George Samuel Dudley (April 19, 1894 – May 8, 1960) 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 joined the
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 ...
(OHA) executive in 1928, served as its president from 1934 to 1936, and as its treasurer from 1936 to 1960. He was elected to
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) executive in 1936, served as its president from 1940 to 1942, as its secretary from 1945 to 1947, and as its secretary-manager from 1947 to 1960. He was secretary of the
International Ice Hockey Association
The International Ice Hockey Association was a governing body for international ice hockey. It was established in 1940 when the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association wanted more control over international hockey, and was in disagreement with the ...
from 1945 to 1947, and was later vice-president of 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) from 1957 to 1960. He was expected to become the next president of the IIHF before his death. He graduated from
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The law school is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the Journal of Law and Social Policy, and the ''Osgoode Hall La ...
in 1917 then practiced law for 43 years as the town
solicitor
A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...
for
Midland, Ontario
Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Huronia/Wendat region of Central Ontario.
Located at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, Midland is the economic centre of the region, ...
.
Dudley and
W. G. Hardy
William George Hardy (February 3, 1895 – August 28, 1979) was a Canadian professor, writer, and ice hockey administrator. He lectured on the Classics at the University of Alberta from 1922 to 1964, and served as president of the Canadian Aut ...
led the way in revising the definition of an amateur hockey player to keep amateur players in Canada and slow the number of Canadians turning professional. Dudley negotiated deals with 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 ...
and the
British Ice Hockey Association
Ice Hockey UK (IHUK) is the national governing body of ice hockey in the United Kingdom. Affiliated to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), IHUK is the internationally recognised umbrella body in the United Kingdom. IHUK was created ...
to govern the transfer of players internationally. He introduced contracts for
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 ...
players, as a means to obtain development payments from professional teams seeking new talent. He supported an alliance between the CAHA and the
Amateur Hockey Association of the United States
USA Hockey is the national ice hockey organization in the United States. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the governing body for organized ice hockey in the United S ...
(AHAUS), and sought for international recognition of AHAUS as the governing body of ice hockey in the United States. He threatened to withdraw Canada from
ice hockey at the Olympic Games
Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. The women's tournam ...
if 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 ...
did not accept the Canadian definition of amateur, and supported the IIHF hosting its own
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 ...
separate from the Olympics. Dudley's role as secretary-manager of the CAHA made him influential in Canadian hockey since he served as the regular delegate to IIHF meetings, and was in charge of selecting the
Canada men's national team. He facilitated the first exhibition tour by the
Soviet Union national team in Canada, and oversaw
ice hockey at the 1960 Winter Olympics
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, United States, was the ninth Olympic Championship, also serving as the 27th World Championships and the 38th European Championships. The United States won its firs ...
on behalf of the IIHF
Dudley was committed to implementing reforms for amateur hockey, believing that they were in the best interest of hockey in Canada. He was opposed to governments funding or controlling amateur sports associations, and supported the continuation of hockey and incorporating
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
teams into the CAHA as a morale boost during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Dudley was described by journalist Jack Sullivan as a staunch and shrewd hockey official and a problem solver. Journalist
Scott Young stated Dudley was a low-key figure at first who grew to prominence by his reputation as being a busy and able volunteer. Young further stated that Dudley was a forward thinker, and had the ability to listen to a conversation and find a compromise without forcing anyone to change his mind. Young credited Dudley for dealing with reforms to amateurism, and regulations on player salaries and transfers, which led to increased interest in hockey.
Dudley was inducted to the builder category of the
Hockey Hall of Fame
, logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg
, logo_upright = 0.5
, image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg
, caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992
, map_type =
, former_name =
, established = 1943
, location = 30 Y ...
in 1958, and was posthumously inducted into the Midland Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. He was made a life member of both the CAHA and OHA, received the Gold Stick award from the OHA in recognition of service to hockey in Ontario and the AHAUS citation award for service to amateur hockey in the United States. He was named to the selection committee for the Hockey Hall of Fame, and previously sat on the same committee for the
Original Hockey Hall of Fame
The Original Hockey Hall of Fame, formerly the International Hockey Hall of Fame (IHHOF) is a museum dedicated to the history of ice hockey in Canada, located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The IHHOF was intended to be the original Hall of Fame fo ...
. He and
W. A. Hewitt
William Abraham Hewitt (May 15, 1875September 8, 1966) was a Canadian sports executive and journalist, also widely known as Billy Hewitt. He was secretary of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1903 to 1966, and sports editor of the ''To ...
were made the namesakes of the
Dudley Hewitt Cup
The Dudley-Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy awarded to the Central Canadian Junior A champion. The trophy is currently decided by round robin tournament format, at the conclusion of the playoffs of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, ...
, first awarded by the
Canadian Junior Hockey League
The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior H ...
in 1971.
Early life and legal career
George Samuel Dudley was born on April 19, 1894, in
Midland, Ontario
Midland is a town located on Georgian Bay in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Huronia/Wendat region of Central Ontario.
Located at the southern end of Georgian Bay's 30,000 Islands, Midland is the economic centre of the region, ...
.
[''Ferguson, Bob (2005)'', p. 119] His parents were William Thomas Dudley, and Sarah Agnes Dudley (née Brown).
[''North Simcoe Genealogy Society (2006)'', pp. 404–405] His father served 37 years on the local
public utilities commission
In the United States, it is a governing body of a utility. In Canada, it is a utility, not a regulatory body.
Canada
In Canada, a public utilities commission (PUC) is a public utility owned and operated by a municipal or local government under t ...
.
Dudley grew up playing
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 Midland,
but poor eyesight prevented him from a further athletic career.
Dudley attended
Midland Secondary School, then graduated from
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School, commonly shortened to Osgoode, is the law school of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The law school is home to the Law Commission of Ontario, the Journal of Law and Social Policy, and the ''Osgoode Hall La ...
in 1917. While studying law, he served as an
articled clerk
Articled clerk is a title used in Commonwealth countries for one who is studying to be an accountant or a lawyer. In doing so, they are put under the supervision of someone already in the profession, now usually for two years, but previously thre ...
for
William Humphrey Bennett
William Humphrey Bennett, KC (December 23, 1859 – March 15, 1925) was a Canadian politician.
Biography
Born in Barrie, Canada West, the son of Humphrey Bennett and Anne A. Fraser, Bennett was educated at the Barrie Public and High Schoo ...
, the
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
of
Simcoe East
Simcoe East was a federal electoral district in the province of Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1882 to 1968. This riding was created in 1882 from parts of Muskoka riding.
The "East Riding of the cou ...
. Dudley entered into a law practice in a partnership with
William Finlayson in 1917.
They established at Finlayson & Dudley, Barristers and Solicitors at 212 King Street in Midland. Dudley took over the firm upon Finlayson's death in 1943.
He practiced law for 43 years as the town's
solicitor
A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...
until 1960.
Early hockey career
Dudley first attended
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 ...
(OHA) meetings in 1925.
[''Young, Scott (1989)'', p. 157] He was elected an executive member of the OHA in November 1928, and urged the OHA to reassert its jurisdiction over all hockey in Ontario and its intention to introduce associate memberships to regulate leagues under its domain. He was an early advocate of professional
hockey coaches in the amateur game, and supported the reforms by
W. A. Hewitt
William Abraham Hewitt (May 15, 1875September 8, 1966) was a Canadian sports executive and journalist, also widely known as Billy Hewitt. He was secretary of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1903 to 1966, and sports editor of the ''To ...
to allow them.
At the OHA general meeting in 1930, Dudley supported measures to bring attention to rules already in place which did not allow players with an active professional contract in the OHA.
[''Young, Scott (1989)'', p. 172] He successfully campaigned for the construction of a new arena in Midland in 1931, to replace the previous structure lost in 1926.
Dudley oversaw construction of the Midland Arena Gardens by autumn 1931 during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, and it became the only artificial
ice rink
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 ...
between
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
and
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
at the time.
OHA president
Dudley served as president of the OHA from 1934 to 1936.
In 1934, he advocated for ratification of the first
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) agreement with 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), regarding player control and compensation to the junior clubs for developing the player. To gain the financial concessions, the CAHA conceded to allow
body checking in the neutral zone, and use the same
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. ...
as the professional league. Dudley later introduced a motion at the OHA general meeting to adopt the same playing rules as the NHL.
