William George Hardy (February 3, 1895 – August 28, 1979) was a Canadian
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
, writer, and
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 lectured on the
Classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
at the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
from 1922 to 1964, and served as president of the
Canadian Authors Association
The Canadian Authors Association is Canada's oldest association for writers and authors. The organization has published several periodicals, organized local chapters and events for Canadian writers, and sponsors writing awards, including the Gover ...
. He was an administrator of Canadian and international ice hockey, and served as president of the
Alberta Amateur Hockey Association
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territ ...
, the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...
(CAHA), 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 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 ...
.
Hardy was self-taught in
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
and
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
. He paid his way through university by earning scholarships, and won the
Governor General's Academic Medal
The Governor General's Academic Medal is awarded to the student graduating with the highest grade point average from a Canadian high school, college or university program. They are presented by the educational institution on behalf of the Governor ...
in Classics and English. He earned a
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
at 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 ...
, and then a
Ph.D.
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
at the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
. He educated about the Classics and world events by radio, and gave 250 talks on
CBC Radio
CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...
. He was critical of
progressive education
Progressive education, or protractivism, is a pedagogical movement that began in the late 19th century and has persisted in various forms to the present. In Europe, progressive education took the form of the New Education Movement. The term ''pro ...
in Alberta, arguing it did not prepare students for university and lacked emphasis on
the three Rs
The three Rs (as in the letter ''R'') are three basic skills taught in schools: reading, writing and arithmetic (usually said as "reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic"). The phrase appears to have been coined at the beginning of the 19th century.
Th ...
. He authored eight novels, six other books, and over 200 short stories published in ''
Maclean's
''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...
'' and ''
The Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...
''. His books told the history of Canada and the
Greco-Roman world
The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
, and his novels included the fictionalized life and times of
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
and
Ancient Rome
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 B ...
. He wrote four plays produced by the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
, was a judge in literary contests, and taught at creative writing workshops.
Hardy coached the
Alberta Golden Bears
The Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas are the sports teams that represent the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Alberta athletics teams have won a total of 93 national championships, including 79 U Sports sanctioned sports, making ...
men's ice hockey team, then became president of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association and established a new playoffs system for
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 ...
in Western Canada. He was elected to the CAHA executive in 1934, then became its president in 1938. Hardy and
George Dudley
George Samuel Dudley (April 19, 1894 – May 8, 1960) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He joined the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) executive in 1928, served as its president from 1934 to 1936, and as its treasurer from 1936 to 1960 ...
recommended updates to the definition of an amateur ice hockey player in 1936, to reflect the financial challenges 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 ...
to have national playoffs and send the
Canada men's national ice hockey team
The Canada men's national ice hockey team (popularly known as Team Canada; french: Équipe Canada) is the ice hockey team representing Canada inter ...
to 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 ...
or
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 ...
. Hardy campaigned to the Canadian public who accepted the changes, despite opposition by 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 ...
. As president of the CAHA, he revised playoffs formats for the
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
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 ...
to become more profitable, and reinvested the money into
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 Canada. He negotiated an affiliation agreement with 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 ...
in 1938, which led to the formation of the International Ice Hockey Association in 1940, to oversee hockey in North America and
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
. He improved professional–amateur relations 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 negotiated to reimburse the amateur associations for developing professional players. Hardy founded the
Western Canada Senior Hockey League The Western Canada Senior Hockey League was a senior ice hockey league that played six seasons in Alberta and Saskatchewan, from 1945 to 1951. The league produced the 1946 Allan Cup and the 1948 Allan Cup champions, and merged into the Pacific Coas ...
in 1945, which later merged with the
Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.
PCHL 1928–1931
The firs ...
. He agreed to a merger of the International Ice Hockey Association with the
Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace in 1947, which was 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 ...
in 1948. He was the first North American to be elected its president, and sought for 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 ...
to recognize the Canadian definition of amateur, and for inclusion of the
Soviet Union national ice hockey team
The Soviet national ice hockey team was the national men's ice hockey team of the Soviet Union. From 1954, the team won at least one medal each year at either the Ice Hockey World Championships ...
at the
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were he ...
.
Hardy was invested as a Member of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
in 1974 for contributions to education, literature and amateur sports in Canada. He was posthumously inducted into the
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, dedicated to the preservation and history of sports within the province. It was created in 1957 by the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union (AAAU). The museum ...
in 1989, and is the namesake of the
Dr. W. G. Hardy Trophy for university hockey, and the
Hardy Cup for senior hockey.
Early life and family
William George Hardy was born on February 3, 1895, on the family farm in Peniel, Ontario, to parents George William Hardy and Anne Hardy (née White).
[''William H. New, ed. (2002),'' p. 474] His parents were of
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
ancestry,
and owned a plot in
Mariposa Township at intersection of
Ontario Highway 46
King's Highway 46, commonly referred to as Highway 46, was a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario that connected Highway 7 with Highway 48 in Victoria County. The route existed between 1937 and 1997, a ...
and Peniel Road. He grew up as one of seven children, and completed
public school
Public school may refer to:
* State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government
* Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England an ...
at age 10.
Hardy stated, "they just let me go at my own speed".
He wrote epic poetry by age 12, and taught himself
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
after he had learned
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
.
He later attended continuation school in
Cannington, Ontario
Cannington is a community in Brock Township, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada. The town is on the Beaver River.
History
Originally part of the original Brock Township, (historic map) Cannington was first settled in 1833. It was first known as Mc ...
,
and then
Lindsay Collegiate and Vocational Institute
Lindsay Collegiate and Vocational Institute, commonly referred to as LCVI or LC is a secondary school in Lindsay, Ontario.
It is a part of the Trillium Lakelands District School Board. It was previously in the Victoria County Board of Educatio ...
until 1913.
Education and military service
![Victoria College](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Victoria_College.jpg)
Hardy obtained
normal school
A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...
entrance for teaching, then enrolled in
Victoria College at 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 ...
to study mathematics. He switched his studies to the
Classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
to get a scholarship.
In June 1914, he was given a scholarship for passing first year examinations in Classics with honours. He paid his way through university by earning scholarships, and won the
Governor General's Academic Medal
The Governor General's Academic Medal is awarded to the student graduating with the highest grade point average from a Canadian high school, college or university program. They are presented by the educational institution on behalf of the Governor ...
in Classics and English.
He graduated from the University of Toronto with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
in 1917.
He resided at
Burwash Hall
Burwash Hall refers to both Burwash Dining Hall and Burwash Hall proper, the second oldest of the residence buildings at Victoria University in Toronto, Canada. Construction began in 1911 and was completed in 1913. It was named after Nathanael Bu ...
during his undergraduate years,
and described himself as an excellent athlete who won college medals in hockey, soccer and tennis.
Hardy enlisted in the
Canadian Expeditionary Force
The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...
on April 30, 1917, during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. He had previously served two years as a
Private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
in the
Canadian Officers' Training Corps The Canadian Officers' Training Corps (COTC) was, from 1912 to 1968, Canada's university officer training programme, fashioned after the University Officers' Training Corps (UOTC) in the United Kingdom. In World War Two the Canadian Army was able ...
, but was rejected to serve in the
109th Battalion due to a heart condition. He subsequently became a
Sergeant
Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
in the University of Toronto Officer's Company. He was given a medical discharge prior to active service.
In a 1979 interview, Hardy stated the preexisting heart condition arose from a college track and field meet.
Hardy was a class lecturer at the University of Toronto from 1918 to 1920.
He became the business manager in 1918, of a publication known as ''The Rebel''.
He married Llewella May Sonley on September 9, 1919.
In 1920, he earned his
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree from the University of Toronto,
then joined the Classics department at the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
as a lecturer.
He completed a
Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common Academic degree, degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields ...
degree at the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
in 1922,
studying Latin and Greek literature and
archeology
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
.
