Art Potter
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Arthur Thomas Potter (August 8, 1909January 19, 1998) was a Canadian
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
administrator. He was president of the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...
(CAHA) from 1962 to 1964, and oversaw the establishment of a permanent
Canada men's national ice hockey team The Canada men's national ice hockey team (popularly known as Team Canada; french: Équipe Canada) is the ice hockey team representing Canada inter ...
after he decided that sending the reigning
Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...
champion to international competitions was no longer the answer. He felt that Canada needed discipline to handle
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tactics and propaganda at the
Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annua ...
, sought to give its best players to develop as a team, and supported a plan by Father David Bauer to assemble a team of amateur student athletes to complete at the
1964 Winter Olympics The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games (german: IX. Olympische Winterspiele) and commonly known as Innsbruck 1964 ( bar, Innschbruck 1964, label=Austro-Bavarian), was a winter multi-sport event which was celebr ...
. Potter was against the increasing influence of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) into amateur hockey, and blamed
minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
professional teams for the decline the
senior ice hockey Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition. There are no age restrictions for Senior players, who typically consist of those whose Junior eligibility has expired. Senior hockey leagues operate under the jurisdict ...
and loss of prestige for the Allan Cup. He wanted to keep players in
junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
as long as possible, and favoured the revised NHL Amateur Draft agreement to financially support junior hockey which ended the direct sponsorship of teams by the NHL. He had multiple disagreements with coach
Hap Emms Leighton Alfred Emms (January 12, 1905 – October 23, 1988) was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, team owner, and general manager, during nearly 60 years in hockey. Emms played 17 seasons of professional hockey as a left winger and a defenc ...
during two
Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
finals, suspended radio announcers for comments that he felt were detrimental to the game, sought rules to sanction teams and individuals who abused on-ice officials or the CAHA, and advocated using a three-man officiating system to reduce incidents. Potter was an executive for the
Alberta Amateur Hockey Association Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territ ...
from 1943 to 1959, including seven years as vice-president and four years as president, and previously served as president of the Edmonton and District Hockey Association. He had been a lifelong volunteer to organize
minor ice hockey Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...
, was elected to four terms as chairman of the Edmonton Recreation Board and assisted in the planning and construction of the South Edmonton Sports Centre. He was known as "Mr. Hockey" in
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
and was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame. He received the
Canadian Centennial Medal The Canadian Centennial Medal (french: Médaille du centenaire du Canada) is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were ...
in 1967, was inducted into the builder category of the
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, dedicated to the preservation and history of sports within the province. It was created in 1957 by the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union (AAAU). The museum ...
in 1968, and was part of the inaugural class of inductees into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.


Early life and Edmonton hockey

Arthur Thomas Potter was born on August 8, 1909, in
Ramsgate Ramsgate is a seaside resort, seaside town in the district of Thanet District, Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century. In 2001 it had a population of about 40,000. In 2011, according to t ...
, Kent, England. He was the youngest of five children to Annie and George Potter, the latter who worked as a
blacksmith A blacksmith is a metalsmith who creates objects primarily from wrought iron or steel, but sometimes from #Other metals, other metals, by forging the metal, using tools to hammer, bend, and cut (cf. tinsmith). Blacksmiths produce objects such ...
. They departed
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
aboard SS ''Laurentic'' on April 30, immigrated to Canada at
Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
on May 8, 1910, then settled in
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
, Alberta. As an 18-year-old in 1927, Potter began coaching the Edmonton Elites
junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...
team. He also volunteered as a convenor for the Edmonton Junior Hockey League in which the team played. During three seasons in the league, the Elites won the city's playoffs championship in 1928, and were playoffs finalists in 1927 and 1929. For five seasons from 1929 to 1933, Potter managed the Edmonton Poolers while
Barney Stanley Russell "Barney" Stanley (June 1, 1893 – May 16, 1971) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played for the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) and the Calgary Tigers, Regina Capitals and Edmont ...
coached the team. Their team included future
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) players
Mac Colville Matthew Lamont "Mac" Colville (January 8, 1916 – May 27, 2003) was a professional ice hockey right winger. He played for the New York Rangers between 1935 and 1947, winning the Stanley Cup in 1940. A native of Edmonton, Alberta, he was brother ...
,
Neil Colville Neil McNeil Colville (August 4, 1914 – December 26, 1987) was a professional ice hockey player. Born in Edmonton, Alberta, he played for the New York Rangers in the National Hockey League with his brother Mac, winning the Stanley Cup in 1940. ...
,
Louis Trudel Armand Louis Napoleon Trudel (July 21, 1912 – March 19, 1971) was an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey player. Early life Trudel was born in Salem, Massachusetts to Canadian parents who had moved there from Montreal. When he was a ...
and Art Wiebe; and won the juvenile age group championship for
minor ice hockey Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from cla ...
in Alberta in 1930. Potter remained involved as the director for the midget and juvenile age groups in Edmonton, and served continuously in the role until the 1942–43 season. The age groups played all of their games on outdoor
ice rinks An ice rink (or ice skating rink) is a frozen body of water and/or an artificial sheet of ice created using hardened chemicals where people can ice skate or play winter sports. Ice rinks are also used for exhibitions, contests and ice shows. The ...
, had grown to exceed 200 players by 1941, and Potter hoped to further expand the groups be encouraging participation from the towns surrounding Edmonton. Potter was elected vice-president of the Edmonton and District Hockey Association (EDHA) in October 1943, then served as its president for four seasons beginning in October 1944. The EDHA grew to include teams from
Red Deer The red deer (''Cervus elaphus'') is one of the largest deer species. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of wes ...
in junior hockey, and expanded its minor hockey program to include a bantam age group. Potter and the EDHA sought to have a greater influence on hockey in Alberta, and perceived a lack of organization of hockey in Southern Alberta due to the failure to meet deadlines for provincial playoffs. Potter was named a director of the Edmonton Junior Hockey League for the 1945–46 season. He and fellow league executives hired local baseball executive
John Ducey John Joseph Ducey (born January 21, 1969) is an American actor who has appeared in over 20 television shows, mainly sitcoms. Early life Ducey was born in Endwell, New York and graduated from Seton Catholic Central High School in 1987. He was an ...
as a public relations director to promote junior hockey when
senior ice hockey Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition. There are no age restrictions for Senior players, who typically consist of those whose Junior eligibility has expired. Senior hockey leagues operate under the jurisdict ...
was growing in Edmonton. The junior league suspended operations after the season, and the EDHA established a new city league including a combination of senior, intermediate and junior hockey teams. Potter sat on a committee to establish a sports and recreation council for Edmonton, and felt the proposed body should aim to support and promote sports organizations rather than be simply a neutral administration. The council supported a proposal for a C$100,000 artificial ice rink for minor ice hockey, and Potter sat on the committee to have the facility designed and built. He retired as EDHA president in September 1948 to focus on organizing hockey at the provincial level.