At the CAHA general meeting in 1935, Dudley stated it was important to keep younger players amateurs as long as possible, and prevent professionalism at a young age which excluded them from the OHA. He felt that once a player reached age 21, he would have gained the knowledge to make an informed decision on his future.
[''Ellison & Anderson (2018)'', pp. 115–116] Dudley felt that OHA needed to be offer financial opportunities competitive with what was available elsewhere. He was nominated by CAHA president
E. A. Gilroy
Edward Albert Gilroy (October 10, 1879August 8, 1942) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as president of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) from 1927 to 1934, and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) from ...
, to be part of a special committee dealing with the
Amateur Athletic Union of Canada The history of Canadian sports falls into five stages of development: early recreational activities before 1840; the start of organized competition, 1840–1880; the emergence of national organizations, 1882–1914; the rapid growth of both amateur ...
(AAU of C) to discuss the definition of amateur, the cost of player registration cards, and the right for the CAHA to issue its own registration cards.
In October 1935, Dudley stated that the number of players leaving for the United States was compromising rosters in Canada, and that the rate of exodus was not sustainable. He decreed that the OHA would decline all player transfer requests to the United States, and players not returning to Canada by November 15, would be suspended from the OHA. He began to put rules in place for the transfer of players internationally, and stated that, "It's going to happen. We might as well try to regulate it". Dudley and CAHA second vice-president
W. G. Hardy
William George Hardy (February 3, 1895 – August 28, 1979) was a Canadian professor, writer, and ice hockey administrator. He lectured on the Classics at the University of Alberta from 1922 to 1964, and served as president of the Canadian Aut ...
negotiated agreements with the NHL, and the
British Ice Hockey Association
Ice Hockey UK (IHUK) is the national governing body of ice hockey in the United Kingdom. Affiliated to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), IHUK is the internationally recognised umbrella body in the United Kingdom. IHUK was created ...
(BIHA) to govern the transfer of players and prevent the raiding of Canadian rosters. Limits were placed on the number of allowed transfers, and the organizations agreed to recognize each other's authority and suspensions.
[''Young, Scott (1989)'', p. 191]
Dudley and Hardy soon began a campaign to rewrite the definition of amateur, to decrease the number of amateurs from turning professional. They felt that the requirement to have an AAU of C registration card to play in the OHA, and the Olympic Games, was an obstacle to progress, and made the AAU of C their main target of reforms.
[''Young, Scott (1989)'', p. 189] At the AAU of C general meeting in November 1935, Dudley supported a defeated resolution to drop the word amateur from the AAU of C name. At the same meeting, Dudley and Hardy presented "four points" to update the definition of amateur, as supported by the CAHA's special committee dealing with the AAU of C.
[''Young, Scott (1989)'', p. 190]
The "four points" were:
# Hockey players may capitalize on their ability as hockey players for the purpose of obtaining legitimate employment.
# Hockey players may accept from their clubs or employers payment for time lost, from work while competing on behalf of their clubs. They will not however, be allowed to hold "shadow" jobs under the clause.
# Amateur hockey teams may play exhibition games against professional teams under such conditions as may be laid down by the individual branches of the CAHA.
# Professionals in another sport will be allowed to play under the CAHA jurisdiction as amateurs.
The AAU of C promptly voted down the proposals. At the same meeting, the AAU of C decided upon Canada's representation in
ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1936 Winter Olympics in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, was the fifth Olympic Championship, also serving as the tenth World Championships and the 21st European Championships.
The British national ice h ...
. The
1935 Allan Cup
The 1935 Allan Cup was the senior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) for the 1934–35 season. In the best-of-three final, the Halifax Wolverines defeated the Port Arthur Bearcats two games to none.
Final
...
champion
Halifax Wolverines
The Halifax Wolverines (sometimes; Halifax Wolves) were an amateur men's senior ice hockey team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The team won the 1935 Allan Cup, and were nominated to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics but ...
were unable to go, unless financial provisions were made for their families. Since the AAU of C did not condone payment for lost wages while away at competitions, the Allan Cup finalists
Port Arthur Bearcats
The Port Arthur Bearcats (Bear Cats) were a senior amateur ice hockey team based in Port Arthur, Ontario, Canada – now part of the city of Thunder Bay – from the early 1900s until 1970. Before settling on the nickname of Bearca ...
were chosen. Canada failed to win the Olympic gold medal due to a loss to the
Great Britain men's national team.
[''Young, Scott (1989)'', p. 190] Dudley stated that the CAHA should face realities, and that the Canadian public was sympathetic to compensating and supporting its Olympic ice hockey players while overseas.
At the 1936 CAHA general meeting, Dudley and Hardy presented the four points, which were adopted by the CAHA. In doing so, the CAHA took its stand against the definition of amateurism, and recognized that players should receive compensation. The stand meant the likelihood of breaking ties with the AAU of C. The ''
Winnipeg Tribune
''The Winnipeg Tribune'' was a metropolitan daily newspaper serving Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from January 28, 1890 to August 27, 1980. The paper was founded by R.L. Richardson and D.L. McIntyre who acquired the press and premises of the old '' ...
'' reported that support for the "four points" was strong, and that the "old guard" of amateurism supported by AAU of C president
W. A. Fry
William Alexander Fry (September 7, 1872 – April 21, 1944) was a Canadian sports administrator and newspaper publisher. Fry founded the ''Dunnville Chronicle'' in 1896, managed local hockey and baseball teams in the 1910s, then served as pres ...
would eventually lose.
Dudley stated that common sense had not prevailed in previous AAU of C discussions on the matter. Fry stated that the decision was "the most important matter ever to come before an amateur body in Canada", and that "It would be a sorry day for the AAU of C should it split with its strongest supporter, the CAHA. As a former CAHA president, he sympathized with the resolution, but did not give approval.
CAHA second vice-president
Dudley was elected second vice-president of the CAHA in April 1936. The CAHA decided to go ahead with reforms to the definition of amateur regardless of the outcome of an AAU of C mail-in vote on the matter. In May 1936, Fry decided against holding AAU of C vote on the matter, which led to Dudley referring to Fry as "Somersault Bill".
Dudley assumed the role of treasurer of the OHA in October 1936, to succeed
J. F. Paxton
John Franklin Paxton (October 14, 1857May 12, 1936) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as president of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and also acted as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association during World Wa ...
who died on May 12, 1936. Dudley functioned as OHA's treasurer until 1960, in addition to his roles with the CAHA.
He reported an operating loss of
C$5,662 in 1936, due to increased expenses and decreased revenue, after the OHA had experienced many years with a surplus.
Dudley and Hardy presented the "four points" again at the 1936 AAU of C general meeting. Dudley and Hardy advocated for broken time payments, since players were reliant on income to support their families, and that being away from work for six weeks at a time for international competition or national playoffs constituted a hardship.
They were committed to change believing that the reforms were in the best interest of hockey in Canada, and were empowered the CAHA executive to act as it saw fit on the matter. Journalist
Ralph Allen
Ralph Allen (1693 – 29 June 1764) was an entrepreneur and philanthropist, who was notable for his reforms to the British postal system.
Allen was born in Cornwall but moved to Bath to work in the post office, becoming the postmaster a ...
stated that public opinion had turned in favour of the proposals, and that the AAU of C were relics of a bygone age.
The AAU of C voted and approved exhibition games between amateurs and professionals, but rejected the other three points.
The CAHA status within the AAU of C was left unclear.
Dudley was re-elected second vice-president of the CAHA at the general meeting in April 1937. Dudley along with CAHA president
Cecil Duncan
Cecil Charles Duncan (February 1, 1893December 25, 1979) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) from 1936 to 1938 and led reforms towards semi-professionalism in ice hoc ...
and W. A. Hewitt participated in negotiations with the
Eastern Amateur Hockey League
The Eastern Hockey League was a minor professional United States ice hockey league.
Eastern Amateur Hockey League (1933–1953)
The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL). The league was founded by Tommy Lockhart, ...
