Dustin Brown brings Stanley Cup home to Ithaca

7/28/2012 (Updated 11:02:14 PM)

(Source: Travis Eldridge)

ITHACA, NY -- A little over a month ago the LA Kings won the Stanley Cup for the first time in their history.  The captain of that team was Dustin Brown, as Brown became the first player from Ithaca to win the Cup.  That meant supplying plenty of first looks to people from Upstate New York as he brought the Cup back to his hometown.

Thousands stood in line, all just for a second with one of the most recognizable trophies in sports.

"The Cup," said Duane Martzall, there with his family from Williamsport, PA.  "I mean how many times do you get to see this two hours from your house."

Fans waited for hours for that special moment no matter what the weather.  Despite the rain and long lines, it didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm because seeing the Stanley Cup with Dustin Brown was worth the wait for many of them.

"It doesn't matter if there was three feet of snow right now," said Shane Varricchio, standing in line with his son.  "We'd be down here doing the same thing."

"I've been waiting to see the Cup, I hope to bring it home sometime," said Eddie Baker, a youth hockey player from the area.

That was the same dream another Ithaca kid had not too long ago.

"Everyone's like how long have you been dreaming about this," Dustin Brown said. "I was like since I was five years old in my parking lot."

A dream that came true in June.  Now Brown's idolized even more than before in his hometown.  That combined with bringing the Stanley Cup back to the place where it all began makes for a reminder of where he came from.

"Seeing it today is a little bit different than seeing it the first three weeks or so amped up and excited from your emotions," said Brown. "This is a little bit more of a reflective day with it."

A day Brown, his family, his friends and most of his town, won't forget.

"I don't know if there's ever been anything like this in Ithaca, from someone from Ithaca."

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