The Seven Toughest Trophies to Win in Sports
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The Triple Crown is the most difficult sports trophy to win. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)
What would the world of sports be without its most coveted trophies? A lot less interesting, that’s for sure. Famous trophies and year-end championships are what keep many athletes competing with a fiery passion, and horse racing’s “holy grail” is the most difficult to achieve of all. Read on to see how other sports’ trophies stack up to the coveted Triple Crown.
1. Triple Crown
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
Open only to 3-year-olds, any Thoroughbred has only one shot at winning the Triple Crown in its lifetime, making it the most difficult trophy to capture in all of sports. It has only happened on 11 occasions, and not since 1978. A horse must win three races – Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes – at three different distances, at three different tracks, all in the span of five weeks. The annual quest to capture this coveted crown attracts the hearts and minds of Americans from coast to coast.
2. FIFA World Cup
Photo courtesy FIFA
Over 200 nations vigorously compete for the 32 team spots in this once-every-four-years global soccer battle. Add in the pressure of millions of eyeballs watching every step, kick and save, and one can easily understand why this is the second-toughest trophy to capture in all of sports.
3. Stanley Cup
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
A grueling eight-week playoff season where every play and every second matters. Beards are grown and superstitions rule the day. Injuries are masked as players test their physical, emotional and mental limits, all in an effort to capture and drink from this most coveted trophy in hockey.
4. Vince Lombardi Trophy
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
Speaking of pressure, the most-watched television event in America is routinely football’s Super Bowl. There is no bigger day on the sports calendar. Single elimination in the playoffs and players pushing past season-long aches and pains adds a level of excitement as teams battle for the NFL’s highest honor.
5. Commissioner’s Trophy
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
The teams with the largest payrolls are not guaranteed championships in baseball. Instead, it often comes down to pitching staffs in short series and who carries the hot bat. Small market teams have shown the propensity to advance far into the MLB playoffs.
6. Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
The quest for the coveted NBA Championship, like the NHL, can be a grueling journey of series after series. Teams must win on the road in hostile environments, and more than one superstar is needed to earn the right to hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
7. Heisman Trophy
Photo by Wikimedia Commons
The most outstanding college football player is decided on Saturdays every fall. Lately, November Saturdays carry more weight than a four-touchdown performance in early September. And it doesn’t hurt if you turn in that star November performance in prime-time against your archrival.