(EAHL) represented by
Tommy Lockhart
Thomas Finan Lockhart (March 21, 1892 – May 18, 1979) was an American ice hockey administrator, business manager, and events promoter. He was president of the Eastern Hockey League from 1933 to 1972, and was the founding president of the Amat ...
in August 1937, a result of the
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It has ...
(AAU) of the United States giving an ultimatum to the EAHL not to have any Canadian players. The EAHL chose to break away from the AAU, similar to the CAHA relationship with the AAU of C, and reached an agreement with the CAHA which limited the number of Canadian players transferring to the league.
In November 1937, Dudley reported that the OHA had returned to a surplus, with an operating profit of $1,422, led by playoffs tickets for the
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 ...
playoffs. Dudley signed a five-year agreement with
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 ...
to be the home rink for all Toronto-based teams in the OHA, except for the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
teams playing at
Varsity Arena
Varsity Arena, located at 299 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontarioretrieved from http://rrs.osm.utoronto.ca 2007-10-22 is an indoor arena that opened on December 17, 1926, and is primarily home to the ice hockey teams of the University of Toronto, ...
. In March 1938, Dudley and W. A. Hewitt met with
Frank Calder
Frank Sellick Calder (November 17, 1877 – February 4, 1943) was a British-born Canadian ice hockey executive, journalist, and athlete.
Calder was the first president of the National Hockey League (NHL), from 1917 until his death in 1943. He ...
to discuss the professional-amateur player agreement with the NHL, in response to a protest over a suspended professional player being placed on an amateur roster.
CAHA first vice-president
On April 18, 1938, Dudley was elected first vice-president of the CAHA. He credited the outgoing president Cecil Duncan for replenishing CAHA financial reserves with more success that his predecessors. Dudley was placed in charge of
Eastern Canada
Eastern Canada (also the Eastern provinces or the East) is generally considered to be the region of Canada south of the Hudson Bay/Strait and east of Manitoba, consisting of the following provinces (from east to west): Newfoundland and Labrador, ...
playoffs, and appointed chairman of the CAHA resolutions committee.
In August 1938, he participated in CAHA negotiations with the NHL and Frank Calder to reach a new professional-amateur agreement. Agreements were made on playing rules and recognition of each other's suspensions. The CAHA would disallow international transfers for players on NHL reserve lists, and the NHL agreed not to sign any junior players during active CAHA competition, or without consent of the CAHA club.
The CAHA's silver jubilee in 1939, was hosted at the
Royal Alexandra Hotel
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a ci ...
in Winnipeg. Dudley gave the introductory goodwill
toast
Toast most commonly refers to:
* Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat
* Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken
Toast may also refer to:
Places
* Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States
Books
* '' ...
. At the general meeting which followed, he presented a resolution to have contracts for
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 ...
players.
He felt that if a club team had a contract with a player, then it had a legal course of action to request remuneration by way of development fees if the player was signed to a professional team. Lengthy discussion ensued and the idea was approved in principle with a final decision deferred until the 1940 general meeting. Contracts had the added benefit of making professional teams negotiate for amateur services. A signing fee of $500 was proposed, which would be dispersed among the amateur clubs which has developed the player.
Dudley re-elected first vice-president of the CAHA, on April 12, 1939. In November 1939, he expected changes would be made in the playoff structure and compensation of teams for travel, since the financial situations of the CAHA and OHA had improved since the Great Depression. In December 1939, he acted as a goodwill emissary to assist the growth of the
Ladies Ontario Hockey Association
The Ladies Ontario Hockey Association (LOHA) was a women's ice hockey association in Ontario, Canada. It was founded in 1922, but faded during the Great Depression, as ice time for women's teams became rare and the number of member teams significa ...
.
CAHA president
First term
On April 15, 1940, the CAHA and the
Amateur Hockey Association of the United States
USA Hockey is the national ice hockey organization in the United States. It is recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as the governing body for organized ice hockey in the United S ...
(AHAUS) agreed to form the
International Ice Hockey Association
The International Ice Hockey Association was a governing body for international ice hockey. It was established in 1940 when the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association wanted more control over international hockey, and was in disagreement with the ...
, and invited the BIHA to join. W. G. Hardy became president of the association, and stated that "the purpose of the new association is to promote the game of hockey among the three
Anglo-Saxon
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
nations". The new organization replaced the
Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace
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 ...
(LIHG) which was inactive due to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Dudley succeeded Hardy as president of the CAHA on April 17, 1940. After Dudley became president, the CAHA definition of amateur was changed to "an amateur hockey player is one who has not engaged in, or is not engaged in, organized professional hockey". The question of whether 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) would accept the new definition, was postponed when the
1940 Winter Olympics
The 1940 Winter Olympics, which would have been officially known as the and as Sapporo 1940 (札幌1940), were to have been celebrated from 3 to 12 February 1940 in Sapporo, Japan, but the games were eventually cancelled due to the onset of Wo ...
were cancelled. Dudley later stated, "If the Olympics are revived after the war, Canada will want to send a team, of course. But if our rules prove unacceptable to Olympic officials, I guess we'll stay at home". The decision was the first of several times that Canada threatened to withdraw from
ice hockey at the Olympic Games
Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. The women's tournam ...
or 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 ...
over regulations on international ice hockey.
In June 1940, the CAHA executive approved a grant of $10,000 to 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 ...
for the war effort. The CAHA chose to continue operations as usual to maintain the morale of Canadians during the war, and would offer any assistance needed for military sports teams. Dudley asked for provincial branches of the CAHA to assist in organizing a national "hockey night" to raise funds for patriotic services. He later abandoned plans to benefit the
Canadian Red Cross
The Canadian Red Cross Society ()[Calgary
Calgary ( ) is the largest city in the western Canadian province of Alberta and the largest metro area of the three Prairie Provinces. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806, makin ...]
, in conjunction with the International Ice Hockey Association. The constitution was updated to allow for charitable donations and educational grants, and the CAHA to donate 25 per cent of profits from playoffs to wartime charities. Dudley arranged for bonuses to players from the playoffs profits based on the number of games played. Dudley was granted a $1,000 honorarium for expenses for negotiating agreements with the NHL.
Second term
Dudley was re-elected president of the CAHA on April 16, 1941. He and Hardy met with officials from the
Quebec Amateur Hockey Association
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
(QAHA) in June 1941, to approve in principle a new playoff scheme overseen by a new committee for the QAHA, the
Ottawa District Hockey Association
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core of ...
, and the
Maritime Amateur Hockey Association
The Maritime Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) was a governing body for amateur ice hockey in the Maritimes of Canada. It was a branch member of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1928 to 1974, with its jurisdiction including the pr ...
. The new committee was proposed to be more financially efficient, give more money to Eastern teams, and to be voted on at the next general meeting.
The CAHA executive approved a $10,000 purchase of
victory bonds for the war effort. Dudley reiterated that the CAHA would assist the Canadian government where possible, and would bend the agreement with the NHL to allow for younger players to be signed who were not subject to travel restrictions or military service.
When NHL players were denied passports, the CAHA asked for permission from the NHL reinstate those players temporarily as amateurs. Dudley advised those who wanted to be reinstated as amateurs due to travel restrictions, needed a release from the NHL. The CAHA rules committee formally ratified the NHL rules for use in Canadian amateur leagues, as of October 1941.
Dudley estimated that registration in the CAHA was 25 per cent less than before the war, but stated that the Canadian government still supported the continuation of hockey as a morale boost. He urged for clubs in Canada to have special games to raise funds for war organizations, and for the CAHA branches to incorporate military teams into schedules where possible. In January 1942, the CAHA donated an additional $10,000 to the government for the war effort.
Dudley anticipated a greater demand by the NHL for junior players due to the war, and wished to co-operate.
He expected difficulty in operating
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 ...
next season, and speculated that season schedules and playoffs may need to be shortened due to lack of players, but was committed to continuing hockey. He defended the CAHA policy of reinstating former professionals as amateurs, despite it strengthening
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
(RCAF) teams compared to club teams during the wartime. During the war he stated, "young men capable of playing hockey are capable of either being in the armed services or in some necessary industry".
By April 1942, the CAHA and its branches combined donated over $50,000 to the war effort, which included proceeds from
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 ...
and Memorial Cup playoffs, and exhibition games. To save money, the CAHA reduced travel and hospital allowances, and eliminated playoffs series which would not be profitable.