Alberta Amateur Hockey Association


Vice-president

Potter was elected vice-president of the
Alberta Amateur Hockey Association Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territ ...
(AAHA) in May 1948.; He served seven one-year terms until 1955; and oversaw the Northern Alberta playoffs each season for intermediate level senior hockey, and the bantam, midget, juvenile age groups in minor hockey. The AAHA sought to increase registration in minor hockey and began paying the travel costs for teams during provincial playoffs, and reached its greatest number of players registered by the 1952–53 season. At the 1949 general meeting, the AAHA contemplated combining the best players from the Edmonton Junior Hockey League into a
Western Canada Junior Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
(WCJHL) team. An Edmonton team was formed for the 1950–51 season, but was denied entry since the WCJHL had already made its schedule. In response, the AAHA threatened not to sanction the other four Alberta-based teams in the league, but recanted and sought exhibition games for the Edmonton team. When players from Edmonton were added to the rosters of WCJHL teams, Potter stated that the players had not been released and faced suspension for not honouring commitments. After the players returned, Potter announced the team would be known as the
Edmonton Oil Kings The Edmonton Oil Kings are a major junior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that play in the Western Hockey League. As of July 2008, they are owned by Daryl Katz's Oilers Entertainment Group, which also owns the Edmonton Oilers. ...
and play an exhibition schedule versus WCJHL teams. Potter led initiatives to organize the Northern Alberta Intermediate Hockey League in 1948, and became secretary of the Western Canada intermediate hockey committee to organize inter-provincial playoffs. Intermediate hockey teams in Alberta included the
Edmonton Mercurys The Edmonton Mercurys ("Mercurys", "Mercs") were an intermediate-level senior ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada during the 1940s and 1950s. The team represented the Canada men's national ice hockey team twice, and won the ...
who won the 1950 Ice Hockey World Championships,; and the
Lethbridge Maple Leafs The Lethbridge Maple Leafs were, at times, a senior, intermediate, and junior ice hockey team that operated out of Lethbridge, Alberta. They are best known for winning the 1951 World Ice Hockey Championships. The Maple Leafs were a men's senior ic ...
who won the 1951 Ice Hockey World Championships. Potter chaired the committee that organized the victory parade in Edmonton for the Mercurys. Alberta had been without top-tier senior hockey since 1950, after its two
Western Canada Senior Hockey League The Western Canada Senior Hockey League was a senior ice hockey league that played six seasons in Alberta and Saskatchewan, from 1945 to 1951. The league produced the 1946 Allan Cup and the 1948 Allan Cup champions, and merged into the Pacific Coas ...
teams joined the
Alexander Cup The Alexander Cup was the championship trophy for the Major Series of senior ice hockey in the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1950 to 1954. The trophy was presented by its namesake, the Viscount Alexander as the 17th Governor General of ...
Major Series, then became professional. Potter blamed the increase of
minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
professional hockey for the decline the senior hockey in Alberta. In October 1951, he and the AAHA upgraded the intermediate teams to A-level and B-level senior teams, which allowed the A-level teams to compete in the national
Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the national senior amateur men's ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. The current champions are the ...
playoffs.