Hardy completed his
dissertation in 1922 entitled ''Greek Epigrammatists at Rome in the First Century B.C.'', which was printed in the ''Journal of the Graduate School of Arts and Literature'' in 1923.
University professor career
![University of Alberta 1929](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/University_of_Alberta_1929.jpg)
Hardy received his professorship in 1922, then served as head of the Department of Classics at the University of Alberta from 1938 to 1964.
He used the airwaves to educate about the Classics and world events, and gave 250 radio talks on
CBC Radio
CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...
.
He lectured on the
Second Italo-Ethiopian War
The Second Italo-Ethiopian War, also referred to as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, was a war of aggression which was fought between Italy and Ethiopia from October 1935 to February 1937. In Ethiopia it is often referred to simply as the Itali ...
and its background in 1935, and followed up later with a lecture on the challenges of
fascism
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...
. Other topics included the
Greco-Roman world
The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
, and a series of talks about the world's first democracy.
Education system criticism
In April 1950, Hardy stated that
compulsory education
Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all people and is imposed by the government. This education may take place at a registered school or at other places.
Compulsory school attendance or compulsory schooling ...
in North America has resulted in "a sort of lowest common denominator of dull mediocrity", and "an under-educated and over-opinionated mass of people". He felt university students had weak English language skills, and had not been allowed to study what interested them. He stressed that educated needs to build an understanding of human relationships, instead of being technically trained persons.
In February 1954, Hardy wrote a series of six articles on
education in Alberta
Education in Alberta is provided mainly through funding from the provincial government. The earliest form of formal education in Alberta is usually preschool which is not mandatory and is then followed by the partially-mandatory kindergarten t ...
, where he critiqued the value of education in the current
Government of Alberta
The government of Alberta (french: gouvernement de l'Alberta) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Alberta. As a constitutional monarchy, the Crown—represented in the province by the lieutenant governor—i ...
system. He questioned whether
progressive education
Progressive education, or protractivism, is a pedagogical movement that began in the late 19th century and has persisted in various forms to the present. In Europe, progressive education took the form of the New Education Movement. The term ''pro ...
prepared young people for life, and argued it did not provide the basics such as mathematics, spelling, grammar, writing skills, general knowledge of history and geography.
He specifically noted the lack of emphasis on
the three Rs
The three Rs (as in the letter ''R'') are three basic skills taught in schools: reading, writing and arithmetic (usually said as "reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic"). The phrase appears to have been coined at the beginning of the 19th century.
Th ...
.
Hardy felt that the increase in class sizes and the "watered-down lessons" led to students being less interested in their studies. He criticized the system for being designed to make it easier to pass, as a result of parents not wanting to see their child fail when others succeeded.
He was critical of group projects geared towards the lowest common denominator, students developing poor thinking and working habits, and teachers being overwhelmed by the number of students. He felt that learning how to get along with other people was best achieved interacting with peers on the playground rather than in the classroom. He stated that children needed to learn facts and history about the world, to be able to interpret those facts as they grow in mental capacity. He stressed that proper learning was hard work, and the need for memorization skills in children when the ability for memory power was greatest. He noted that the progressive system admitted to not providing for the child with
intellectual giftedness
Intellectual giftedness is an intellectual ability significantly higher than average. It is a characteristic of children, variously defined, that motivates differences in school programming. It is thought to persist as a trait into adult life, wi ...
, and was critical of the reduced requirements for entry into
teacher's college
Teachers College, Columbia University (TC), is the graduate school of education, health, and psychology of Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, it has served as one of the official faculties ...
in Alberta.
The series of articles titled ''Education in Alberta'', were later printed in a booklet and made available by newspaper publishers in Alberta.
Hockey career
Early hockey career in Alberta
Hardy coached the
Alberta Golden Bears
The Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas are the sports teams that represent the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Alberta athletics teams have won a total of 93 national championships, including 79 U Sports sanctioned sports, making ...
men's ice hockey team from 1922 to 1926.
He played a leading role in getting the first
ice hockey rink
An ice hockey rink is an ice rink that is specifically designed for ice hockey, a competitive team sport. Alternatively it is used for other sports such as broomball, ringette, rinkball, and rink bandy. It is a rectangle with rounded corners and s ...
built at the University of Alberta campus in 1927.
He served as president of the
Alberta Amateur Hockey Association
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Territ ...
(AAHA) from 1931 to 1933,
and was appointed to the board of governors for the Alberta branch of 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). During his tenure as president, the AAHA began hockey schools for its coaches and
referees
A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other titl ...
. He supported expanding the playoffs for the intermediate division in
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 ...
, even though Canada did not yet have national playoffs for that division. At the AAU of C meeting in April 1933, he submitted a motion to allow the reinstatement of former professionals as amateurs, after a period of not playing professionally. The AAHA meeting in November 1933, reported the largest bank balance at end of year since the founding of the AAHA 26 years prior. Hardy submitted a resolution to have the AAU of C request to the
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
be taken away from
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, due to
Germany banning Jewish athletes. He was succeeded as president by Lance Morgan, and remained on the AAHA executive as past-president, representing the provincial body at national meetings.
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
Second vice-president
![Canadian Ice Hockey Team, 1936 Winter Olympics](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/Canadian_Ice_Hockey_Team%2C_1936_Winter_Olympics.jpg)
Hardy was elected second vice-president of the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; french: Association canadienne de hockey amateur) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction include ...
(CAHA) on April 4, 1934. He was re-elected by acclamation on April 13, 1935, and served as chairman of the resolutions committee. He also continued to serve on the AAHA executive, being re-elected in 1934, and 1935.
The CAHA decided in 1935 to appoint a special committee to study the definition of amateur and look into updating its wording to suit hockey in Canada.
The special committee included Hardy,
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 ...
,
George Dudley
George Samuel Dudley (April 19, 1894 – May 8, 1960) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator. He joined the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) executive in 1928, served as its president from 1934 to 1936, and as its treasurer from 1936 to 1960 ...
and
Clarence Campbell
Clarence Sutherland Campbell, (July 9, 1905 – June 24, 1984) was a Canadian ice hockey executive, referee, and soldier. He refereed in the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 1930s, served in the Canadian Army during World War II, then s ...
.
The committee studied the issues encountered when the
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 ...
team which won the
1935 Allan Cup, was unable to represent the
Canada men's national ice hockey team
The Canada men's national ice hockey team (popularly known as Team Canada; french: Équipe Canada) is the ice hockey team representing Canada inter ...
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 ...
due to financial issues related to amateur eligibility for the games.
[''Young, Scott (1989),'' p. 190]
Hardy was in charge of CAHA playoffs for
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada ...
, which included the
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 ...
for the senior ice hockey divisions, and 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 ...
for the
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 ...
divisions. In the
1936 Allan Cup playoffs, he ruled against including the
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 ...
. He stated it was too late to redraft the schedules, since the team had been overseas representing the Canada at the 1936 Winter Olympics instead of the Halifax Wolverines.
Hardy and Dudley presented the special committee's report on amateur status at the CAHA general meeting in April 1936, which came in the wake of Canada being beaten by the
Great Britain men's national ice hockey team
The Great Britain men's national ice hockey team (also known as Team GB) is the national ice hockey team that represents the United Kingdom. A founding member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 1908, the team is control ...
for the gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics. They proposed four points to change the existing AAU of C definition.
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.
In presenting the reforms, Hardy stated, "it is time that we face present day realities as they exist in hockey across the country".
The proposals stood to sever relations with the AAU of C as its governing body, and the CAHA's participation in international events. 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 when a vote came, the "old guard" would lose against updating the definition of an amateur. The four points were discussed at a special meeting with
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 ...
, the president of the AAU of C.
Fry stated that the decision was "the most important matter ever to come before an amateur body in Canada". He sympathized with the situation since was a former CAHA president, but he did not support the changes.