CAHA past-president
Dudley assumed the role of CAHA past-president, when he was succeeded by
Frank Sargent as president in April 1942.
[''Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (1990)'', p. 117] Dudley sat on the relations committee with the NHL, which agreed in principle that an amateur may turn professional at any time due to wartime conditions. In August, he announced plans by
Lionel Conacher
Lionel Pretoria Conacher, MP (; May 24, 1900 – May 26, 1954), nicknamed "The Big Train", was a Canadian athlete and politician. Voted the country's top athlete of the first half of the 20th century, he won championships in numerous sports. ...
, the sports director for the RCAF to have teams play in senior ice hockey leagues, based at all RCAF commands across Canada. Dudley was hopeful that 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 ...
and the
Royal Canadian Navy
The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...
would do the same.
In April 1943, Dudley recommended that payments from the NHL for signing amateurs be deferred until players lost due to the wartime enlistments return to professional hockey. He suggested the adjustment in light of many players enlisting recently after becoming professional. Due to the war, 75 per cent of the amateurs signed by the NHL ended up in the armed services. The CAHA filled out rosters with amateurs exempt from military service who were married men over age 30. The professional-amateur agreement was renegotiated and the NHL agreed to pay a flat rate of $500 to the CAHA. Dudley conceded that the deal was not as good as before, but it was adequate due to the war.
In June 1943, Dudley and Frank Sargent met with the Canadian armed services to discuss future organization of military ice hockey teams in Canada. The RCAF withdrew its teams from the CAHA in January 1944, despite attempts to negotiate a delayed withdrawal at the end of the season. He reported that despite the withdrawal due to a change in armed services policies, praise was given to the CAHA for its assistance. He expected there to be no military service teams competing within the CAHA during the 1944–45 season.
In April 1944, Dudley and W. G. Hardy considered the International Ice Hockey Association overseeing international senior ice hockey championships between the CAHA and AHAUS. In August 1944,
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 ...
reported Dudley as having "considerable support" to replace
Red Dutton
Norman Alexander Dutton (July 23, 1897 – March 15, 1987) was a Canadian ice hockey player, coach and executive. Commonly known as Red Dutton, and earlier by the nickname "Mervyn", he played for the Calgary Tigers of the Western Canada Hockey ...
as president of the NHL. Similar rumors surfaced again by the Canadian Press in May 1945.
In November 1944, Dudley mediated a dispute between the
Quebec Senior Hockey League The Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL) was an ice hockey league that operated from 1941 to 1959 , based in Quebec, Canada. The league played senior ice hockey under the jurisdiction of the Quebec Amateur Hockey Association until 1953, when it became ...
(QSHL) which began the season without CAHA approval, and the Ottawa District Hockey Association which denied permission for the
Ottawa Commandos
The Ottawa Senators, also known as the Ottawa Commandos and Senior Senators, was an amateur, later semi-professional, senior-level men's ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. In 1934, the Ottawa Auditorium, owners of the Ottawa Hockey ...
and a team from
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central business district and oldest neighbourhood of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadia ...
to play in the QSHL. He decided that no players would be suspended from the CAHA while talks were ongoing. He reached a settlement where a five
per cent
In mathematics, a percentage (from la, per centum, "by a hundred") is a number or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100. It is often denoted using the percent sign, "%", although the abbreviations "pct.", "pct" and sometimes "pc" are also u ...
share of
gate receipts Gate receipts, or simply "gate", is the sum of money taken at a sporting venue for the sale of tickets.
Traditionally, gate receipts were largely or entirely taken in cash. Today, many sporting venues will operate a season ticket scheme, which wil ...
from games in Ottawa and Hull were given to the Ottawa District Hockey Association.
CAHA secretary
On April 17, 1945, Dudley was elected secretary of the International Ice Hockey Association. On the same day, Dudley was elected secretary of the CAHA to succeed
Fred Marples
Frederick Paul Henry Marples (January 27, 1885January 17, 1945) was a Canadian sports executive in ice hockey and athletics. He was president of the Winnipeg Monarchs team which won Winnipeg Amateur Hockey League championships in 1914 and 1915 ...
. Dudley's role as past-president was filled by Frank Sargent, when
Hanson Dowell
Hanson Taylor Dowell (September 14, 1906September 23, 2000) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator and politician. He served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1945 to 1947, and was the first person from the Maritime ...
became president. The CAHA arranged to give 25 per cent of its annual proceeds towards building a facility for the
Original Hockey Hall of Fame
The Original Hockey Hall of Fame, formerly the International Hockey Hall of Fame (IHHOF) is a museum dedicated to the history of ice hockey in Canada, located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The IHHOF was intended to be the original Hall of Fame fo ...
, and Dudley expected that amount to be $4,000 to $5,000.
After the war ended, Dudley announced that the CAHA and the NHL would revert to the pre-war agreement not to sign any junior players without permission. He also stated that tryout contracts must be honoured, and junior-aged players on NHL reserve lists must be reinstated as amateurs to return to the CAHA. The wartime practice of the NHL borrowing amateur players for three games or less was discontinued. Dudley participated in discussions to update the financial terms of the agreement. The NHL offered a flat payment of $20,000 to signing amateurs, which Dudley felt it was too low. The CAHA ultimately accepted the lump sum payment, preferring not to break its alliance with the NHL.
Dudley co-operated with transfers to assist European ice hockey associations which struggled to find players after the war. The BIHA did not expect to operate in 1946–47 season, but the
Scottish Ice Hockey Association planned to operate with the CAHA loaning players. In December 1946, discussions continued for a proposed merger of the International Ice Hockey Association with the LIHG. Dudley felt that any new organization formed should be predominantly Canadian to have more say in international hockey matters. The CAHA sought to have W. G. Hardy nominated as vice-president of the new governing body, and Dudley as its secretary. The merger was agreed to and CAHA president
Al Pickard
Allan Wilfrid Pickard (January 2, 1895April 7, 1975) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator, who served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) from 1947 to 1950. When Canada opted out of the 1947 Ice Hockey World Champ ...
stated that the CAHA and AHAUS would operate with autonomy. The LIHG recognized AHAUS as the governing body of hockey in the United States instead of the
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It has ...
(AAU). The CAHA was permitted to have its own definition of amateur as long as teams at the Olympic games adhered to existing LIHG rules. The new organization was later renamed to 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).
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 ...
resumed in 1947, but Dudley had difficulties finding any team willing to represent Canada. He invited the champions and finalists of both the
1946 Allan Cup
The 1946 Allan Cup was the Canadian senior ice hockey championship for the 1945–46 season. The Calgary Stampeders, champions of the Western Canada Senior Hockey League, faced off against the Ontario Hockey Association champion Hamilton Tigers. ...
and
1946 Memorial Cup
The 1946 Memorial Cup final was the 28th junior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. The George Richardson Memorial Trophy champions Toronto St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey Association in Eastern Canada ...
, but all four teams declined. In addition, the
Winnipeg Monarchs Winnipeg Monarchs is a name used by several Canadian ice hockey teams in Winnipeg, Manitoba and may refer to:
*Winnipeg Monarchs (senior), a defunct ice hockey team, 1935 World Ice Hockey Champions
*Winnipeg Monarchs (MJHL)
The Winnipeg Monarch ...
declined the CAHA invite for a European tour. Dudley settled on the Edmonton Junior Canadians, who were the Western Canada junior finalists. The Edmonton Junior Canadians declined the offer due to financial concerns that the proposed European tour would be insufficient to cover travel costs. No other team was found, and Canada did not participate in the
1947 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 14th Ice Hockey World Championships and 25th European Championship was the first after the Second World War. It was held from 15 to 23 February 1947 at Štvanice Stadium in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Eight teams participated, but the competition ...
.
CAHA secretary-manager
The CAHA added the title of manager to the secretary's role in 1947, and Dudley served as secretary-manager of the CAHA until 1960.
The new role made Dudley more influential in Canadian hockey since he served as the regular delegate to IIHF meetings, and was in charge of selecting the
Canada men's national team and making its travel arrangements to the Ice Hockey World Championships and the Olympic Games. He was named first vice-president of the IIHF and chairman of the North American delegation on July 12, 1957, and facilitated the first exhibition tours for Soviet teams in Canada.
