Trophies Unplugged

Some trophies are more than just symbols of victory - they carry tales of passion, perseverance, and
history. From unique designs to extraordinary journeys, these awards hold secrets waiting to be
discovered. Join Anwesha Gogoi, AIS Gurugram 43, X B, as she unearths these mysteries.

FIFA World cup trophy 1974

 Designer: Silvio Gazzaniga, Italian sculptor
Awarded for: Winning the football tournament
Appearance: It depicts two athletes holding up the Earth, symbolising sportsmanship, fair play and global unity.
Fascinating titbits: The winning team’s name and the year are inscribed on the base of the trophy, in the team’s native tongue. With space for five more winners, it will be filled by 2038. The original FIFA World Cup trophy was permanently awarded to Brazil in 1970 after they won the tournament three times. Unfortunately, it was stolen in 1983 and was never recovered.

The Grammy Awards 1959

Designer: John Billings, Colorado-based craftsman
Awarded for: Outstanding achievements in the music industry
Appearance: Originally known as Gramophone Award, the gold-plated trophy is shaped like a gramophone, an old-fashioned record player.
Fascinating titbits: The trophies that are given at the award ceremonies are actually props, which are re-used each year for the ceremony broadcast. Winners get their real trophies later, with their names engraved on a brass plate at the bottom.

Wimbledon championship trophy 1887

Designer: Elkington & Co, Birmingham
Awarded for: Winning the Gentlemen’s Singles Tennis Championship at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London
Appearance: The cup, made of silver gilt, has a classical style with two traditional handles and detailed engraving, along with a lid topped with a pineapple.
Fascinating titbits: Pineapple was a symbol of luxury and hospitality in the Victorian era. The All England Club saw Wimbledon as equally prestigious and fitting for such symbolism, thus adorning the trophy with a pineapple. This iconic trophy remains in the possession of the All England Club, and winners are presented with a replica bearing their name.

The Oscar statuette 1929

Designer: Cedric Gibbons, American art director
Awarded for: Excellence in the global film industry
Appearance: The Oscar statuette, made of solid bronze and plated with 24-karat gold, depicts a knight holding a crusader's sword atop a film reel. Its five spokes represent the Academy's original branches: actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers.
Fascinating titbits: Until 1939, the Academy Awards were called the Academy Awards of Merit. The name ‘Oscar’ is said to have originated when Academy executive Margaret Herrick remarked that the statue resembled her Uncle Oscar, a nickname that stuck and gained popularity.

The Ashes urn 1882

Designer: Unknown
Awarded for: Winning the Ashes (Men’s Test cricket series played biennially between England and Australia)
Appearance: The Ashes urn, a mere 11-cm tall, is believed to hold the ashes of a bail, ball, or stump, symbolising ‘ashes of English cricket’ after England’s defeat to Australia at The Oval in 1882.
Fascinating titbits: As per a 1908 report in the ‘Hobart Mercury’, a group of Melbourne ladies presented this ‘tiny silver urn’ to Ivo Bligh, the captain of the English touring team after the team’s crushing defeat in 1882. Both teams now compete for a replica urn, while the original remains at the MCC Museum at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London.