The CAHA voted to pass the resolution to adopt the new definition of amateur, and awaited a vote by the AAU of C on whether it would be accepted.
First vice-president
![Allan Cup](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Allan_Cup.jpg)
Hardy was elected first vice-president of the CAHA on May 6, 1936.
[''Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (1990)''. p. 127] He was delegated to assist Fry in conducting a mail-in vote on the CAHA proposals, and to draft a letter to send to AAU of C delegates.
Fry published a letter to the CAHA in his ''
Dunnville
Dunnville is an unincorporated community located near the mouth of the Grand River in Haldimand County, Ontario, Canada near the historic Talbot Trail. It was formerly an incorporated town encompassing the surrounding area with a total populat ...
Chronicle'' newspaper that defended the old definition of amateur, and said that no mail-in vote would be held, and deferred the issue to the AAU of C general meeting in November 1936.
Hardy responded by asserting that Fry broke a promise to the CAHA, and maintained that the CAHA would go ahead with its plan, regardless of any AAU of C vote.
Hardy publicized the CAHA ambitions and published the article "Should We Revise Our Amateur Laws?" in ''
Maclean's
''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...
'' on November 1, 1936. He argued for updating the definition of amateur, when it was commonly accepted to bend the rules in hockey. He felt that the AAU of C was hypocritical for classifying
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
,
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
, and
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...
as pastime sports where athletes may compete with or against professionals and still be called amateurs. He sought for these inconsistencies with respect to professionals and amateurs should be "ironed out and a common-sense view be taken of the situation". He further stated that the old definition of amateur came "from the days when only gentlemen with independent means were supposed to engage in sport"; and that in the era of 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 ...
, it was justified that a hockey player be allowed legitimate employment in sport and be compensated for work lost while away at playoffs or representing his country at international events.
The amateur issue achieved significant press coverage by November 1936. Canadian journalist
Scott Young wrote that public perception was against the AAU of C definition, and that Canadians were in favour of amateurs being compensated for travel, which was perceived as a reason for Canada not winning the gold medal in ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics.
Hardy and Dudley presented their arguments at the AAU of C general meeting, and reiterated that the CAHA would not back down since the changes were in the best interests of hockey in Canada. Hardy felt that defending the interests of players in Canada was more important than maintaining international relations. The AAU of C voted and approved exhibition games between amateurs and professionals, but rejected the other three points.
The status of the alliance between the CAHA and the AAU of C was left in limbo and unclear. Hardy remained open to a relationship with the AAU of C, and denied a report in ''
The Gazette
The Gazette (stylized as the GazettE), formerly known as , is a Japanese visual kei Rock music, rock band, formed in Kanagawa Prefecture, Kanagawa in early 2002.''Shoxx'' Vol 106 June 2007 pg 40-45 The band is currently signed to Sony Music Recor ...
'' that the CAHA had formally severed ties. In March 1937, 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 ...
of the United States terminated its affiliation agreement with the CAHA due to the split with the AAU of C. Hardy was not deterred since it meant fewer players going to the United States and depleting rosters in Canada.
In other business, Hardy defended the decision to reduce the expenses covered for delegates to attend the CAHA meeting, and spend the money instead on grants to the provincial branches to promote
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 ...
, junior ice hockey, and expenses for the Canadian national team at the Olympics. He anticipated that eastern Canadian teams may start an intermediate level championship, and he was re-elected to the AAHA executive.
Hardy was re-elected first vice-president of the CAHA, on April 20, 1937, and supervised playoffs schedules for Western Canada. The CAHA profited
C$17,000 from the 1938 playoffs. National registrations had increased 4,500 players in three seasons, which justified giving the grants to promote minor ice hockey. By 1938, profits had improved the financial reserves of the CAHA from $5,000 to $50,000.
In February 1938,
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) president
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 ...
terminated the working agreement with the CAHA, after a player suspended by the NHL was registered by a CAHA team. Hardy met with Calder and felt that issues were worked out, but Calder told NHL teams that they could approach any junior player with a contract offer. Hardy then set up a committee including himself, Dudley 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 ...
to represent the CAHA at a meeting with the NHL to discuss the issues.
President
=First term
=
Hardy was elected president of the CAHA on April 18, 1938, succeeding Cecil Duncan.
Hardy reached a new working agreement with the NHL in August 1938. The CAHA agreed not to allow international transfers for players on NHL reserve lists, and the NHL agreed not to sign any junior players without permission. It also included provisions against the exodus of Canadian players to American clubs, and stipulated that both organizations use the same playing rules, and recognize each other's suspensions. Hardy then represented the CAHA at the joint rules committee to draft uniform rules with the NHL.
Hardy set out to negotiate a working agreement with 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), which had been founded in 1937 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 ...
as a new governing body for ice hockey in the United States. Hardy reached a two-year agreement with AHAUS in September 1938. It regulated games played between amateur teams in Canada and the United States, set out provisions for transfers from one organization to the other, and recognized each other's suspensions and authority. Hardy cautioned Canadians against signing contracts with the
Tropical Hockey League
The Tropical Hockey League (THL) was a short-lived ice hockey minor league in Miami, Florida. The initial league had four teams, all based in Miami, and lasted for only one season, 1938–39, before folding; it was briefly resurrected in 1940 bef ...
based in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, since the league was not affiliated with AHAUS.
In February 1939, the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States responded to the CAHA affiliation with AHAUS by protesting to the
Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LIHG). The Amateur Athletic Union did not recognize the authority of AHAUS within the United States, and disagreed any fellow LIHG members entering into agreements with the new governing body. Hardy stated that the CAHA would stay true to the agreement with AHAUS, which he referred to as the most comprehensive ice hockey governing body in the United States. His decision potentially meant that the CAHA would lose its membership in the LIHG, and not be permitted to compete at the
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annua ...
or in
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 ...
.
Hardy met with officials from the AAHA and the
Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association in February 1939, to discuss the cost of developing players lost to professional teams. They agreed to propose a draft fee when a CAHA player signed an NHL contract to offset financial losses.
In the same month, Hardy negotiated to include 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) into the existing agreement with AHAUS to regulate imported players.
The announcement upheld his previous statement that anyone who had played with the BIHA would need to seek a proper transfer back to Canada, or face suspension.
In other business, Hardy announced more grants to provincial branches to promote minor ice hockey,
he arranged the Western intermediate senior playoffs, and spoke on national radio about developments in the status of amateur sport in Canada.
Hardy's first term as president ended with the CAHA's
silver jubilee celebrations. He appointed
Claude C. Robinson to oversee the event in
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 ...
, to recognize the contributions of the
Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) in starting the CAHA.
The gala 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 ...
on April 11, 1939. Hardy acknowledged the guidance of Robinson as a founding father of the CAHA in his opening remarks, and stated that "we must have the vision of today, also of the future, and also of the past". He felt the future goals of the CAHA should be, "the development of youths who will fight hard, but fight clean".
=Second term
=
![Memorial Cup at the 2015 championship](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Memorial_Cup_at_the_2015_championship.jpg)
Hardy was re-elected president of the CAHA on April 12, 1939. He continued the affiliation with AHAUS, in objection to the protest by the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States. He received a letter from LIHG president
Paul Loicq
Paul Loicq (11 August 1888 – 26 March 1953) was a Belgian lawyer, businessman and ice hockey player, coach, referee and administrator. He played ice hockey for Belgium men's national ice hockey team and won four bronze medals from in 1910 to 1 ...
which permitted continued negotiations with AHAUS. Hardy reported that the intermediate playoffs which he started in Western Canada were becoming profitable. He extended more grants to promote minor ice hockey within Canada, and to 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) to translate playing rules into the
French language
French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
. The CAHA executive felt it was in a good financial situation and felt it appropriate to help 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 ( ...
. Hardy announced a grant of $3000 towards travel expenses for teams to 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 ...