Dudley was named to the selection committee for two hockey halls of fame. In January 1948, the Original Hockey Hall of Fame increased its board of governors from 9 to 16 people to give better representation across North America, and Dudley was chosen as a new board member. In January 1958, he was named as one of the nine persons on the selection committee for the
Hockey Hall of Fame
, logo = Hockey Hall of Fame Logo.svg
, logo_upright = 0.5
, image = Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto.jpg
, caption = The Hall's present location on Yonge Street since 1992
, map_type =
, former_name =
, established = 1943
, location = 30 Y ...
in Toronto. The announcement was made after the NHL chose to recognize the Toronto institution instead of the Original Hockey Hall of Fame in Kingston.
1948 Winter Olympics
Dudley was faced with a dilemma in choosing the Canadian representative
ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, was the sixth Olympic Championship, also served as the 15th World Championships and the 26th European Championships. Canada won its fifth Olympic gold me ...
. The
Canadian Olympic Association
The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; french: Comité olympique canadien) is a private, non-profit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee (IOC). It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization ( ...
wanted an ice hockey team that suited the IOC definition of amateur. He felt obliged to offer the chance to the
1947 Allan Cup
The 1947 Allan Cup was the Canadian senior ice hockey championship for the 1946–47 season.
Final
Best of 7
*Montreal 7 Calgary 3
*Calgary 2 Montreal 1
*Montreal 7 Calgary 0
*Montreal 4 Calgary 3
*Calgary 1 Montreal 0
*Calgary 5 Montreal 2
*M ...
champions
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team in Montreal, Quebec, during 1897–1917 and 1928–1960. A member of the International League, the Royals were the top farm club (Class AAA) of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939; pi ...
, would not fit the IOC definition of amateur. Dudley gave an ultimatum to the Canadian Olympic Association to accept the team put forth under the CAHA definition of amateur, or look to another organization for a team. He said there should be no "
pussy
''Pussy'' is a used as a noun, an adjective, and—in rare instances—a verb in the English language. It has several meanings, as slang, as euphemism, and as vulgarity. The most common as a noun, it means "cat", as well as "coward or weaklin ...
footing" on the matter, and reiterated that lost salaries by players was a valid concern. In September 1947, he formally invited the Royals to represent Canada, but was unsure if the team would accept.
Dudley attended the IIHF meeting in September to discuss hockey at the Olympics using the IOC definition of amateur, or hosting its own World Championships separate from the Winter Olympics. He remained adamant against the IOC definition and said, "We decided in Canada 11 years ago that there is too much hypocrisy about amateurism and we've seen no reason to change our view". IIHF president
Fritz Kraatz
Fritz originated as a German nickname for Friedrich, or Frederick (''Der Alte Fritz'', and ''Stary Fryc'' were common nicknames for King Frederick II of Prussia and Frederick III, German Emperor) as well as for similar names including Fridoli ...
reportedly agreed to the IOC definition, if the AHAUS team was recognized by the organizing committee of the Olympics. Since hockey would be the most profitable event at the Olympics, Dudley felt that the Swiss organizing committee would agree to anything as long as the IOC approved. To protect the interests of the CAHA, Dudley successfully passed a motion at the IIHF meeting which prevented any Canadian team being accepted at the Olympics without the approval of the CAHA.
The Swiss organizing committee decided that any team sent must adhere to IOC definition of amateur, and live up to 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 ...
.
The Canadian Olympic Association wanted to send a team of college hockey players to represent Canada, instead of a club team.
The CAHA went to the RCAF for a solution, and invited its
Ottawa RCAF Flyers
The Ottawa RCAF Flyers were a Canadian senior ice hockey team from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) base in Ottawa. The team was made up of active and former RCAF members and Canadian Army personnel. The team won the gold medal in the 1948 ...
team to represent Canada. The choice was criticized by
Dave Dryburgh
Dave Dryburgh (November 20, 1908July 11, 1948) was a Scotland-born Canadian sports journalist. A native of Kirkcaldy and an immigrant to Regina, he reported on the soccer games in which he played for ''The Leader-Post''. As the newspaper's spo ...
of the ''
Regina Leader-Post
The ''Regina Leader-Post'' is the daily newspaper of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and a member of the Postmedia Network.
Founding
The newspaper was first published as ''The Leader'' in 1883 by Nicholas Flood Davin, soon after Edgar Dewdney, Li ...
'' who wrote that it would a third-rate team and said, "Any time Canada cannot send its best hockey team to the Olympics it shouldn't send one at all".
Dudley sought reinforcements to strengthen the team before they sailed to Europe in January 1948, and stated the CAHA would pay to fly players to Switzerland if necessary. Eight players were eventually added to the team, and Dudley felt they would adequately represent Canada, even if they might not be as strong as previous Canadian national teams.
The status of ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics was threatened when the
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is the National Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee for the United States. It was founded in 1895 as the United States Olympic Committee, and is headquartered in Col ...
led by
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage (; September 28, 1887 – May 8, 1975) was an American sports administrator who served as the fifth president of the International Olympic Committee from 1952 to 1972. The only American and only non-European to attain that p ...
threatened to boycott the Olympics if an AHAUS team was recognized instead of an AAU team.
The IIHF executive met again and agreed that its teams would not play against a team chosen by the AAU.
Dudley again stated that the IIHF should host its own World Championships separate from the Olympics if differences could not be resolved. He was assured by the IIHF that such a tournament could be arranged on 48 hours' notice.
The night before the Olympics began, it was decided to allow the AHAUS team to play in the tournament, but the IOC declared that games played by the United States team would not count in the standings. The day before the tournament ended, the IOC decided that the winner would be recognized as Olympic champion, except for the United States team. Dudley felt that the winner would have been recognized as a world champion, whether or not the IOC recognized it. The Ottawa RCAF Flyers completed the tournament with seven wins and a draw, to capture the gold medal for Canada.
After the Olympics, Dudley arranged for the Ottawa RCAF Flyers to complete an exhibition game schedule to raise funds to cover travel expenses. He stated that the 1948 Olympic hockey tournament was played in "ridiculous weather conditions" with poor
refereeing. He advocated to only attended international events on artificial ice, which would showcase Canada's true abilities. He felt that the IOC should be composed of members appointed by national sports bodies who would be more knowledgeable of sport, instead of a person who was disconnected from the game appointing his or her own replacement.
1949 to 1951
In January 1949, the Canadian Olympic Association sought government grants towards the development of amateur sport. Dudley was opposed the use of tax dollars to fund sports, on the premise that the government would be in control of the sports associations, instead of those persons directly involved in the sport. He also felt that politicians would inevitably use sport for political advantage.
The
Sudbury Wolves
The Sudbury Wolves are an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) ice hockey team based in Greater Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
Sudbury has had various hockey teams competing at the Junior ice hockey, junior and senior ice hockey levels of the game k ...
were chosen to represent Canada at the
1949 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 16th Ice Hockey World Championships and 27th European Hockey Championships was held from February 12 to 20, 1949, in Stockholm, Sweden. The event was the first World Championships during the presidency of Canadian W. G. Hardy. The Internati ...
, and placed second to the
Czechoslovakia men's national ice hockey team
The Czechoslovakia men's national ice hockey team was the national ice hockey team of Czechoslovakia, and competed from 1920 until 1992. The successor to the Bohemia national ice hockey team, which ...
.
In April 1949,
Danny Lewicki
Daniel Vladimir Lewicki (March 12, 1931 – September 25, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Black Hawks and New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 1950s and ear ...
was the focus of whether or not a minor can be signed to a contract known as a "C" form, and it be enforced when he became 18 years old. Dudley stated that if the player refused to report to an amateur club chosen by the professional club, he could then be offered a professional contract. Refusal of the professional contract would result in his suspension from the CAHA, as per agreements with the NHL.