President

Potter was elected president of the AAHA on November 14, 1955. and served four seasons in the position. He wanted to see more children playing the game for fun, advocated for shorter schedules, and felt that the game in general had become too physical. He wanted to see more temporary outdoor ice rinks constructed to meet the seasonal demands of minor hockey and recommended that rinks be located at schools if public parks had no available space. Potter felt that "professional money adruined amateur hockey", and that the NHL changed the game into a big business. He wanted to spread out junior hockey talent and see fewer players controlled by professional interests concentrated on a small group of teams. He also urged for smaller towns to focus on producing their own talent through minor hockey, instead of trying to import better players by offering money. Potter aired several grievances of the AAHA at the 1956
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...
(CAHA) general meeting. He was opposed to the NHL making professionals out of players who were still eligible for junior ice hockey. He argued that the loss of best players in Western Canada exacerbated the imbalance of
Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League, a consortium of three major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tournament played between t ...
competition against stronger Eastern Canada teams, and that fewer talented players led to decreased attendance and ticket revenues in Alberta. In September 1956, Bill Hunter claimed that he could rightfully sell players as the owner of the
Medicine Hat Tigers The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) who play in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Divis ...
. Potter disagreed that any junior team owned its players, nor had the right to sell them to another team, and compared it to slavery. He warned that proper transfers must be completed to change teams, and that players could be suspended if an agreement was not honoured to play for a team. He was also opposed to any amateur sport club which attempted to restrict its athletes from playing an additional amateur sport. He stated that the athlete had the right to choose, and would be supported by the AAHA and the CAHA. Alberta was without any senior hockey level teams in 1956. The AAHA then divided its intermediate hockey level into tiers to allow for the inclusion of teams from smaller towns and leagues composed entirely of industrial employees. In August 1957, Potter appealed to the CAHA that Allan Cup competition be opened up to intermediate level teams strengthened by additional players. He wanted to see more branches of the CAHA to enter teams, rather than only the senior teams in Ontario in British Columbia. As of the 1958 Allan Cup, the CAHA allowed intermediate level teams outside of Ontario in British Columbia to add six players to their rosters to enter the national playoffs. Potter stepped down as president in November 1958, and had continuously served on the AAHA executive from 1943 to 1959 as either a director, the vice-president or the president.


Canadian Amateur Hockey Association


Vice-president

Potter was elected second vice-president of the CAHA on May 21, 1959. He oversaw the distribution of $80,000 in grants towards development of minor hockey in Canada, and the implementation of mandatory
goaltender mask A goaltender mask, commonly referred to as a goalie mask, is a mask worn by goaltenders in a variety of sports to protect the head and face from injury from the ball or puck, as they constantly face incoming shots on goal. Some sports requiring th ...
s. In January and February 1960, he chaperoned the
Soviet Union men's national ice hockey team The Soviet national ice hockey team was the national men's ice hockey team of the Soviet Union. From 1954, the team won at least one medal each year at either the Ice Hockey World Championships ...
on their tour of Western Canada. He credited the team for being able to beat Canada in hockey and described the players as, "smart, clean-living and interested in finding out more about Canada". He oversaw scheduling for the 1960 Allan Cup in Western Canada, ruled that Saskatchewan too late in declaring a champion to participate in the playoffs, then changed his mind and scheduled an abbreviated series. Potter was elected first vice-president in May 1960, and served two one-year terms. He was in change of the 1961 Memorial Cup playoffs in Western Canada and the final championship series. During the Western Canada final between the Winnipeg Rangers and the Edmonton Oil Kings, Potter assessed 10-minute misconduct penalties to five players and ordered them to begin the third game of the series in the
penalty box The penalty box or sin bin (sometimes called the bad box, or simply bin or box) is the area in ice hockey, rugby union, rugby league, roller derby and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offence not ...
. The ''
Winnipeg Free Press The ''Winnipeg Free Press'' (or WFP; founded as the ''Manitoba Free Press'') is a daily (excluding Sunday) broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It provides coverage of local, provincial, national, and international news, as well as ...
'' described the decision as "an unusual scene" and that it had resulted from an on-ice stick-swinging brawl during game two of the series. He scheduled the championship series at the
Edmonton Gardens The Edmonton Gardens was the first indoor hockey arena built in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was originally built as Edmonton Stock Pavilion in 1913, and held 5,200 spectators after its 1966 renovations. It was home to the World Hockey Associat ...
, which became the first time that Edmonton hosted the Memorial Cup finals. Potter served as chairman of the resolutions committee which handled recommendations to update the
ice hockey rules Ice hockey rules define the parameters of the sport of ice hockey. The sport is governed by several organizations including the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the National Hockey League (NHL), Hockey Canada, USA Hockey and others. ...
and CAHA by-laws. The CAHA chose consistent usage of a three-man officiating system including a referee and two linesmen for inter-provincial playoffs, instead of each branch choosing its preferred system. Potter favoured the change and felt that junior hockey had become too fast for the two-referee system without linesmen. The CAHA agreed that the reigning Allan Cup champion was the best choice to represent Canada in international hockey, but debated future participation due to financial struggles and the perceived lack of co-operation from ice hockey promoters in accessing profits from European tours. Potter attended the 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships in Colorado where Canada placed a disappointing second, which led to calls for a new method of selecting the national team.


