There is one that is conspicuously missing from the trophy cases at Spaulding. It’s the one that is much older and decidedly different than the four others awarded during a string of state championships that started in 1961 and didn’t end until 1964.

In a pinch it could be used as a punch bowl and while its silver plate might be tarnished, the words “Permanent Trophy” are engraved below the lip of a now 93-year-old cup that was passed from school to school for 41 years before a Mike Calevro-led Crimson Tide team claimed it for good by completing Vermont high school basketball’s first-ever three-peat in 1963.

That’s when the rotating trophy, which was minted by the University of Vermont and began circulating in 1922, was officially retired. It’s also when the words “Permanent Trophy” were engraved above “University of Vermont” and a medallion featuring the Vermont state seal was placed on the face of the cup that was supposed to be Spaulding’s to keep.

Now the cup is missing and has been since at least 2011 when some members of the Class of 1961 noticed during their 50th reunion that it wasn’t with the others from that same time period.

So began the case of the missing trophy — the “trophy case,” if you will — that has some alumni now offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the recovery of the cup they initially thought might have been misplaced, but are now convinced was stolen. Link to full article