Blackhawks chairman Wirtz takes Cup to Vegas

As president of the Wirtz Corp. and chairman of the Chicago Blackhawks, Rocky Wirtz is certainly entitled to his time with the Stanley Cup. The man responsible for overseeing all aspects of the club's day-to-day operations, Wirtz enjoyed a two-day, three-city trip with the Cup and fit in as many activities as possible.

Just 2 years old when his grandfather Arthur Wirtz acquired the Blackhawks in 1954, Rocky started his tour in the Illinois capital of Springfield. Wirtz and the Cup spent the morning posing for photographs at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where they met with a number of elected officials, including Gov. Pat Quinn. Following the legislative reception at the Lincoln Museum, Wirtz met with members of the 183rd Fighting Wing of the Illinois National Guard.

After a series of public and private events Monday, Wirtz boarded a plane for Las Vegas. The Cup's time there started with an appearance at Nellis Air Force Base, where servicemen had a chance to pose for photographs with the most iconic trophy in sports.

Wirtz then kicked off Monday night with an invite-only event at the Gold Spike downtown before heading to a special engagement at the Bellagio on the Vegas strip.

"If I took it out of its case and placed it on the Strip, it would stop traffic," Wirtz told the Las Vegas Review Journal. "It has magnetism."

Despite a late night, the Cup had an early start planned for Tuesday. Wirtz brought the trophy to his Wirtz Beverage Group offices in Reno at 5 a.m. for a four-hour session in which Wirtz's employees enjoyed a morning with the Cup.

Wirtz later handed off the Cup to forward Brandon Bollig at St. Louis Airport.