President


First term


=Domestic hockey

= Potter was elected president of the CAHA to succeed
Jack Roxburgh John Maxwell Roxburgh (February 14, 1901February 27, 1975) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator and politician. He organized minor ice hockey in his hometown of Simcoe, Ontario, co-founded the Ontario Juvenile Hockey Association in 1934, and ...
on May 25, 1962.; Potter and the CAHA introduced the magazine ''Hockey Canada'' in September 1962, to be published about amateur hockey in Canada, and made available by subscription to all registered players and organizations. Potter denied reports in
The Canadian Press The Canadian Press (CP; french: La Presse canadienne, ) is a Canadian national news agency headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Established in 1917 as a vehicle for the time's Canadian newspapers to exchange news and information, The Canadian Pre ...
that Quebec hockey officials were upset about increased fees and a decrease in minor hockey registrations. The ''Edmonton Journal'' later reported that minor hockey groups in Alberta were opposed to the magazine and it being touted as a mandatory fee. The CAHA ended publication of ''Hockey Canada'' after nine issues, due to fewer than expected subscriptions and multiple branches complaining about the added costs. In November 1962, the CAHA sought funding from the
Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...
via the National Advisory Council of Physical Fitness and Amateur Sports, to establish a national training program for coaches and managers who volunteered for an amateur hockey team. Potter felt university instructors would be best suited for training volunteers on how to teach hockey fundamentals to minor hockey players, and that the government would contribute since hockey aligned with the council's objectives of promoting citizenship, character and physical fitness.
Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is a Junior 'A' ice hockey league operating in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan and one of nine member leagues of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Open to North American-born players 20 years of ...
(SJHL) commissioner
Frank Boucher François Xavier Boucher (October 7, 1901 – December 12, 1977) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. Boucher played the forward position for the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers in the National Hockey League (NHL) a ...
proposed to establish a junior hockey league of the best twelve teams in Canada sponsored by the NHL, and to compete for a trophy at a higher tier than the Memorial Cup. Potter and the CAHA resolutions committee were against increasing NHL influence into amateur hockey in Canada and declined to present the proposal at the semi-annual meeting. Potter also wanted more study into programs to support continued junior hockey growth and the Memorial Cup. Boucher and team owners in Saskatchewan and Manitoba accused Potter and the CAHA of disregarding their concerns and favouring the Edmonton Oil Kings. Boucher threatened to withdraw the SJHL from the Memorial Cup playoffs, due to the "unfair domination of western junior hockey by the Edmonton Oil Kings", since they had the pick of all the players from Alberta and used loopholes in rules to import stronger players. After a playoffs game between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the
Estevan Bruins Estevan is the eighth-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada. It is approximately north of the Canada–United States border. The Souris River runs by the city. This city is surrounded by the Rural Municipality of Estevan No. 5. History The ...
in April 1963, Potter announced that broadcast rights for CAHA games by Ken Newmans of
CHAB Chab is the stage name used by Swiss trance music producer and remixer François Chabloz. Known for his progressive trance style, Chabloz has an extensive history as a remixer and he has also released original material under the monikers Mo ...
in Moose Jaw, and Linus Westerbeg of
CKOS-TV CKOS-TV was a television station in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. The station was in operation from 1958 to 2002 as a private affiliate of CBC Television. It was a twinstick with the city's CTV affiliate CICC-TV. History In March 1959, in res ...
in Yorkton, had been indefinitely suspended. Potter stated that the suspensions resulted from "continuously and severely criticizing officials, thereby giving an erroneous picture of the game as played"; and that "this type of broadcast is a definite detriment to sport and cannot be tolerated". The Canadian Press argued the need for a full-time position within the CAHA to oversee on-ice officiating, charged Potter of censorship and going beyond his power, and expressed concerns that sportscasters can decrease interest in a sport due to their criticism. Potter lifted the ban on the two broadcasters after the conclusion of the playoffs. Potter oversaw the
1963 Memorial Cup The 1963 Memorial Cup final was the 45th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Niagara Falls Flyers of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada ...
between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the
Niagara Falls Flyers The Niagara Falls Flyers were two junior ice hockey franchises that played in the top tier in the Ontario Hockey Association. The first, a Junior "A" team existed from 1960 until 1972, and the second in Tier I Junior "A" from 1976 until 1982. ...
, played at the Edmonton Gardens.Lapp & Macaulay (1997), pp. 126–129 Niagara Falls' coach
Hap Emms Leighton Alfred Emms (January 12, 1905 – October 23, 1988) was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach, team owner, and general manager, during nearly 60 years in hockey. Emms played 17 seasons of professional hockey as a left winger and a defenc ...
made numerous petty complaints about the series and the CAHA, including the ice rink's dimensions and access to the other team's practices. Emms threatened that the Flyers would quit the 1963 Memorial Cup and accused Potter of being "strictly a homer" and dictatorial. Emms charged that his team was denied access to treatment for a player's broken leg, and that spectators and sportswriters in Edmonton treated his team poorly, and complained about a general lack of hospitality. Potter dismissed the charges and stated that the treatment of the Flyers matched their lack of courtesy and refusal to attend the Edmonton Sports Writers' Association dinner. The Canadian Press described the series as an "all-out war", the play of Edmonton to be "almost brutal", and that Edmonton seemed intent to end Eastern Canada's opinion that Western Canadian teams played "pantsy-waist hockey".; After Edmonton won the 1963 Memorial Cup in six games, the CAHA debated the incidents in the series and approved a motion to deplore "the actions of any club official which degrade our game". Potter agreed that Emms was a good coach but that "his actions were childlike".


