry is a heated battle that dates back to the first decade of the 1900s, and the Gibson Cup is the ultimate showcase of that time-tested rivalry. The Portage Lake Pioneers and Calumet Wolverines in a best-of-three winner-takes-all series featuring hard-hitting fast-paced fisticuffs-filled old-time hockey.
Third Oldest Trophy in U.S. Hockey
The Stanley Cup is awarded to the best hockey players in the world. It’s the oldest trophy in hockey. It was made in 1893. The MacNaughton Cup is awarded to the highest achieving team in college hockey’s most historic conference. It was made in 1913.
The Gibson Cup highlight’s hockey’s oldest rivalry. It’s been awarded nearly every year since its creation in 1939.
The Cup is named after Doctor John L. Gibson, who was a player-coach and leading scorer for the Portage Lake teams from 1900 to 1905 including the World's Champion Hockey Portage Lake Hockey team in 1904. Gibson then helped organize the World's first Professional Hockey League with 5 teams playing 3 seasons 1904-07: the Portage Lakes, Calumet, Soo America, Soo Canada and Pittsburg. Gibson was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.
Champions Immortalized
The list of players who’ve raised the Gibson Cup is a who’s-who of hockey in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and upper Midwest. That includes greats like Mike, Tony and Joe Bukovich, Paul Lehto, Bruce Coppo, Doug Hembroff, Bob Mikesch, Don Miller, Leo, Andre and Daron Durocher and Pete Rouleau.
Wins by team
Portage Lake – 25
Calumet – 17
Sault St. Marie, MI – 4
Sault St. Marie, ON - 1
Marquette – 1
Green Bay – 1
Escanaba – 1
See List of Winners
Born Rivals in Beautiful Barns
Portage Lake Pioneers
Formed: 1899
Located: Houghton, Michigan
Arena: Dee Stadium, originally built in 1902 and rebuilt in 1927
Website: portagelakepioneers.com
Calumet Wolverines
Formed: 1901
Located: Calumet, Michigan
Arena: Calumet Colosseum, built in 1913
Website: calumetwolverines.com
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Special thanks to Connie Julien and Bob Erkkila for their research into the history of this trophy, including a full list of former Gibson Cup champions. Every bit of historic data on this website was compiled by those two on a volunteer basis to highlight the rich hockey history in Michigan’s Copper Country. Learn more about their research at cchockeyhistory.org.
Please consider donating money to keep their website up and thank them for the work they’ve done.
Since 2011 K-Bear 102 has been bringing the Gibson Cup into your radio and broadcasting the series across the world through the station’s website, kbear102.com.
Stick tap to Megan Lang for designing the Gibson Cup logo and Gowtham for sharing all of the recent photos on this website of hockey’s oldest rivalry.
Join the conversation about the Gibson Cup by using the hashtag #GibsonCup on all of your favorite social media websites.
© 2022 Gibson Cup
