First Lady On The Cup

Who was the first woman to have her name etched onto the Stanley Cup?

That distinction goes to Marguerite Norris, who had it inscribed in both 1954 and 1955. She became the first female executive in NHL history after her father and owner of the Detroit Red Wings, James Norris Sr, died in 1952. She stepped down after the 1955 championship, allowing brother Bruce to run the team.

Here is a picture of Marguerite celebrating the 1955 championship. That's Ted Lindsay about to give her a big kiss. Hmmm...maybe the Red Wings souring on Lindsay had more to do than his efforts to establish a player's union?

There may have been an earlier female entry on the Stanley Cup. In 1911, Lily Murphy was the husband of Bank of Ottawa president Dennis Murphy. Somehow both got their names on the Cup even though their connection to the team is curious at best. Back then players (and others, apparently) would scratch their own names on the Cup. It was not until 1924 that etching became official. And when the Cup was redone in the 1950s, the earliest names, including the Murphys, were not accepted.

Here is the complete list of women enshrined on the Stanley Cup - Lily Murphy (Ottawa, 1911), Marguerite Norris (Detroit, 1954, 1955), Sonia Scurfield (Calgary, 1989), Marie Denise DeBartolo York (Pittsburgh, 1991), Marian Ilitch (Detroit 1997, 1998, 2002), Denise Ilitch Lites (Detroit 1997, 1998, 2002), Lisa Ilitch Murray (Detroit 1997, 1998, 2002), Carole Ilitch (Detroit 1997, 1998, 2002), Marie Carnevale (New Jersey, 2000), Callie Smith (New Jersey, 2000), Charlotte Grahame (Colorado, 2001), Nancy Beard (Detroit, 2002), and Susan Samueli (Anaheim, 2007).