=International hockey

= The CAHA general meeting in 1962 debated alternate methods of selecting the
Canada men's national ice hockey team The Canada men's national ice hockey team (popularly known as Team Canada; french: Équipe Canada) is the ice hockey team representing Canada inter ...
instead of sending the reigning Allan Cup champion to international events. The AAHA submitted a proposal for the
Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...
to train the athletes and operate the team. The
Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...
suggested each CAHA branch send its best players to an all-star playoffs series to select a team. Two former CAHA presidents offered different views on Canada's amateur eligibility at the next Olympics. Jack Roxburgh recommended not attending since he felt that Canada's practice of allowing financial compensation to amateurs for salary loss was against the
Olympic Oath The Olympic Oath (distinct from the Olympic creed) is a solemn promise made by one athlete, judge or official, and one coach at the Opening Ceremony of each Olympic Games. Each oath taker is from the host nation and takes the oath on behalf of al ...
; whereas Robert Lebel argued that Canada did not violate the Olympic Oath since the
International Ice Hockey Federation The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF; french: Fédération internationale de hockey sur glace; german: Internationale Eishockey-Föderation) is a worldwide governing body for ice hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 83 m ...
(IIHF) permitted an allowance. The CAHA chose to participate in
ice hockey at the 1964 Winter Olympics The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, was the tenth Olympic Championship, also serving as the 31st World Championships and the 42nd European Championships. The games were held at the Olympiahalle I ...
, and Potter deferred making the decision on which team would be sent until the next executive meeting. Potter met with the CAHA executive in August 1962, when Father David Bauer presented his concept for a truly amateur team at the Olympics. The CAHA approved Bauer's plan to establish a team of student athletes who would train and study at the
University of British Columbia The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...
, and be supplemented by seniors players for the Olympics. After the decision was announced, Potter denied misconceptions by
University of Alberta The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
physical education director Maury Van Vliet that all national team members would be students or that the team would participate in a Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union hockey league. Potter later met with Bauer and University of British Columbia officials and reached a financial agreement for the national team program to begin in August 1963. Potter commented on the Soviet Union national team tour of Canada in 1962, and felt that despite losses to them, Canada would regain its position as the world's top hockey nation since it produced the best players. He felt that as a part of Canada teaching hockey to the world, pupils could become better than the teacher. He noted that the Europeans played with a lot of passing the way Canada used to, and taking high-sticking penalties was Canada's weakness in international play. The
Trail Smoke Eaters The Trail Smoke Eaters are a junior A ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League. History The Smoke Eaters (aka ''Smokies'') have existed as both junior and senior teams since th ...
won the 1962 Allan Cup and were chosen to represent Canada at the 1963 Ice Hockey World Championships. When the
Western International Hockey League The Western International Hockey League (WIHL) was a senior level ice hockey league that featured teams from the Western United States and Western Canada. It operated from 1946–62 and 1963–88. It grew out of the West Kootenay League, which ...
did not operate during the 1962–63 season, the team appealed for exhibition games in preparation for the World Championships. Potter and the CAHA noted that reports of the Smoke Eaters asking for money had not come from team executives, and that the CAHA had not planned for the team to be in financial difficulty. In March 1963, the IIHF threatened to withdraw ice hockey from the
1964 Winter Olympics The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games (german: IX. Olympische Winterspiele) and commonly known as Innsbruck 1964 ( bar, Innschbruck 1964, label=Austro-Bavarian), was a winter multi-sport event which was celebr ...
due to disagreements with the
International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...
(IOC). Potter felt that hockey should participate despite concerns about the financial arrangements for television broadcast rights. The Canadian Press speculated that Potter's remarks reflected that Canada wanted to remain on good terms with the IOC since it had bid to host the
1968 Winter Olympics The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games (french: Les Xes Jeux olympiques d'hiver), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 18 February 1968 in Grenoble, France. Thirty-seven countries participated. Frenchm ...
in Calgary. Journalist
Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 â€“ July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...
reported that the Canadian national team was given second class hotel accommodations and cold pork chops for breakfast at the 1963 Ice Hockey World Championships in Sweden, and that Swedish newspaper headlines stated that "The Canadians want to see blood". Richler quoted Potter as saying, "These are
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
tactics to demoralize the Canadian team. They always stab us in the back here". Canada placed fourth at the 1963 World Championships, its worst result at the time. Potter stated, "Something has to be done to stimulate more national hockey pride in Canada". He felt that Canada would not win the World Championships again unless it sent its best players and gave them enough time to develop as a team. The CAHA and the Smoke Eaters disagreed on the team's financial statement of the European tour, and coach
Bobby Kromm Robert Kromm (June 8, 1928 – June 9, 2010) was a National Hockey League (NHL) head coach who in 1978 became the first coach of the Detroit Red Wings to win the Jack Adams Award as NHL Coach of the Year. He led the 1977–78 NHL season, 1977†...
faulted the CAHA for lack of financial assistance and additional players to strengthen the team. Potter felt that the CAHA had done nothing wrong and accused Kromm of poor judgment in choosing players. The team perceived Potter's statement as censuring the coach and was criticized as "unfair and unsportsmanlike".


