President Obama Welcomes Lord Stanley to White House

It was a great day for the Pittsburgh Penguins this week when President Obama welcomed the 2009 Stanley Cup winners to the White House. Their 21 year old Canadian team captain is Sidney Crosby of Nova Scotia. The cup was originally the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup, and was donated in 1892, by then Governor General of Canada Lord Stanley of Preston.

It is nice to see a Canadian institution such as the Stanley Cup return to the White House. This isn't the first time it has made a visit. When it is not travelling, the Cup can be found at rest in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. History buffs will recall that Governor-General Sir George Prevost of Canada called for the burning of the White House in 1814. This successful attack on Washington was considered a victory during the War of 1812, when the US was at war with the British Empire. The attacking contingent later became Canada in 1867.