In response to accusations by the
Canadian Teachers' Federation
The Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF/FCE) is a bilingual not-for-profit organization and a national alliance of provincial and territorial teacher organizations representing more than 277,000 members throughout Canada. The CTF/FCE is affiliated ...
in August 1949, that the CAHA was wrecking high school hockey and placing youths away from home away from parental control, Dudley stated that the claims were nonsense, that he had received no complaints from parents, and asked for the claims to be substantiated. A survey later that year by the Canadian Education Association, concluded that the effect of hockey on education was not a national problem. Dudley opted to participated in discussions to minimize any effects of hockey on education.
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 ...
were chosen to represent Canada at the
1950 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 17th Ice Hockey World Championships and 28th European Championships were held from 13 to 22 March 1950 in London, England. Canada, represented by the Edmonton Mercurys, won its 13th World Championship. Highest ranking European team Switzerla ...
, and went undefeated to win the title. 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 ...
represented Canada at the
1951 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 1951 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 18th World Championship and the 29th European Championship in ice hockey for international teams. The tournament took place in France from 9 to 17 March and the games were played in the capital ci ...
, and were also undefeated in defending Canada's world title.
Early in 1951, the OHA was faced with a mutiny in senior ice hockey in Kingston. Dudley recommended an inquiry into why a group of six players wanted to transfer from an existing new to a new team, along with the coach. After an inquiry, he and fellow OHA executives
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 ...
,
Frank Buckland and W. A. Hewitt, handed out a lifetime suspension to
George Patterson who coached Kingston's senior B-level team, for conspiring to deliberately lose a playoff series to avoid moving into a higher-level of playoffs, rather than staying in a lower level and potentially make more profits at home playoff games than on the road.
In June 1951, Dudley confirmed that the
Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association wanted to join the CAHA as its own branch, instead of part of the Maritime Amateur Hockey Association. No agreement was reached, and Dudley sought continued discussion.
1952 Winter Olympics
Discussions began in 1950, whether or not ice hockey would be included in the
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games ( no, De 6. olympiske vinterleker; nn, Dei 6. olympiske vinterleikane) and commonly known as Oslo 1952, was a winter multi-sport event held from 14 to 25 February 195 ...
hosted in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
. The IOC sought assurance that participating teams would adhere to its amateur code rather than what was accepted by the IIHF, and also wanted to exclude IIHF president Fritz Kraatz from negotiations. Dudley and W. G. Hardy agreed there would be no negotiations on those terms, nor would they repudiate Kraatz. Dudley referred to the IOC as dictatorial and undemocratic, and expected the IIHF to discuss having its own 1952 Ice Hockey World Championships instead. He further stated that the Olympics would be a financial failure without the inclusion of hockey.
Ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway, was the seventh Olympic Championship, also serving as the 19th World Championships and the 30th European Championships. The tournament was mainly played at the Jorda ...
ultimately went ahead, and the Edmonton Mercurys represented Canada again by winning the gold medal.
1952 to 1953
Dudley supported a resolution at the 1952 CAHA general meeting which prevented the eastward transfer of players, to prevent rosters in Western Canada from being depleted by clubs in the more populated areas of Eastern Canada. He wanted to have protective measures in place, before renegotiating the professional-amateur agreement.
Canada did not participate in the
1953 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 1953 Ice Hockey World Championships were the 20th World Championships and the 31st European Championships in ice hockey. The tournament took place between March 7 and March 15, 1953, in Basel and Zurich, Switzerland. Sweden won their firs ...
. On January 12, 1953, CAHA president
W. B. George
William Bryden George (November 28, 1899June 25, 1972), also known as Baldy George, was a Canadian sports administrator and agriculturalist. He was president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1952 to 1955, when Canada debated whe ...
stated that, "Every year we spend $10,000 to send a Canadian hockey team to Europe to play 40 exhibition games. All these games are played to packed houses that only enrich European hockey coffers. In return we are subjected to constant, unnecessary abuse over our Canadian style of play".
In March 1953, the CAHA suspended the QAHA after a dispute stemming from a Quebec registration certificate being issued a player who was under suspension by the CAHA. An ultimatum was given to teams in leagues affiliated with the QAHA to follow the CAHA if they wished to participate in playoffs for national championships, or remain under QAHA jurisdiction.
Dudley published newspaper advertisements on behalf of the CAHA to notify of the decision.
After the deadline, Dudley announced the suspension of all leagues and teams affiliated with the QAHA,
except for the QSHL which resigned its provincial affiliation to operate independently of the QAHA and the CAHA.
Dudley was confident that issues could be resolved at the 1953 CAHA general meeting. He wanted the QAHA to return without any punitive damages, but with assurance there would be no recurrence of the infraction. The QAHA was reinstated, and Dudley urged for the CAHA executive to follow the rules consistently when it came to player replacements in playoffs, instead of making arbitrary decisions.
1954 World Championships
The CAHA planned on returning to the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1954, but Dudley had difficulties again in finding a team willing to represent Canada. He eventually arranged for the
East York Lyndhursts
The East York Lyndhursts were an amateur senior ice hockey team based in East York, Ontario, Canada. The team was sponsored by Lyndhurst Motors, played in the Toronto Ice Hockey League as part of the Ontario Hockey Association, and represented ...
from a senior B-level league in Ontario to attend the
1954 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 21st Ice Hockey World Championships and 32nd European ice hockey championships were held from 26 February to 7 March 1954 in Stockholm, Sweden. Every team played each other once with the top three finishers receiving medals at the end. The U ...
, after several A-level senior teams declined due to the financial strain of travel, and players being away from work. The announcement was made in October 1953, and received little press coverage at the time. In February 1954, he sent reinforcements from higher-level senior teams to strengthen the roster, including
Don Lockhart
Donald John Lockhart (February 28, 1931 – April 6, 1982), was a Canadian ice hockey player who was a member of the Canadian team at the 1954 Ice Hockey World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, and won a silver medal.
Career
Lockhart play ...
,
Eric Unger,
Tom Jamieson
Thomas Elmore Jamieson (February 16, 1924 – April 19, 1993) was a Canadian ice hockey player with the East York Lyndhursts. He won a silver medal at the 1954 World Ice Hockey Championships in Stockholm, Sweden. He also played with the Quebec Ac ...
, and
Bill Shill
William Roy Shill (March 6, 1923 – August 15, 1998) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 79 games in the National Hockey League with the Boston Bruins between 1942 and 1947. After his professional career, Shill played ...
. Dudley said that choosing the national representative was an annual problem, and the cost of sending A-level teams was getting prohibitive. He arranged an exhibition schedule in Europe to acclimatize the team to the international rules of play, and raise funds from tickets to exhibition games to cover travel costs. The 1954 Ice Hockey World Championships was the first time the
Soviet Union national team would participate, and he speculated they would finish no better than fourth place.
Canada lost in the final game by a 7–2 score to the Soviets. The loss was described as a "black eye" to Canada, a "catastrophe" and "a national calamity". The CAHA and Dudley were highly criticized by the media in Canada for sending a B-level senior team to international competition. Dudley invited suggestions on how to better form the team, and reiterated the prohibitive costs of sending A-level teams. He stated that the timing of the world championships coincided with playoffs in Canada, and that no A-level team would agree to leave at a critical team in their season. He also said that the profits from the Allan Cup and Memorial Cup playoffs would not sustain the annual cost of flying a team to Europe to shorten the time away from playing in Canada. He also considered inviting the Soviet Union national ice hockey team to tour Canada as a goodwill gesture, and since increased interest in seeing the Soviet team play would make it profitable.
1955 World Championships
In July 1954, Dudley was confident the criticism of choosing the national team would end, after he announced that the
1954 Allan Cup
The 1954 Allan Cup was the Canadian senior ice hockey championship for the 1953–54 senior "A" season. The event was hosted by the Penticton V's and Penticton, Vernon, and Kelowna, British Columbia. The 1954 playoff marked the 46th time th ...
champion
Penticton Vees
The Penticton Vees are a junior "A" ice hockey team from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League. The junior Vees were founded in 1961, sharing the name of the senior hockey team, the Penticton V ...
were chosen to represent Canada at the
1955 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 22nd edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Krefeld and Cologne, West Germany from February 25 to March 6, 1955. A total of 14 nations part ...
. He predicted that Penticton would win regain the championship for Canada, and that there would be more pressure on the Soviet team than Canada's team.