Second term


=Domestic hockey

= Potter was re-elected president on May 24, 1963. He welcomed reports that the
Edmonton Flyers The Edmonton Flyers are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1940 until 1963. The Flyers played in the Edmonton Gardens. The Flyers were nominated by W. G. Hardy to represent Canada at the ...
and the
Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...
would withdraw from the professional minor league hockey. He felt that since the NHL could no longer claim territorial rights without professional teams in Alberta, it would stimulate NHL sponsorship of junior teams instead. The CAHA debated a proposal to end the direct NHL sponsorship of junior teams and replace it with a universal draft of players who had graduated from the junior hockey level. The NHL did not want to abandon the sponsorship system since it was unknown what would replace it, and favoured to keep the structure of the NHL Amateur Draft for a few years before considering another system. The CAHA continued to seek for all players eligible for the draft and not just 16-year-olds. Potter oversaw scheduling for the
1964 Memorial Cup The 1964 Memorial Cup final was the 46th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada compete ...
played in Toronto, and disagreed with the management of
Maple Leaf Gardens Maple Leaf Gardens is a historic building located at the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was initially constructed in 1931 as an arena to host ice hockey games, though it has sinc ...
on the radio broadcast rights for games. The Gardens' management demanded more money from the stations and refused entry to some broadcasters. Potter stated that the CAHA reserved all rights, but that there was little he could do since the CAHA had a different contract with the Gardens. After the
Toronto Marlboros The Toronto Marlborough Athletic Club, commonly known as the Toronto Marlboros, was founded in 1903. It operated junior ice hockey and senior ice hockey teams in the Ontario Hockey Association and later the Ontario Hockey League. The Marlboros ...
won the series in four games, Potter said it was a financial failure since Gardens' management priced the tickets too high. He recommended that future Memorial Cup finals alternate between the arenas of the participating teams, and that playoffs be shortened for the final to be played in April rather than in May. In May 1964, the CAHA decided to allow teams based in the United States to compete for the Allan Cup if they participated in a Canadian-based senior league, after the
British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association The British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association, more commonly known as BC Hockey, is a non-profit organization and member branch of Hockey Canada in charge of governing amateur hockey at all levels in British Columbia and Yukon Territory. It comp ...
and the Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association argued in favour of including the
Spokane Jets The Spokane Jets were a senior men's ice hockey team that played out of Spokane, Washington. They played in the Western International Hockey League (WIHL) from 1963-64 through 1973-74. Prior to 1963 the Spokane Flyers were the city's entry in the ...
and the
Warroad Lakers The Warroad Lakers were an American Senior ice hockey team from Warroad, Minnesota. The Lakers played in various Manitoba AHA and Thunder Bay AHA senior and intermediate leagues and were granted special eligibility for the Allan Cup and Hardy C ...
. Potter declined to answer whether an American-based team could win the Allan Cup and represent Canada at international events, and felt that the formation of a permanent national team was preferred.


=International hockey

= Potter was named to the North American committee of the IIHF in August 1963. He presented differences in international body checking rules at the IIHF general meeting in 1963, where the federation agreed to trial usage of the North American rules to see if European players and spectators would accept a permanent change. The Canadian national team played a European exhibition tour in preparation for the Olympics. Potter questioned whether future exhibition games in Czechoslovakia or the Soviet Union would be worthwhile, due to the games being used for political
propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...
and to give Canada a bad reputation. Potter accused media in Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union for portraying Canada as physical and undisciplined, whereas newspapers in Germany and Switzerland lauded Canada's play as clean and disciplined. Potter accused referees at the Olympics of calling petty penalties and ruining the games for all countries, and credited Bauer for keeping his cool despite the inept officiating. Potter felt that Canada should not participate in future international competitions unless four North American referees were used. During a game versus the Sweden national team, Bauer was struck in the face with a broken hockey stick thrown aside by
Carl-Göran Öberg Carl-Göran "Lill-Stöveln" Öberg (born 24 December 1938) is a retired ice hockey player who won silver medals at the 1964 Winter Olympics and 1963 and 1967 world championships. He was nicknamed Lill-Stöveln (Little Stöveln) after his elder b ...
. Potter felt the Swedish player should have been assessed a 10-minute penalty and a game misconduct, and implied that it was typical behaviour by the Sweden national team. Canada, Sweden and Czechoslovakia completed the Olympic tournament with similar records of five wins and two losses. Canada believed it had won the bronze medal, but the IIHF placed Canada fourth overall.''Oliver, Greg (2017),'' p. 119 Potter appealed the decision and contested that only the games involving the top four teams mattered when using goals for and against in tie-breaking, instead of including all games in the tournament. The IIHF held a meeting to confirm its interpretation of the tie-breaking procedure and denied the appeal. IIHF president
Bunny Ahearne John Francis "Bunny" Ahearne (19 November 1900 – 11 April 1985) was a British ice hockey administrator and businessman. He served rotating terms as president and vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) from 1951 to 197 ...
stated that Canada misunderstood the rules and how the standings were calculated. The Canadian national team did not attend the medal ceremonies. Potter, Bauer and the team trainer were the only three Canadians present. Potter was quoted in The Canadian Press by an unnamed source as saying that Canada would never play in the Olympics again. He admitted that he might have said it out of frustration, but later denied the quote and still felt that Canada had been double-crossed in the standings. Potter felt that the system used by Bauer to select a national team "may sow the seed for something", and that "it could well be the pattern we adopt in the future". Potter lauded the hockey players at the 1964 Olympics for conducting themselves as true sportsmen in Europe, and had "captured the imagination of people everywhere". He recognized that the time commitment to the national team had a negative academic impact on its players, and commended them for paying the price to represent the country without complaining. Potter met with Bauer to discuss prevention of academic impacts, after it was revealed that seven of the players dropped out of their courses, and nine others completed less than half of their courses. The 1964 CAHA general meeting debated the future of the national team. Potter defended Bauer's system and disagreed with suggestions to use junior-aged players who he felt were not mature enough to play at the international level. He felt that the talent level on the national team had to be on par with the
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
to regain the World Championship, and that sending the reigning Allan Cup champion was no longer the answer. He advocated using the nucleus of the 1964 Olympics team and adding senior players until it became a truly national team by the 1968 Winter Olympics. The CAHA chose the 1964 Allan Cup champions
Winnipeg Maroons The Winnipeg Maroons were a minor League baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which played in the Northern League from 1902–1942. Their home field from 1906 to 1922 was Happyland Park, which had a seating capacity Seating ...
to form the nucleus of a national team, then add the best available players from across Canada. The Maroons gave up their identity and became the permanent Canadian national team.


