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The Avco World Trophy was the championship trophy of the original World Hockey Association ( 1972 - 1979 ). The trophy's Naming Rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation (a name originally derived from "Aviation Company"), a defence contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division. The trophy was mocked in many circles and was never to develop anything approaching the significance and sentiment of its National Hockey League comparison, considering the age and prestige of the Stanley Cup . The Avco Trophy in fact may have been most famous, or perhaps infamous, in its absence. When the New England Whalers won the league's inugural championship in 1973 the trophy had not yet been completed, and the Whalers were forced to "skate" their divisional championship trophy around the ice surface, much to the embarrassment of the WHA office. The AVCO World Trophy was given yearly to the championship team of the World Hockey Association (WHA). The trophy was donated to the new league in 1972 along with approximately $500,000 by the AVCO Financial Services Corporation. Thus the WHA became the only major sports league to have its championship trophy bear the name of a private corporation. There actually exist three AVCO trophies. Besides the one that is on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame, the others reside in Nova Scotia and Winnipeg. The Avco Trophy was retired after the WHA ceased operations in 1979. The Bobby Hull led Jets claimed the trophy on three ocassions while Gordie Howe and the Aeros won it twice. The cup was a trophy developed by Frank Bonnerkopf of Boise, Idaho. He won the contract for creating the trophy after he decorated the Avco CEO's home. One of the remaining Cups can be found in the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in Halifax . Avco World Trophy winners
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