. He explained CAHA financial policy was to keep enough funds at hand in case of years with deficits, to take care of playoffs travel expenses for its teams, to pay administration costs, and to reinvest profits into youth hockey for the future.
The CAHA proposed having junior hockey contracts which tied a player to a team, as a means to prevent rosters being raided by professional teams, and to protect the junior teams against not being reimbursed for developing the player. The proposed contract required a $500 release fee to be paid when a player signed by any professional club. Hardy said the contracts would put the CAHA in a good legal position with respect to the relationship with its players. He also supported refusing transfers for players who had been offered a reasonable contract of $75 to $125 per month. In June 1939, the CAHA formally notified the NHL of the request for development fees after the existing deal expired in 1940.
When
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 ...
began, 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 ...
wanted sports to continue, and maintain morale of the people during war time. Hardy announced that the CAHA would operate its normal schedule and playoffs for the Allan Cup and Memorial Cup, and stated that the CAHA would provide any services needed. The residency rule was waived for those engaged in military service, and military hockey teams became eligible for the Allan Cup playoffs. The CAHA welcomed any professional players who entered military service with consent of the NHL, and drafted plans to replace players lost to military service. Hardy asked that the provincial hockey associations incorporate military teams into schedules, and assist in running leagues for
garrison
A garrison (from the French ''garnison'', itself from the verb ''garnir'', "to equip") is any body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it. The term now often applies to certain facilities that constitute a mil ...
units.
At the general meeting in 1940, Hardy stated a desire to continue the existing agreement with the NHL, as long as professional teams did not sign junior-aged players. Teams in the CAHA were given the option of making player contracts for the upcoming season.
The AAU of C decided in 1938 to adopt the definition of amateur as laid out by the respective world governing body of each sport as recognized by 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). The CAHA declined the request from the AAU of C to re-affiliate. The CAHA stance on amateurs was solidified, and its constitution was updated to define an amateur player as one who, "either has not engaged or is not engaged in organized professional hockey".
Past-president
George Dudley succeeded Hardy as president of the CAHA in April 1940. Hardy served as past-president until 1942,
and was re-elected to the AAHA executive. He was chairman of the CAHA's player committee, which considered whether permission could be given for the NHL to sign juniors. He remained in charge of the Western Canada playoffs for the CAHA; and he and Dudley met with QAHA officials in 1941, to approve a plan which gave control of the
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 for the Allan Cup and Memorial Cup to a subcommittee of the CAHA.
International Ice Hockey Association
Foundation of the association
On April 15, 1940, in Montreal, the CAHA and AHAUS agreed to form a new governing body known tentatively as the International Ice Hockey League, and invited the BIHA to join. Hardy who was also the CAHA president, 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 body became known as 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 Hardy as its president from 1940 to 1947.
Lockhart from AHAUS was named first vice-president, and the BIHA was asked to nominate the second vice-president position.
Hardy explained the International Ice Hockey Association as a means of shifting the control of world hockey from
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
to Canada, "where it rightfully belonged".
He also noted the inactivity of the LIHG resulting from World War II. He sought for acceptance by the IOC on terms acceptable to the CAHA. A constitution for the new association was delegated to a committee including future CAHA presidents
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 ...
and
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 ...
, and MAHA president
Vic Johnson.
The constitution stated that the associations president must be an executive officer or a past-president of the CAHA. The CAHA gave $500 to the association, and an honorarium to Hardy for expenses.
Professional–amateur relations
Amateur and junior hockey teams in Canada were upset about losing players to professional leagues without compensation, and Hardy set about to negotiate reimbursement of the Canadian teams when a player became professional.
The CAHA had introduced player contracts for the 1940–41 season, with the goal to keep junior-aged and amateur players under service in Canada instead of leaving for professional leagues.
In September 1940, Hardy announced a one-year agreement was reached with the NHL to reimburse the amateur associations, which included $250 for signing an amateur and another $250 if the amateur played in the NHL.
The new professional-amateur agreement was signed by Calder on behalf of the NHL in October 1940, and also applied to leagues in the BIHA and the
Eastern Amateur Hockey League in the United States. The distribution of the development funds from the NHL was based on the service time the amateur had with each respective club, and was overseen by Hardy and
Frank Sargent. The agreement included allowing the NHL to sign a limited number of junior age players.
Hardy decided on disputes of players becoming professionals, and reinstatements as amateurs. He committed to decide on all application within 15 days to expedite transfers and reinstatements due to wartime enlistments and travel restrictions. He stated, "we believe that the movement between professional and amateur ranks should be made as easy as possible", which included former professionals being welcomed back in amateur. By January 1941, both Hardy and Calder agreed that amateur and professional organizations were at a "perfect understanding" and were co-operating closely.
By 1942, the agreement had brought in $17,241 in development fees to junior teams. Demand for junior-aged players during the
1941–42 NHL season
The 1941–42 NHL season was the 25th season of the National Hockey League. Seven teams played 48 games each. The Toronto Maple Leafs would win the Stanley Cup defeating the Detroit Red Wings winning four straight after losing the first three in ...
was higher due to war-time travel restrictions on older players. Calder reported there was a general agreement with the amateur leagues that a junior-aged player should be able to determine his own financial future due to the war.
In 1943, Hardy recommended adjustments in amateur payments for players becoming professional, since many later enlisted shortly after signing a contract. He felt that under normal circumstances, junior-aged players should not be signed to professional contracts. He negotiated wartime measures with the NHL, without opposition being raised by presidents of the provincial associations. The
Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.
PCHL 1928–1931
The firs ...
began in 1944, and competed for junior-aged players. Hardy ruled that since the league operated under affiliation with AHAUS, the existing international transfer rules and professional–amateur agreement would apply to the new league.
![Red Dutton, 1944](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Red_Dutton%2C_1944.jpg)
In April 1943,
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 that Hardy was rumoured to be appointed president of the NHL, 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 ...
who had been acting president since the death of Calder in 1943. Hardy stated that he had not been formally approached by the NHL. In October 1944,
Lester Patrick
Curtis Lester Patrick (December 31, 1883 – June 1, 1960) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach associated with the Victoria Aristocrats/Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (Western Hockey League after 1924), and t ...
sponsored Hardy to be president. "He is an ideal man for the job. He is temperamentally suited and has an excellent record as an executive of the CAHA". Patrick credited Hardy for being largely responsible for the current working agreement between the NHL and amateur associations. Hardy "warmly appreciated the nice things Lester Patrick" said, but declined further comment.
In April 1945, Hardy was re-elected president of the International Ice Hockey Association. By 1946, the professional–amateur agreement provided more than $45,000 in development fees. The association and the NHL agreed to enforce suspensions for players not fulfilling a tryout contract.
Hardy then declined transfers to those under such a contract.
In May 1946, the NHL proposed a flat payment of $20,000 to cover all players being signed to professional contracts, whereas the CAHA requested $2,000 for any player remaining in the NHL for more than a year.
Hardy felt the CAHA was at a disadvantage to press too hard, and wanted to maintain good relations with the NHL and AHAUS. The flat rate offer was later accepted with the stipulation that a junior-aged player could sign a contract at age 16, but not play professional until age 18.
In January 1947, the CAHA and AHAUS disagreed over a $100 transfer fee requested for players going to the United States. Lockhart refused the fee, stating the CAHA had no authority to make that request. He also threatened to resign as vice-president and withdraw AHAUS from the association. Several players had left Canada without proper documentation, but Hardy ultimately allowed the players to remain in the United States.
World hockey relations
At the 1944 CAHA general meeting in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, a motion was passed to sever relations with the LIHG. Another a motion of confidence was passed in the International Ice Hockey Association, and closer relationships between the CAHA, AHAUS and the BIHA.
In April 1945, Hardy envisioned an amateur hockey World Series after World War II, involving teams from Canada, the United States, England and Scotland.