Past president

Potter was succeeded by
Lionel Fleury Lionel Fleury (December 25, 1912July 12, 1997) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator who served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1964 to 1966. Under his leadership, the Canada men's national ice hockey team trans ...
of Quebec City as president on May 23, 1964. Potter was named chairman of a committee for an internal audit of the finances of the CAHA branches and their affiliated groups. He also chaired a committee to examine the professional-amateur agreement with the NHL, with the intent to keep players in junior hockey as long as possible instead of becoming professionals. The CAHA continued to seek an end to the NHL sponsoring of a small number of junior teams and to spread out the financial support more evenly across Canada. Alberta welcomed the return of senior hockey in 1964, to replace the void left by the departed
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
teams. Potter cautioned teams to avoid a financial bidding war for players, which had caused the previous decline of senior hockey in Alberta. He felt that the Allan Cup would regain its prestige within a year or two if teams kept expenses low and minimized travel costs to share the wealth. The CAHA submitted a bid to host the top tier of the 1967 Ice Hockey World Championships to coincide with the
Canadian Centennial The Canadian Centennial was a yearlong celebration held in 1967 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Celebrations in Canada occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1, 1967. Commemorative coins w ...
. Potter advised to host only the top tier of competition which would generate the most ticket sales and felt that the IIHF would be willing to host the lower tiers of competition elsewhere. In March 1965, the IIHF declined the CAHA's bid in favour of hosting all tiers of the 1967 World Championships in Austria. Potter questioned whether it was worthwhile for the CAHA to participate in future World Championships if its relationship with the IIHF could not improve and be financially sustainable. Potter oversaw the 1965 Memorial Cup played at the Edmonton Gardens, a rematch of the final between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Niagara Falls Flyers. The 1965 series was also physical in mature and included further disagreements between Potter and Hap Emms.Lapp & Macaulay (1997), pp. 133–137 During game three of the series, Niagara Falls'
Derek Sanderson Derek Michael Sanderson (born June 16, 1946), nicknamed "Turk", is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and two-time Stanley Cup champion who helped transform the culture of the professional athlete in the 1970s era. The two-time Sta ...
attacked Edmonton's
Bob Falkenberg Robert Arthur "Steady" Falkenberg (born January 1, 1946) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played 54 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings between 1966 and 1971 and 378 games in the World Hockey ...
which resulted in a bench-clearing brawl. Potter ordered that the game be stopped after three match penalties, nine major penalties and three misconducts had been issued; and after Edmonton police had to restore order when fans became involved with players. Potter described the brawl as "butchery" and the most brutal he had seen. Both teams made threats not to continue and Potter recommended that the series be called off. After multiple suspensions and an increased police presence, the series continued and Niagara Falls won in five games. Emms made multiple complaints about the scheduling and inferred that Potter had a financial benefit from games at the Edmonton Gardens. Potter implied that Emms felt he knew everything, and declined the "cloak of genius" label given to him by Emms. Potter and
Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) is the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey As ...
president
Matt Leyden Matthew Leyden (1904 – December 23, 1975) was a former ice hockey executive, administrator, and builder with the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). He managed the Oshawa Generals from 1937 to 1953, and built the team which won seven consecutive ...
spoke at the 1965 Memorial Cup banquet and gave similar views on the state of minor hockey in Canada. Both men noted the booming growth in participation in the game, but that boys lost interest in their late teenage years after having played organized hockey for 10 years. Potter felt that the
Alberta Junior Hockey League The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) is an Alberta-based Junior A ice hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. There are currently 16 teams in the league. The reg ...
established in 1964 had improved the situation and retained players in Alberta. Potter felt that the CAHA general meeting in May 1966 would be one of its most important meetings, since the CAHA had submitted notice to terminate the professional-amateur agreement with the NHL due to grievances with the drafting of 17-year-olds and the uneven distribution of money. A new agreement was announced at the meeting, and Potter believed it meant that more players would stay in junior hockey as a result of changes to the NHL Amateur Draft and a new system of distributing funds. At the same meeting, he was named chairman of the CAHA rules committee. He felt that the new practice of alternating referees in Memorial Cup and Allan Cup games caused fewer complaints, and sought for rules that sanctioned teams who abused referees. Potter oversaw the Western Canada playoffs for the 1966 Allan Cup in addition to the finals played at the
Stampede Corral The Stampede Corral was a multi-purpose venue (ice hockey, professional wrestling, rodeo, tennis) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Located on the grounds of Stampede Park, the arena was completed in 1950 at a cost of C$1.25 million ($ million tod ...
in Calgary, and instructed referees to clamp down on rough play. The
Drumheller Miners The Drumheller Miners were a senior ice hockey team based in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada. Two incarnations of the team existed. The first was a member of the Alberta Senior Hockey League (ASHL) in the late 1930s. The Miners playing in the ASHL f ...
from Alberta won the championship series in six games, and Potter travelled with them to the 1967 Ahearne Cup tournament in Sweden. Drumheller finished in last place at the tournament, and lost by a 3–1 score to the Swedish team in a game that nearly resulted in an on-ice brawl. Potter felt that the officiating at the tournament was disgraceful and a deliberate attempt to prevent Drumheller from winning, and had authorized the team to protest the officiating and withdraw from a game in progress.


