The Minto Cup is awarded annually to the champion junior men's

box lacrosse Box lacrosse, also known as boxla, box, or indoor lacrosse, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in the 1930s in Canada, where it is more popular than field lacrosse. Lacrosse is Canada's officia ...

team of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. The 2023 competition is in Edmonton, Alberta, from August 20–27. It was donated in 1901 by the

Governor General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

, Lord Minto. Originally restricted to amateurs, within three years the first under-the-table professional teams were already competing for it. After 1904, with efforts to keep the professionals out of competition proving to be futile, it was made open to all challengers. The last ''successful'' amateur challenge came in 1908 when New Westminster Salmonbellies won it; the last amateur challenge was made in 1913 by Vancouver Athletic Club. This would be the only time in Canadian lacrosse history when the Mann Cup champions (Vancouver) faced the Minto Cup champions (New Westminster) head-to-head – with the silverware (Minto) going to the winner. With the professionals essentially in control of the cup by 1910, the newly inaugurated

Mann Cup The Mann Cup is the trophy awarded to the senior men's box lacrosse champions of Canada. The championship is a best-of-seven, East vs West series played between the league champions of Major Series Lacrosse, the East, and Western Lacrosse Associat ...

became the replacement for the senior men's national amateur championship. The Minto Cup professional competition was dominated by the

New Westminster Salmonbellies The New Westminster Salmonbellies are a Men's Senior 'A' lacrosse team located in New Westminster, BC. Their home arena is Queen's Park Arena. They compete as part of the Western Lacrosse Association and have won the Mann Cup 24 times, most ...

, who held the trophy for 21 of the 29 years in which it was contested (the competition was suspended during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

). 1924 was the last year professionals played for the Minto Cup—after the Coast professional league folded in June 1924, it was then placed into storage and for a time lost and forgotten when the last trustee died. The trophy was located just prior to the 1938 junior competition, underneath a desk in his office. During the trophy's period of inactivity, there were suggestions to make the Minto Cup an international championship trophy. In 1934 the last trustee appointed to supervise the Cup died, and the Lord Minto of the day eventually transferred it to the

Canadian Lacrosse Association Lacrosse Canada (), formerly the Canadian Lacrosse Association, founded in 1867, is the governing body of lacrosse in Canada. It conducts national junior and senior championship tournaments for men and women in both field and box lacrosse. There ...

, which decided to award it as the trophy for the national junior men's champion, starting in 1937. Originally, the competition was between all-star provincial teams formed by adding players to the provincial champion. In 1960 this practice was abandoned and the trophy has since been competed for by the Junior A provincial champions of

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

of the British Columbia Junior A Lacrosse League,

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

of the

Ontario Junior A Lacrosse League The Ontario Junior Lacrosse League (OJLL) is considered the most competitive Junior A men's box lacrosse league in the world and the number one source for talent for the National Lacrosse League (NLL). The OJLL is sanctioned by the Ontario Lacros ...

and recently Alberta, of the RMLL the only provinces where organized lacrosse thrives.

Champions

Senior Amateur Champions (1901–1903)

* 1901 Ottawa Capitals - defeated Cornwall Lacrosse Club * 1901

Montreal Shamrocks The Montreal Shamrocks were an amateur, later professional, and then amateur again men's ice hockey club in existence from 1886 to 1924, based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They were spun off from the Montreal Shamrocks lacrosse club. Starting off ...

- defeated Cornwall Lacrosse Club and Vancouver YMCA * 1902 Montreal Shamrocks - won cup through league play; defeated New Westminster Salmonbellies * 1903 Montreal Shamrocks - defeated Brantford Lacrosse Club

Professional/Senior Champions (1904–1908)

* 1904 Montreal Shamrocks - won cup through league play * 1905 Montreal Shamrocks - defeated St. Catharines Athletics * 1906 Montreal Shamrocks - defeated Souris (Manitoba) * 1906 Ottawa Capitals - defeated Toronto Tecumsehs * 1907 Montreal Shamrocks - won cup through league play * 1908

- defeated Montreal Shamrocks and Ottawa Capitals

Professional Champions (1909–1924)

* 1909 New Westminster Salmonbellies - defeated Regina Capitals and Toronto Tecumsehs * 1910

- defeated Montreal Lacrosse Club and Montreal Nationals * 1911

Vancouver Lacrosse Club The Vancouver Lacrosse Club was a Canadian professional field lacrosse team in Vancouver, British Columbia during the 1910s and the 1920s. The team was managed by sports promoter Con Jones and played at the Callister Park, Con Jones Park (later re ...

- defeated New Westminster and Toronto Tecumsehs * 1912 New Westminster Salmonbellies - defeated Cornwall * 1913 New Westminster Salmonbellies - defeated Vancouver Athletic Club * 1914 New Westminster Salmonbellies - won by default * 1915 New Westminster Salmonbellies - defeated Vancouver Lacrosse Club * 1916 ''no competition'' * 1917 ''no competition'' * 1918 Vancouver "Greenshirts" - claim disputed by New Westminster * 1919 New Westminster Salmonbellies - defeated Vancouver Terminals * 1920 Vancouver Terminals - defeated New Westminster * 1921 New Westminster Salmonbellies defeated Vancouver Terminals * 1922 New Westminster Salmonbellies defeated Vancouver Terminals * 1924 New Westminster Salmonbellies - won by default * 1925–1936 ''no competition for trophy; placed in storage by Trustee (New Westminster Salmonbellies claims the titles for these years of non-competition)''

Junior Champions (1937–Present)

* 1937

Orillia Orillia () is a city in Ontario, Canada, about 30 km (18 mi) north-east of Barrie in Simcoe County. It is located at the confluence of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. Although it is geographically located within Simcoe County, the city is a Lis ...

Terriers - defeated Vancouver Burrard Bluebirds * 1938 Mimico Mountaineers - defeated Richmond-Point Grey Juniors * 1939 no decision * 1940 Ontario All-Stars - defeated British Columbia All-Stars * 1941–1946, no competition * 1947 St. Catharines Athletics - defeated Vancouver Burrard BC All-Stars * 1948

Vancouver Burrards Vancouver Burrards Senior Lacrosse Club has been the name of several lacrosse teams in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Currently, the Club consists of three teams in Senior B, Senior C, and Intermediate B lacrosse; the Junior B team suspended ...

- defeated St. Catharines Athletics * 1949 Vancouver Norburn Eagletime - defeated Ontario All-Stars * 1950 St. Catharines Athletics - defeated Vancouver Burrard BC All-Stars * 1951 Mimico Mountaineers - defeated Manitoba All-Stars * 1952

Brampton Brampton is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario, and the regional seat of the Regional Municipality of Peel. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#L ...

Excelsiors - defeated Vancouver Kerrisdale BC All-Stars * 1953 New Westminster Salmonacs - defeated Long Branch Monarchs * 1954 Vancouver PNE Junior Indians - defeated Manitoba All-Stars * 1955 Long Branch Monarchs - defeated Manitoba All-Stars * 1956 Mount Pleasant (Vancouver) No.177 Legionnaires - defeated Brampton Excelsiors * 1957 Brampton ABC's - defeated Victoria Shamrocks * 1958 Brampton ABC's - defeated Victoria Shamrocks * 1959 Brampton ABC's - defeated New Westminster Salmonbellies * 1960

- defeated Whitby Red Wings * 1961

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

Legionnaires - defeated Burnaby Norburns * 1962

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

Shamrocks - defeated Brampton Armstrongs

References

{{reflist

External links

2018 Minto Cup2023 Minto Cup
Lacrosse competitions in Canada