The proposed series would be an annual event between the North American and European champion to begin in 1947 or 1948.
Hardy expected hockey to grow after the war, and said proper rules had been established to limited transfers and prevent raiding of Canadian rosters. He expected a large number of Canadian soldiers stationed in Europe to remain there playing hockey.
Post-war plans were discussed on how to co-ordinate classification of clubs for international competition.
In May 1946, the
Swedish Ice Hockey Association
The Swedish Ice Hockey Association ( sv, Svenska Ishockeyförbundet (SIF)) in Swedish, is an association of Swedish ice hockey clubs. It was established in Stockholm on 17 November 1922 by representatives from seven clubs. Before then, organized ...
and
French Ice Hockey Federation
The French Ice Hockey Federation (french: Fédération française de hockey sur glace (FFHG)) is the governing body of ice hockey in France, as recognized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). It was founded in 2006 after separation w ...
expressed interest in joining the association.
Merger with the LIHG
The association met in August 1946 in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, along with guests from the
Scottish Ice Hockey Association, French and Swedish associations. At the meeting, it was agreed to propose a merger with the LIHG to oversee international ice hockey. A proposal would also be submitted for the Ice Hockey World Championships to alternate between Europe and North America, with the Olympic hockey tournaments played under the same rules as the CAHA and the NHL. Hardy's resolution from 1941 stated the merger was acceptable if the CAHA definition of amateur was approved, the membership and voting system was acceptable to the CAHA, and that AHAUS be admitted as a member to the merged organization. The CAHA sought to have Hardy nominated as vice-president of the new governing body, and Dudley as its secretary.
The CAHA attended the LIHG meeting during the
1947 Ice Hockey World Championships in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
, and pushed for the definition of amateur to be anyone not actively engaged in professional sport. The LIHG agreed to a merger where the presidency would alternate between North America and Europe every three years, and recognized AHAUS as the governing body of hockey in the United States. Since both the CAHA and AHAUS were now members, LIHG regulations prevented roster raids between the countries. A decision on increased voting power for the CAHA was deferred, and the CAHA was permitted to have its own definition of amateur as long as teams at the Olympic games adhered to existing LIHG rules. Hardy agreed to the merger and accepted the vice-presidency of the LIHG.
The Association was dissolved on July 1, 1947.
Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace
The first meeting of the recently elected LIHG executive took place in
Quebec City
Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...
in May 1947, concurrently with the CAHA general meeting. Hardy announced that the BIHA and the Scottish Ice Hockey Association had set aside their differences, with the possibility of the two groups merging.
The CAHA approved a resolution to become a member of the LIHG as of July 1, 1947.
Incoming 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 complete autonomy under the structure of the agreement to join the LIHG.
![RCAF Flyers 1948](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/RCAF_Flyers_1948.JPG)
Hardy felt the CAHA had a tough decision ahead as to whether it could form strong enough teams for international competition that held true 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 ...
. He stated that automatically sending the reigning Allan Cup champion would end, as they were not amateur by Olympic standards. The LIHG decided in 1947, that it supported the IOC interpretation of amateur as defined 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 ...
. The definition read, "an amateur is one whose connection with sport is and always has been solely for pleasure and for the physical, mental and social benefits he derives therefrom and to whom sport is nothing more than recreation without material gain of any kind, direct or indirect".
In response to the IOC decision, Hardy wrote the article "Fiasco on Ice", published in ''Maclean's'' on February 1, 1948.
He argued that the IOC definition of amateur was outdated, and that preventing athletes from receiving reimbursement for wages lost while playing a sport is undemocratic since it limited amateur competition in team sport to the rich who could pay their own way. The IOC definition of amateur excluded those from hockey who were professionals in another sport, any hockey player who received skates or other equipment, and did not allow for reimbursement of wages lost while at competitions. Hardy argued for what he called "a sensible and modern definition of amateurism" which was "one to whom the sport concerned is not his sole or chief means of livelihood".
The CAHA's best amateur players did not qualify for the Olympic definition of an amateur, and the CAHA accepted the offer of the
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), to send the
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 fortified with some reserves.
Despite Hardy's concerns, the Ottawa RCAF Flyers won the gold medal in
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 ...
.
International Ice Hockey Federation
![Lethbridge Maple Leafs Hockey Club, World's Amateur Champions (3499500992)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Lethbridge_Maple_Leafs_Hockey_Club%2C_World%27s_Amateur_Champions_%283499500992%29.jpg)
The LIHG was renamed 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) in 1948.
Hardy was elected president of the IIHF at the July 1948 congress held in Zürich. He succeeded
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 ...
who became the vice-president.
Hardy was the first North American to be elected president of the IIHF. He considered the position to be recognition of Canada's contribution to hockey, and hoped for a World Championship to be hosted in Canada by 1950.
Hardy anticipated that once post-war travel restrictions were lifted, European teams would rank favourably with Canadian teams, and thought a European country would be able to win the World Championship.
The IIHF allowed for any of its member countries to send a team to the
1949 Ice Hockey World Championships, instead of limiting the event to eight teams.
The championships were hosted in
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
, with the gold medal won by the
Czechoslovakia men's national ice hockey team.
In May 1949, the IIHF, CAHA and AHAUS hosted their annual meetings concurrently at the
New Yorker Hotel
The New Yorker, A Wyndham Hotel is a mixed-use hotel building at 481 Eighth Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Opened in 1930, the New Yorker Hotel was designed by Sugarman and Berger in the ...
. At the 1949 meeting, the North American professional and amateur leagues agreed to a campaign on selling hockey to the Canadian and American public. A committee composed of the NHL president Clarence Campbell, CAHA president Pickard, and IIHF president Hardy, was made to "plan and develop a positive statement of hockey objectives for a vigorous presentation to the public". The campaign was in response to alleged exploitation of young hockey players by professional teams.
The
1950 Ice Hockey World Championships were played in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. The reigning champion Czechoslovakia, did not participate in protest of two radio broadcasters who were denied travel visas. Czechoslovakia also feared losing players, due to recent defection of
Jaroslav Drobný
Jaroslav Drobný (; 12 October 1921 – 13 September 2001) was a World No. 1 amateur tennis and ice hockey champion. He left Czechoslovakia in 1949 and travelled as an Egyptian citizen before becoming a citizen of the United Kingdom in 1959, w ...
.
Despite the politics, Hardy stressed that the event was "to promote international amity". Canada won the gold medal at the 1950 championships,
and Hardy credited the
Sweden men's national ice hockey team
The Sweden men's national ice hockey team ( sv, Sveriges herrlandslag i ishockey) is governed by the Swedish Ice Hockey Association. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world and a member of the so-called " Big Si ...
for great improvements reflecting the growth of the game in Sweden.
The IOC rejected a May 1950 proposal to allow each individual sports federation to determine its own respective definition of amateur, but agreed to an Olympic ice hockey tournament in 1952 using the IOC definition of amateur. Hardy stated that the IIHF had no intention of negotiating for inclusion in the 1952 Winter Olympics under the terms announced by the IOC, and asserted that the IIHF had the right to decide on its definition of amateur.
In November 1950, 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 ...
embarked on a 60-game exhibition tour prior to the
1951 Ice Hockey World Championships, to raise the $10,000 to cover travel expenses and lost wages for the players. Hardy stated that profits for exhibition tours of Europe were limited by the number of rinks in Sweden, competition for ice shows in Great Britain, and that gate receipts were not allowed to be taken out of Czechoslovakia. The 1951 World Championships were hosted in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, and Canada won the gold medal represented by Lethbridge.
The IIHF presidency reverted to European control in 1951, and Kraatz returned to the post succeeding Hardy. Hardy remained a director with the IIHF, and recommended that the
Soviet Union national ice hockey team
The Soviet national ice hockey team was the national men's ice hockey team of the Soviet Union. From 1954, the team won at least one medal each year at either the Ice Hockey World Championships ...
be allowed to enter
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 ...