Personal life

Potter was a lifelong Edmonton resident from the time he was nine months old. He worked as a salesman for
Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
automobiles at Edmonton Motors during the early 1930s. He later worked as a manager and supervisor at the Northern Alberta Dairy Pool from 1933 onwards, and promoted the
agricultural cooperative An agricultural cooperative, also known as a farmers' co-op, is a cooperative in which farmers pool their resources in certain areas of activity. A broad typology of agricultural cooperatives distinguishes between agricultural service cooperati ...
model for
dairy farming in Canada Dairy farming is one of the largest agricultural sectors in Canada. Dairy has a significant presence in all of the provinces and is one of the top two agricultural commodities in seven out of ten provinces. In 2018, there were 967,700 dairy cows ...
. He was married to Shirley Potter for 65 years, with whom he had two daughters and one son. She was a
costume designer A costume designer is a person who designs costumes for a film, stage production or television show. The role of the costume designer is to create the characters' outfits or costumes and balance the scenes with texture and colour, etc. The costume ...
for the
Edmonton Opera Edmonton Opera is a professional Canadian opera company in Edmonton, Alberta, which performs in the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium with its Opera Centre located at 15230 128 Ave in northwest Edmonton. The Opera Centre is home to a box office, ...
and the
Alberta Ballet Company Alberta Ballet (also known as the Alberta Ballet Company) was founded by Muriel Taylor and Dr. Ruth Carse in 1958 and became a professional company in 1966. The company is a resident company of both the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Edmo ...
, and operated her own business known as Shirley Potter Costumes. The Potters were members of the
Anglican Church of Canada The Anglican Church of Canada (ACC or ACoC) is the Ecclesiastical province#Anglican Communion, province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French-language name is ''l'Église anglicane du Canada''. In 2017, the Anglican Church co ...
and met at the Anglican Young People's Association in 1931. He served as president of the central council in Edmonton for the Anglican Young People's Association during the early 1930s. Potter was the secretary of the Edmonton Sportsmen's Association during the 1950s, the local sports
boosterism Boosterism is the act of promoting ("boosting") a town, city, or organization, with the goal of improving public perception of it. Boosting can be as simple as talking up the entity at a party or as elaborate as establishing a visitors' bureau. ...
club. He sat on the association's
Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...
entertainment committee for the supporters of the
Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...
. He chaired the committee for the welcome home party after the team's victory at the 43rd Grey Cup in 1955. He was later an executive member of the Sportsmen's Fund to boost local amateur sports, and was chairman of Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame committee when it was established in 1959, and inducted its first members in 1960. Potter was elected to four terms as chairman of the Edmonton Recreation Board from 1958 to 1961. The board advised the
Edmonton City Council The Edmonton City Council is the governing body of the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Edmonton currently has one mayor and twelve city councillors. Elections are held every four years. The most recent was held in 2021, and the next is in 20 ...
on recreational facility rentals and fees, and future services. Potter and the board assisted in the planning and construction of the South Edmonton Sports Centre which opened in October 1961, with the aimed to support and grow minor ice hockey in Edmonton. In a 1954 interview, Potter stated that his years of volunteer work were for the love of the game and the enjoyment of watching the kids play. He summarized the most common complaints he received into three categories; the quality of the referee, the validity of player registrations, and the location of playoffs games. He noted that the weather was the greatest issue during the playoffs. At a meeting of the Alberta Recreation Association in 1959, he urged for more people to become involved in sporting activities, and stated that "recreation is a part of life right from the cradle to the grave". Potter was also a
Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
and a member of West Edmonton Lodge Number 101. He died in Edmonton on January 19, 1998.


Honours and legacy

Potter was described by the ''
Edmonton Journal The ''Edmonton Journal'' is a daily newspaper in Edmonton, Alberta. It is part of the Postmedia Network. History The ''Journal'' was founded in 1903 by three local businessmen — John Macpherson, Arthur Moore and J.W. Cunningham — as ...
'' as a "hands-on administrator even at the risk of
frostbite Frostbite is a skin injury that occurs when exposed to extreme low temperatures, causing the freezing of the skin or other tissues, commonly affecting the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin areas. Most often, frostbite occurs in the han ...
"; and that even in temperatures, he "tried to attend every game, standing at the edge of the rink in the snowbank". He was known as "Mr. Hockey" in Edmonton, and was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in 1970. He was the namesake of the Art Potter Trophy awarded to the most valuable player of the annual all-star game between the juvenile and junior age groups in Edmonton, and was made an honorary life member of Edmonton's Maple Leaf Athletic Club in 1981. The AAHA honoured Potter and all of its living past presidents with bronze lapel pins at the general meeting in October 1962, and was made a life member in November 1964. Potter was inducted into the builder category in
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, dedicated to the preservation and history of sports within the province. It was created in 1957 by the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union (AAAU). The museum ...
in November 1968, and was part of the inaugural class of four inductees into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982. Potter received the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States citation award in 1965, for contributions to the game in the United States. He was recognized for services to amateur hockey in Canada with the CAHA Order of Merit in May 1966, and received the
Canadian Centennial Medal The Canadian Centennial Medal (french: Médaille du centenaire du Canada) is a commemorative medal struck by the Royal Canadian Mint in 1967 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation and was awarded to Canadians who were ...
in 1967. He received the past-president's pin from the CAHA in 1973, and was made a life member in May 1976.Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (1990), p. vii


Sources

* * * *


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Potter, Art 1909 births 1998 deaths 20th-century Canadian businesspeople Alberta Amateur Hockey Association presidents Alberta Sports Hall of Fame inductees Automobile salespeople Businesspeople from Edmonton Businesspeople in the dairy industry Canadian Amateur Hockey Association presidents Canadian Amateur Hockey Association vice-presidents Canadian Anglicans Canadian food industry businesspeople Canadian Freemasons Canadian ice hockey coaches Canadian sports builders Canadian sports executives and administrators English emigrants to Canada Ice hockey people from Alberta People from Ramsgate Sportspeople from Edmonton Sportspeople from Kent