In November 1954, the CAHA received an invitation for a Canadian team to tour the Soviet Union. Dudley said the request came too late to change existing schedules to accommodate the request. The CAHA deferred the proposal of a Canadian tour of the Soviet Union until after the World Championships which was a higher priority, despite the willingness of the
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 ca ...
to accept the Soviet invitation. The Penticton Vees won all eight played the 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships to regain the title for Canada.
At the CAHA general meeting in May 1955, Dudley proposed regulations to include television broadcasts rights in addition to the radio broadcast fees the CAHA collects for amateur games. He proposed a 10 cent-per-ticket fee for all games in Canada towards the national team's fund. He reported interest by private company to sponsor the team, and that the CAHA's insurance company proposed to sponsor the printing of CAHA rule books. Dudley said he was not enthusiastic about sending teams to international events, but felt obligated to send a team to the upcoming Winter Olympics. In regards to whether the IOC would accept a Canadian senior team, he mentioned it was possible to have university and college players quickly registered with the CAHA if needed.
1956 Winter Olympics
In August 1955, Dudley announced that the
1955 Allan Cup
The 1955 Allan Cup was the Canadian senior ice hockey championship for the 1954–55 senior "A" season. The event was hosted by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Dutchmen and Kitchener, Ontario. The 1955 playoff marked the 47th time that the All ...
champions
Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen were selected to represent Canada in
ice hockey at the 1956 Winter Olympics
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, was the eighth Olympic Championship, also serving as the 23rd World Championships and the 34th European Championships. The tournament was held at the Ol ...
. The customary exhibition tour would be omitted, and the team would fly to Europe. Plans to finance the trip included a national hockey week in Canada during the Olympics, in which 10 cents from each ticket sold would go to the CAHA. The Soviets invited Canada to play an exhibition series in Moscow after the Olympics, and Dudley replied that the Soviet Union would need to pay more of Canada's expenses to make it worthwhile. The Dutchmen won six games during the Olympic hockey tournament, but losses to the Soviet Union and the United States earned a bronze medal for Canada. Despite the result, Dudley felt that the Dutchmen were the best team Canada had sent to the Olympics since World War II. In response to calls for an all-star team being sent instead, he stated that 90 per cent of senior hockey teams in Canada operated at a deficit, and taking away their best players for an all-star team would be detrimental to their ticket sales. He again mentioned the possibility of hosting the Soviet national team on a tour of Canada.
1956 to 1957
At the May 1956 general meeting of the CAHA, Dudley stated that development fees received from the NHL amounted to $27,000 in the past season. He encouraged the provincial branches to set aside their differences in the playing rules, as per agreements with the NHL to use similar rules as the professionals. The CAHA agreed to send a team to the next Winter Olympics, as long as it was not burdened with the whole cost. An agreement was reached in principle to send an all-star team to the 1957 World Championships, based on a core of players from the
1956 Allan Cup
The 1956 Allan Cup was the Canadian senior ice hockey championship for the 1955–56 senior "A" season. The event was hosted by the Vernon Canadians and Vernon, Kelowna, and Kamloops, British Columbia. The 1956 playoff marked the 48th time th ...
champion
Vernon Canadians The Vernon Canadians were a men's ice hockey team from Vernon, British Columbia that played in the Okanagan Mainline League or the Okanagan Senior League from 1949 to 1961. In 1962, after the Okanagan Senior League folded, the Canadians became a b ...
.
Dudley felt it was important that Canadians agreed the best possible team was being sent, and that the CAHA should negotiate the best financial arrangements to play abroad.
He believed an all-star team from senior teams would give the best results at the Olympics and the World Championships, but funding was an issue. A sponsored team based in one city was more cost efficient than combining players from different cities. In an interview with the ''
Toronto Telegram
''The Toronto Evening Telegram'' was a conservative, broadsheet afternoon newspaper published in Toronto from 1876 to 1971. It had a reputation for supporting the Conservative Party at the federal and the provincial levels. The paper competed wit ...
'' he said, "If we could get the Allan Cup team of the previous year as a nucleus that would be even better, but we'd have to pry the best players loose from other clubs".
The CAHA sought $75,000 for training and travel costs for a full-time national team, which Dudley hoped a private sector sponsorship would cover. In September 1956, Dudley stated that the offer by a private company was withdrawn. The CAHA appealed for donations of $100 from 750 sportspersons to cover the costs. Dudley stated in October 1956, that fundraising was delayed due to searching for a sponsor.
Dudley made the announcement in November 1956, that Canada would not send its national team to the 1957 Ice Hockey World Championships due to recent changes in international affairs. Canada and the United States boycotted the World Championships due to the
1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary.
Dudley attended the 1957 IIHF summer congress and made arrangements for a Soviet national team tour of Canada during November and December 1957. The CAHA agreed to pay Soviet travel within Canada and return fare, and a reciprocal Canadian tour of the Soviet Union in 1958. Dudley announced the tour would be seven games played under international rules, and only include cities in Ontario and Quebec due to limits on the Soviet's available travel time. He expected a sold-out crowd at Maple Leaf Gardens for the first game of the tour, and thought the Soviet team might be stronger than its Olympic version. The tour reached on 62,000 in attendance. Dudley he felt the Soviets displayed a different way in which hockey could be played scientifically with sportsmanship. He wanted to see games in Western Canada on future tours, and mentioned the possibility of inviting Swedish or Czechoslovakian teams. He felt the event was good for international hockey, despite existing political differences. The CAHA profited more than $22,000 from the Soviet tour.
1958 to 1959
The CAHA chose to participate in the
1958 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 1958 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between February 28 and March 9, 1958, in Oslo, Norway at the Jordal Amfi arena. The Whitby Dunlops represented Canada, winning the World Championship for the 17th time. The Soviets lost the fina ...
, and Dudley announced that the
1957 Allan Cup champions
Whitby Dunlops
The Whitby Dunlops are a Canadian senior ice hockey team in the team in the Allan Cup Hockey league. The team began play in 2004, and is on a leave of absence as of the 2020-21 season.
Two previous teams have also played as the Whitby Dunlops. ...
would represent Canada and play a European exhibition schedule. Whitby won all seven games played at the World Championships to give Canada the title.
Dudley advocated for using the profits from the Soviet tour of Canada to send team on a reciprocal tour of the Soviet Union. In May 1958, the CAHA approved sending its first Canadian team on an exhibition tour of the Soviet Union.
The 1958 Allan Cup finalists
Kelowna Packers
The Kelowna Packers were a senior ice hockey team from Kelowna, British Columbia. The team existed from 1949 to 1960, and played as members of the Okanagan Senior Hockey League from 1951 onward. They were runners-up in the 1958 Allan Cup finals, ...
were chosen for the five-game tour, and Dudley arranged for three subsequent games in Sweden. He hoped that the Kelowna tour would promote future cultural exchanges with Eastern Europe.
Dudley reported in May 1958, that the CAHA and NHL were close to signing a new deal. The previous professional-amateur agreement had expired in 1955, and the groups had operated on a gentleman's agreement since.
He announced a new agreement in January 1959, in which the NHL contribution increased to $40,000 from $27,000. The agreement set out rules for negotiation lists and reserve lists, and professional teams agreed to an earlier deadline to decide which players might be moved from a junior team to a professional team. The CAHA agreed that amateurs aged 17 and older would use same rules as the professionals except for
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society), ...
.
The
1958 Allan Cup
The 1958 Allan Cup was the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) senior ice hockey championship for the 1957–58 senior "A" season. The event was hosted by the Kelowna Packers and Kelowna and Kamloops, British Columbia. The 1958 playo ...
champions
Belleville McFarlands
The Belleville McFarlands were a Canadian senior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) from 1956 to 1961. The McFarlands were based out of Belleville, Ontario, playing home games at the Belleville Memorial Arena.
History
The ...
were chosen to represent Canada at the
1959 Ice Hockey World Championships
The 1959 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between 5 March and 15 March 1959, in Prague, and six other cities in Czechoslovakia. Canada, represented by the Belleville McFarlands, won their 18th World championship, winning every game but ...
.
In the exhibition tour before the championships, Finnish newspaper ''
Helsingin Sanomat
''Helsingin Sanomat'', abbreviated ''HS'' and colloquially known as , is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. Its name derives from that of ...