, provided there is no political interference and that IIHF rules were followed.
Later Canadian hockey career
In April 1945, Hardy sought to organize a senior hockey league including teams from Alberta and
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...
. The result was the
Western Canada Senior Hockey League The Western Canada Senior Hockey League was a senior ice hockey league that played six seasons in Alberta and Saskatchewan, from 1945 to 1951. The league produced the 1946 Allan Cup and the 1948 Allan Cup champions, and merged into the Pacific Coas ...
which began in the 1945–46 season, with Hardy as a league governor. The first season had teams in
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
,
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 ...
,
Saskatoon
Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
and
Regina. A fifth team was added in
Lethbridge
Lethbridge ( ) is a city in the province of Alberta, Canada. With a population of 101,482 in its 2019 Alberta municipal censuses, 2019 municipal census, Lethbridge became the fourth Alberta city to surpass 100,000 people. The nearby Canadian ...
in the 1946–47 season. The league produced the
1946 Allan Cup champion
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-old ...
, and the
1948 Allan Cup champion
Edmonton Flyers
The Edmonton Flyers are a defunct ice hockey team that was based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The team existed from 1940 until 1963. The Flyers played in the Edmonton Gardens.
The Flyers were nominated by W. G. Hardy to represent Canada at the ...
. Hardy had nominated the Flyers to represent Canada at the 1947 Ice Hockey World Championships,
but the CAHA ultimately did not to send a team due to funding issues. The league operated for six seasons, when it merged with the
Pacific Coast Hockey League
The Pacific Coast Hockey League was an ice hockey minor league with teams in the western United States and western Canada that existed in several incarnations: from 1928 to 1931, from 1936 to 1941, and from 1944 to 1952.
PCHL 1928–1931
The firs ...
for the 1951–52 season, and later became the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
for the 1952–53 season.
![Jersey of the Edmonton Mercurys](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Jersey_of_the_Edmonton_Mercurys.jpg)
Hardy remained involved with the AAHA, being elected to its board of directors as a representatives from the northern zone Alberta. He also represented the AAHA at the national CAHA meetings until 1953. He served as a convenor on the Western Canada intermediate hockey committee, and awarded the
Melville Millionaires
The Melville Millionaires are a Canadian junior "A" ice hockey based in Melville, Saskatchewan. They are members of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). They play their home games in the Horizon Credit Union Centre which has a seating ...
the Saskatchewan-Manitoba championship by default when the Letellier Maple Leafs withdrew. He was later made chairman of the committee, serving in the role until 1954.
In June 1949, the CAHA approved of a resolution by Hardy to establish cultural scholarships for music, painting and drama. Two scholarships worth $2000 each were open to Canadians between the ages of 18 and 30, with one recipient each from Eastern and Western Canada. Hardy assisted in preparations for 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 ...
to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics, which included verification of amateur status for each player such as
David Miller being a former semi-professional player reinstated as an amateur. The Mercurys went on to capture the gold medal with seven wins and a draw in eight games.
Hardy was a member of the CAHA committee to continue negotiations for the working agreement with the NHL in January 1954. The NHL wanted to transfer to players to eastern junior teams to develop, whereas the CAHA defended western teams wanting to keep players there to develop. Hardy warned that the CAHA must be "master in its own house" in any new agreement. He felt previous agreements worked well, but were an "uneasy marriage" due to the different motives of the organizations. He disagreed with the CAHA decision to allow direct NHL sponsorship junior teams, which gave the professionals too much say in CAHA business.
Literary career
Hardy began writing in his spare time in 1926, while his wife was away for two weeks.
He first short story, "The Swamp Bridge", was published the same year.
He wrote over 200 short stories and articles in his career, and many were published in ''Maclean's'' and ''
The Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...
''. He was the primary editor for two anthologies, authored six historical books and eight novels of fiction.
He wrote the screenplay for a four-part television series on life in
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cult ...
,
and four plays produced by the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
.
Hardy elected vice-president of the
Canadian Authors Association
The Canadian Authors Association is Canada's oldest association for writers and authors. The organization has published several periodicals, organized local chapters and events for Canadian writers, and sponsors writing awards, including the Gover ...
, for Alberta and
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
sections on June 3, 1946. He served as a judge for the 1946 and 1947 fiction writing contests sponsored by the
Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire
The Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) is a women's charitable organization based in Canada. It provides scholarships, bursaries, book prizes, and awards, and pursues other philanthropic and educational projects in various communities a ...
in Alberta. In April 1947, he stated there was too much
Escapist fiction
Escapist fiction is fiction that provides psychological escape from reality by immersing readers in a "new world" created by the author.Galgut, E. (2019). Literary Form and Mentalization. In ''The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychoanalysis'' ...
on the market, and advocated for more realistic writing with structure that presented an idea. In January 1950, he stated that "amateur writers need the passion most" and avoid being "arty". He felt writers should market their work as a compromise between what they want to write about and what the public wants. He said, "the function of words is to put across ideas – so why not market them?" Hardy was named president of the Canadian Authors Association on July 4, 1950, succeeding
Will R. Bird
William Richard Bird (May 11, 1891 – 1984) was a Canadian writer, author of fifteen novels, two memoirs, six history books and three travel books.
Life and career
He was born in rural East Mapleton, Nova Scotia, son of Augusta Bird, a school t ...
. Hardy remained president of the Canadian Authors Association until 1952.
![Maple Leaf Forever](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Maple_Leaf_Forever.jpg)
Hardy stated that writing was his hobby, but he would not depend on it for income. He was inspired to write due to his love of the classics, and said stories are everywhere, "all you have to do is look for them".
He later said, he said he was a fast writer and committed to producing 70 pages each week. He felt
French Canadians
French Canadians (referred to as Canadiens mainly before the twentieth century; french: Canadiens français, ; feminine form: , ), or Franco-Canadians (french: Franco-Canadiens), refers to either an ethnic group who trace their ancestry to Fren ...
produced fine literature, and were more in touch with their culture than other regions in Canada.
In December 1963, the Canadian Authors Association offered $1,000 for new lyrics too ''
The Maple Leaf Forever
"The Maple Leaf Forever" is a Canadian song written by Alexander Muir (1830–1906) in 1867, the year of Canada's Canadian Confederation, Confederation. He wrote the work after serving with the Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto in the Battle of Ridg ...
'', claiming that it presently antagonized French Canadians. Hardy was selected as one of the judges in the contest.
Hardy was president of the Alberta division of the Canadian Authors Association in 1972. He stated that novel writing was increasing in Alberta, and cited writing contests and workshops as contributing factors. He felt it was never too late to start writing, and stated that "I believe that everyone has a novel inside them". He preferred the
first-person narrative
A first-person narrative is a mode of storytelling in which a storyteller recounts events from their own point of view using the first person It may be narrated by a first-person protagonist (or other focal character), first-person re-teller, ...
style of story telling, and that prospective authors should base a novel on a topic they are familiar with. He also felt that novels could incorporate more characters and have a less rigid structure than short stories.
Hardy taught at workshops for new creative writers in 1972 and 1973, in cooperation with a Government of Alberta program. He was a judge in the first For-A-New-Alberta Novelist Competition in 1974, then was chairman of its judging committee in 1978.
Books
Hardy published an analysis of World War II, written in 1951.
He was the
editor-in-chief
An editor-in-chief (EIC), also known as lead editor or chief editor, is a publication's editorial leader who has final responsibility for its operations and policies.
The highest-ranking editor of a publication may also be titled editor, managing ...
of two anthologies about his adoptive province. The ''Alberta Golden Jubilee Anthology'' (1955) was a compilation of facts, fiction and verse as a tribute to Alberta, from more than 100 contributors. ''Alberta: A Natural History'' (1967), was published for the
Canadian Centennial
The Canadian Centennial was a yearlong celebration held in 1967 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Celebrations in Canada occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1, 1967. Commemorative coins w ...
as a compilation by 25 Alberta scientists and naturalists, with illustrations.
In 1959, Hardy's book ''From Sea Unto Sea: Canada — 1850 to 1910'', was published as part of a series on Canadian history. Journalist
Bruce Hutchison
William Bruce Hutchison, (5 June 1901– 14 September 1992) was a Canadian writer and journalist.
Born in Prescott, Ontario, Canada, Hutchison was educated in public schools in Victoria, British Columbia. He married Dorothy Kidd McDiarmid ...
said that Hardy succeeded in showing that the creation of Canada was a robust, brawling story of adventure.
It describes the events leading up to
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation (french: Confédération canadienne, link=no) was the process by which three British North American provinces, the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, were united into one federation called the Canada, Dom ...
and the struggles between
John A. Macdonald
Sir John Alexander Macdonald (January 10 or 11, 1815 – June 6, 1891) was the first prime minister of Canada, serving from 1867 to 1873 and from 1878 to 1891. The dominant figure of Canadian Confederation, he had a political career that sp ...
and
George Brown George Brown may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* George Loring Brown (1814–1889), American landscape painter
* George Douglas Brown (1869–1902), Scottish novelist
* George Williams Brown (1894–1963), Canadian historian and editor
* G ...
; the rebellions led by
Louis Riel
Louis Riel (; ; 22 October 1844 – 16 November 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis people. He led two resistance movements against the Government of Canada and its first ...
; the
Klondike Gold Rush; and the government of
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier, ( ; ; November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadian prime minis ...
. Hardy also states that the building of the
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway (french: Chemin de fer Canadien Pacifique) , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadi ...
and the westward march of the
North-West Mounted Police
The North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was a Canadian para-military police force, established in 1873, to maintain order in the new Canadian North-West Territories (NWT) following the 1870 transfer of Rupert’s Land and North-Western Territory ...
were keys to settling
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada ...
.
The book also covers how the Canadian government starved the
Great Sioux Nation
The Great Sioux Nation is the traditional political structure of the Sioux in North America. The peoples who speak the Sioux language are considered to be members of the Oceti Sakowin (''Očhéthi Šakówiŋ'', pronounced ) or Seven Council Fire ...
out of Canada, and put the
Plains Indians
Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nation band governments who have historically lived on the Interior Plains (the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies) of N ...
into
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty,
that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band."
Ind ...
s.
Hardy's book, ''The Greek and Roman World'' was published in 1962. It is written in the first-person and describes Greek and Roman life. It covers the evolution of ancient Greek culture;
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
during
5th century BC
The 5th century BC started the first day of 500 BC and ended the last day of 401 BC.
This century saw the establishment of Pataliputra as a capital of the Magadha Empire. This city would later become the ruling capital of different Indian king ...
; Greek democracy, writing and athletics; the Roman lifestyle and the
fall of Rome
The fall of the Western Roman Empire (also called the fall of the Roman Empire or the fall of Rome) was the loss of central political control in the Western Roman Empire, a process in which the Empire failed to enforce its rule, and its vas ...
.
Other books written by Hardy include ''Our Heritage from the Past'' (1964),
an ancient history textbook for high school students; ''Journey into the past'' (1965), a textbook on ancient history and the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
; and ''Origins and Ordeals of the Western World: Lessons from Our Heritage in History'' (1968).
Novels
![Retrato de Julio César (26724093101)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Retrato_de_Julio_C%C3%A9sar_%2826724093101%29.jpg)
Hardy's first novel ''Son of Eli'' was purchased by ''Maclean's'' for $2,500,
and published as a series from 1928 to 1929.
The novel tells the story of Ontario farm and city life.
His second novel, ''Father Abraham'' (1935), was published simultaneously in London, New York and Toronto by
Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers (occasionally known as the Macmillan Group; formally Macmillan Publishers Ltd and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC) is a British publishing company traditionally considered to be one of the 'Big Five' English language publi ...
. It tells the fictionalized life of
Abraham
Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jew ...
based on the
Book of Genesis
The Book of Genesis (from Greek ; Hebrew: בְּרֵאשִׁית ''Bəreʾšīt'', "In hebeginning") is the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its Hebrew name is the same as its first word, ( "In the beginning") ...
and other historical research. Journalist Ralph Allen reported that Hardy made $17,000 in writing the book.
Hardy's third novel was ''Turn Back the River'' (1938).
[''Melnyk, George (1998),'' p. 209] It is a tragic love story set in Rome during the time of
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
,
Clodia
Clodius is an alternate form of the Roman '' nomen'' Claudius, a patrician '' gens'' that was traditionally regarded as Sabine in origin. The alternation of ''o'' and ''au'' is characteristic of the Sabine dialect. The feminine form is Clodia.
R ...
,
Sempronia,
Catiline
Lucius Sergius Catilina ( 108 BC – January 62 BC), known in English as Catiline (), was a Roman politician and soldier. He is best known for instigating the Catilinarian conspiracy, a failed attempt to violently seize control of the R ...
and
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...
. The story was described by W. T. Allison as "making dry bones live". In his fourth novel, Hardy wrote a fictionalized life for
Moses
Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...
in ''All the Trumpets Sounded'' (1942).
The book review by ''The New York Times'' stated that Hardy attempted to recreate the life of Moses in a realistic method similar to modern novelists
Franz Werfel
Franz Viktor Werfel (; 10 September 1890 – 26 August 1945) was an Austrian-Bohemian novelist, playwright, and Poetry, poet whose career spanned World War I, the Interwar period, and World War II. He is primarily known as the author of ''Th ...
,
Thomas Mann
Paul Thomas Mann ( , ; ; 6 June 1875 – 12 August 1955) was a German novelist, short story writer, social critic, philanthropist, essayist, and the 1929 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate. His highly symbolic and ironic epic novels and novella ...
, and
Sholem Asch
Sholem Asch ( yi, שלום אַש, pl, Szalom Asz; 1 November 1880 – 10 July 1957), also written Shalom Ash, was a Polish-Jewish novelist, dramatist, and essayist in the Yiddish language who settled in the United States.
Life and work
Asch ...
.
Hardy's fifth novel was ''The Unfulfilled'' (1952).
''
Kirkus Reviews
''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...
'' wrote it was a novel about a Canadian family during and after the World War II, and gave an unflattering but enlightening picture of how Canadians viewed Americans. ''The New York Times'' review stated "cultural annexation" was a recurring theme at the time, and Hardy argued that Canadians were getting too American.
Hardy's sixth novel was ''The City of Libertines'' (1957), which he wrote in three weeks and sold for $10,000.
The book sold over 1 million copies',
and tells the fictionalized story of
Catullus
Gaius Valerius Catullus (; 84 - 54 BCE), often referred to simply as Catullus (, ), was a Latin poet of the late Roman Republic who wrote chiefly in the neoteric style of poetry, focusing on personal life rather than classical heroes. His s ...
and a love affair during the time of Caesar. The ''
Financial Post
The ''Financial Post'' was an English Canadian business newspaper, which published from 1907 to 1998. In 1998, the publication was folded into the new ''National Post'',"Black says Post to merge with new paper". ''The Globe and Mail'', July 23, ...
'' described the book as "an authentic story of an absorbing era". His seventh novel was a book about the life of Julius Caesar, titled ''The Scarlet Mantle'' (1978).
Hardy's eight and final novel was posthumously released in December 1979. Its title ''The Bloodied Toga'', referred to the cloak worn by Caesar when assassinated. Reviewer Mary Heinitz compared the book to
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's play ''
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
'', with more "flesh and blood" added to historical facts.