'' published that Canada showed poor sportsmanship. Dudley's response was to advise the team to use discretion in future games and to avoid incidents. The McFarlands won seven of eight games played at the 1959 Ice Hockey World Championships to retain the world title for Canada.
Dudley scheduled the May 1959 CAHA general meeting to be hosted in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, in conjunction with the AHAUS general meeting. He said that no CAHA branch offered to host delegates, which would typically cost $1,000. The Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen had been chosen to represent Canada at the upcoming Olympics, and Dudley announced that CAHA would pay for uniforms, and traveling expenses. At the meeting, the CAHA approved an increase in the roster size for the national team. It allowed the Dutchmen to take an additional 10 players from other teams, and would assist the teams which loaned players by granting roster replacements and $500 compensation.
1960 Winter Olympics
Dudley arranged a tour of Canada in January and February 1960 for the Russian Selects, an all-star team of players from clubs in Moscow. He stated the CAHA would decide at the upcoming general meeting whether to send a team on a reciprocal tour of Russia next winter. The CAHA was invited to send a team by the coach of the Russian Selects. Dudley also arranged a
Japan men's national team tour in Canada prior to the Olympics.
Dudley oversaw
ice hockey at the 1960 Winter Olympics
The men's ice hockey tournament at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, United States, was the ninth Olympic Championship, also serving as the 27th World Championships and the 38th European Championships. The United States won its firs ...
on behalf of the IIHF.
He arranged a qualification round to determine whether the
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
or
East Germany national team would play in the Olympic tournament, hosted at the
Blyth Arena
Blyth Arena was an ice skating arena in the Western United States, western United States, located at Palisades Tahoe, Squaw Valley, California. It was built in 1959 as venue for Ice hockey at the 1960 Winter Olympics, ice hockey, Figure skating at ...
at the
Squaw Valley Ski Resort
Palisades Tahoe is a ski resort in the western United States, located in Olympic Valley, California, northwest of Tahoe City in the Sierra Nevada range. From its founding in 1949, the resort was known as Squaw Valley, but it changed its name in ...
in California. The
Australia men's national team made its Olympic debut at the tournament, in which the
United States men's national team won its first gold medal in hockey. After the games, Dudley stated that the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen who won the silver medal representing Canada "cannot be blamed for not winning the title". He also hoped for the national consciousness of Canada to awake before the 1964 games, to avoid similar disappointments of not winning the gold medal in hockey.
In April 1960, Dudley stated that Europeans were anxious to see Canadian teams play tours abroad, despite comments by
Arnold Heeney
Arnold Danford Patrick Heeney, (April 5, 1902 – December 20, 1970) was a Canadian lawyer, diplomat and civil servant.
He was born in Montreal, Quebec. He was educated at St. John's College, Winnipeg and received a Bachelor of Arts degree ...
the
Canadian Ambassador to the United States
This is a list of ambassadors of Canada to the United States, formally titled as ''Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America for Her isMajesty's Government in Canada''. Originally, Canada's top diplomatic represe ...
, who said that Canada was unpopular in Olympic hockey. In May 1960, Dudley wished to see a new method for choosing the Canadian national team which had less of an impact on domestic leagues, but produced results. He stated of the Canadian roster that, "Ours are the best 17 after 500 have gone to supply the needs to the pro leagues in Canada and the United States, and at the Olympics another 500 are eliminated because they are reinstated professionals".
Personal life
Dudley became a member of Caledonian Lodge 249, the local
Masonic lodge
A Masonic lodge, often termed a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also commonly used as a term for a building in which such a unit meets. Every new lodge must be warranted or chartered ...
in 1915.
He married Lulu Gidley in 1921.
The couple never had children.
He served 49 years on the
Simcoe East
Simcoe East was a federal electoral district in the province of Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1882 to 1968. This riding was created in 1882 from parts of Muskoka riding.
The "East Riding of the cou ...
riding association, and was affiliated with the
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario (french: Parti progressiste-conservateur de l'Ontario), often shortened to the Ontario PC Party or simply the PCs, colloquially known as the Tories, is a centre-right political party in Ontario, Canada ...
.
He was a member of St. Paul's United Church in Midland, a member of the
Orange Order in Canada
The Grand Orange Lodge of British America, more commonly known as the Grand Orange Lodge of Canada or simply Orange Order in Canada, is the Canadian branch of the Orange Order, a Protestant fraternal organization that began in County Armagh in Ire ...
, and chairman of the local Victory Bond committee in 1945.
Death
Dudley had a stroke on May 6, 1960, and died on May 8, at St. Andrew's hospital in Midland.
He was interred in the family plot with his parents at Lakeview Cemetery in Midland.
At the time of his death, Dudley was expected to become the next president of the IIHF.
Robert Lebel who was a past-president of the CAHA, succeeded Dudley as vice-president of the IIHF and became president in July 1960.
Gordon Juckes
Gordon Wainwright Juckes (; June 20 or 30, 1914 – October 4, 1994) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He served as the president and later the executive director of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), and as a council membe ...
who was the CAHA president at the time, succeeded Dudley as secretary-manager of the CAHA when the position became a full-time paid role.
Honours and awards
Dudley was made a life member of the CAHA in November 1944. He received the OHA Gold Stick award in 1949, in recognition of service to hockey in Ontario. He received the AHAUS citation award in 1950 for service to amateur hockey in the United States. Dudley and W. A. Hewitt were honoured with a dinner by the OHA in December 1950, and Dudley received a silver tea service in recognition of 26 years of service to the OHA. He was made a life member of the OHA in 1952. He was inducted to the builder category of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1958.
After his death in 1960, the CAHA observed a moment of silence at that year's general meeting. He was posthumously inducted into the Midland Sports Hall of Fame on October 12, 1996.
Legacy
Dudley was known as Mr. Hockey.
He and W. A. Hewitt are the namesakes of the
Dudley Hewitt Cup
The Dudley-Hewitt Cup is a championship ice hockey trophy awarded to the Central Canadian Junior A champion. The trophy is currently decided by round robin tournament format, at the conclusion of the playoffs of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, ...
. It was first awarded by the
Canadian Junior Hockey League
The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior H ...
in 1971 to the Central Canada Junior A champion team, who moves on to the national
Centennial Cup
The Centennial Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament organized by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), which determines the national champion of junior A ice hockey. It is a ten-team round robin featuring the winners of ...
competition.
Dudley's death led to multiple tributes from the hockey community. CAHA president Gordon Juckes stated, "to sportsmen national and internationally, his death will mean the personal loss of an experienced, impartial and able administrator". CAHA vice-president Jack Roxburgh described him as, "the best man hockey ever knew". Toronto Maple Leafs coach
Punch Imlach
George "Punch" Imlach (March 15, 1918 – December 1, 1987) was a Canadian ice hockey coach and general manager best known for his association with the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Buffalo Sabres. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and t ...
said that, "he did more for hockey than any living man".
Journalist Jack Sullivan described Dudley as a staunch and shrewd hockey official, a problem solver, and a slow-talking person who stayed away from the limelight.
Canadian journalist and hockey historian
Scott Young mentioned Dudley frequently in the book, ''100 Years of Dropping the Puck: A History of the OHA''. Young described Dudley as a low-key figure at first who grew to prominence by his reputation as being one the busiest and most able volunteers in the OHA.
Young further stated that Dudley was a forward thinker, a man who always had a solution to problems in hockey, and had the ability to listen to a conversation and find a compromise without forcing anyone to change his mind.
Young credited Dudley for dealing with reforms to amateurism, and regulations on player salaries and transfers, which led to increased interest in hockey.
Young also credited Dudley's management skills as a primary factor in the improvement of OHA finances during the 1950s.
[''Young, Scott (1989)'', p. 217]
Bibliography
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References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dudley, George
1894 births
1960 deaths
Burials in Ontario
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association presidents
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association secretaries
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association vice-presidents
Canadian Freemasons
Canadian King's Counsel
Canadian sports executives and administrators
Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Ice hockey people from Ontario
International Ice Hockey Federation executives
Lawyers in Ontario
Ontario Hockey Association executives
Osgoode Hall Law School alumni
People from Midland, Ontario
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