When talking about Caesar in a 1979 interview Hardy said, "some think he was a man of destiny. I think he was just another opportunist. But he was brilliant in everything he did. He was the best swordsman in the
Roman army
The Roman army (Latin: ) was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of Ancient Rome, from the Roman Kingdom (c. 500 BC) to the Roman Republic (500–31 BC) and the Roman Empire (31 BC–395 AD), and its medieval contin ...
and he was well muscled".
Hardy had begun work on his memoirs as of 1979, and had speculated writing about
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...
and
Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII Philopator ( grc-gre, Κλεοπάτρα Φιλοπάτωρ}, "Cleopatra the father-beloved"; 69 BC10 August 30 BC) was Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt from 51 to 30 BC, and its last active ruler.She was also a ...
as a follow-up to the ''Bloodied Toga''.
Personal life and death
![Mt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Mt._Pleasant_Cemetery_Road_%285341711578%29.jpg)
Hardy played baseball and basketball for seven years after he joined the faculty of University of Alberta, but most of his spare time was consumed by writing.
He financed trips around the world from sales of his books, and travelled regularly to the Mediterranean region with his wife.
He spoke fluent
French in addition to Greek and Latin,
and was president of the Edmonton Little Theatre in 1935.
His wife Llewella died on December 15, 1958, due to a stroke at age 61.
They had been married for 39 years, and had three children.
He dedicated his book ''From Sea Unto Sea'', to the memory of his wife in 1959.
Hardy was the guest speaker at the opening banquet for the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in March 1961. He remarked that the nominees "conformed to the Greek ideal of the all-round man, both in education and in sport".
Hardy stated in a 1965 interview that Canada had earned the right to host the
1967 Ice Hockey World Championships during the Canadian Centennial, and the IIHF "made a serious mistake" in awarding hosting duties to Austria instead. He felt that Canada "must completely reassess the terms of its participating in a world event which it did the most to make". In 1970, he supported the decision by CAHA president
Earl Dawson
Earl Phillip Dawson (December 17, 1925March 28, 1987) was a Canadian ice hockey administrator, politician and civil servant. He rose to prominence in Canadian hockey when he served as president of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association from 1 ...
to withdraw from international hockey, and decline the hosting duties of the
1970 Ice Hockey World Championships. Hardy stated, "it was a matter of principle and action had to be taken", because it was common knowledge that players on the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakian teams were professionals. In a 1974 interview, he stated that hockey had become more physical after World War II to suit the American spectator, similar to how football seems to glorify violence. He wished to see more rules enforced for safety and stated that, "once professionalism steps into the picture, the quality of sportsmanship tends to deteriorate".
Hardy died on August 28, 1979, in Edmonton, Alberta.
He was interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Edmonton.
Honours and awards
![Replica Order of Canada member medal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Replica_Order_of_Canada_member_medal.jpg)
Hardy received several merit awards from hockey associations. He was made a life member of the CAHA on April 14, 1941, and was made a life member of the AAHA on November 10, 1941. He was given the AHAUS citation award in 1950, the Ontario Hockey Association Gold Stick award in 1953, and the CAHA order of merit in 1969. The CAHA presented Hardy with a service medallion at its general meeting in 1969.
For his literary career, he was named a lifetime fellow in the International Association of
Arts and letters
Arts and Letters (April 1, 1966 – October 16, 1998) was an American Hall of Fame Champion Thoroughbred racehorse.
Background
Arts and Letters was a chestnut horse owned and bred by American sportsman and philanthropist Paul Mellon, and tra ...
.
He was given the honorary
tribal chief
A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom.
Tribe
The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia.
Tribal societies are sometimes categorized as ...
title of "Chief Running Eagle" by the
Sarcees.
On April 30, 1958, the city of Edmonton honoured him with a gold-bound copy of his book "City of Libertines".
In July 1962, he received the University of Alberta national award in letters, presented at the
Banff School of Fine Arts
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, formerly known as The Banff Centre (and previously The Banff Centre for Continuing Education), located in Banff, Alberta, was established in 1933 as the Banff School of Drama. It was granted full autonomy as ...
. He was given an honorary
Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...
degree from the University of Alberta in 1973.
On December 17, 1973, the
Governor General of Canada
The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...
named Hardy a Member of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
. The order was formally invested on April 2, 1974, for "his services to higher education and his contributions to amateur sport and to literature, as novelist and historian".
Hardy was honoured with several posthumous awards. In 1987, he was named as a member of the University of Alberta Wall of Fame.
In 1989, he was inducted into the builder category of both the
Hockey Alberta
Hockey Alberta is the governing body of all ice hockey in Alberta, Canada and is affiliated with Hockey Canada. It was founded in 1907 as the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association (AAHA) to be the governing body for Alberta intra-city ice hockey play ...
Hall of Fame,
and the
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, dedicated to the preservation and history of sports within the province. It was created in 1957 by the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union (AAAU). The museum ...
.
In 2019, he was inducted into the builder category of the
Canada West Hall of Fame.
Legacy
Canadian journalists
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 ...
and Scott Young credited Hardy and George Dudley as being the reformers who advocated for redefining amateurism and pushing the AAU of C to updates its laws, which led to the CAHA ultimately becoming independent of the AAU of C. Young further credited Hardy and Dudley for dealing with the issues of salaries and player compensation, and regulating the raiding of rosters by professional teams. Their reforms led to greater interest in the game in Canada, teams becoming sponsored by local companies and businesses, and improving the finances of the CAHA and other hockey governing bodies in Canada. Bunny Morganson of 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 ...
'' described Hardy as a down-to-earth sportsman and humble gentleman, who as a businessman had the ability to solve problems and restored confidence in the CAHA.
Intermediate senior hockey was introduced to Western Canada by Hardy in 1933. The ''
Brandon Sun
''The Brandon Sun'' is a Monday through Saturday newspaper printed in Brandon, Manitoba. It is the primary newspaper of record for western Manitoba and includes substantial political, crime, business and sports news. ''The Brandon Sun'' also pub ...
'' credited Hardy for having the vision to see when senior hockey would become professional, and provide a local recreational senior division. Hardy donated a trophy for the runners-up for the East and West senior divisions in Canada, first contested in 1940 between the Port Arthur Bearcats and the
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 ...
. He is the namesake of two additional ice hockey trophies. The
Western Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union established the
Dr. W. G. Hardy Trophy in 1951, awarded as the championship trophy for its men's ice hockey teams.
The CAHA established the W. G. Hardy Trophy in 1968, which became known as the
Hardy Cup. It was awarded to the national champion of the intermediate senior division. From 1984 onward, the trophy was awarded to the Senior AA division champions of Canada. The trophy was donated by a group of realtors from
North Battleford
North Battleford is a city in west-central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is the seventh largest city in the province and is directly across the North Saskatchewan River from the Town of Battleford. Together, the two communities are known as "The Batt ...
, and retired from competition in 1990.
The University of Alberta Archives maintains
fonds
In archival science, a fonds is a group of documents that share the same origin and that have occurred naturally as an outgrowth of the daily workings of an agency, individual, or organization. An example of a fonds could be the writings of a poe ...
for Hardy dating from 1913 to 1979. The collection includes his student papers, lecture notes, CAHA documents, speeches, interviews, notebooks, draft manuscripts, plays, and short stories.
In 1994, the University of Alberta merged Classics into the Department of History and Classics.
The University of Alberta established the W. G. Hardy Collection of
Ancient Near East
The ancient Near East was the home of early civilizations within a region roughly corresponding to the modern Middle East: Mesopotamia (modern Iraq, southeast Turkey, southwest Iran and northeastern Syria), ancient Egypt, ancient Iran ( Elam, ...
and Classical Antiquities, at its Classics museum in 1975. As of 2011, the exhibit includes approximately 200 items, including a marble bust of
Antonia Minor
Antonia Minor (31 January 36 BC - 1 May 37 AD) was the younger of two surviving daughters of Mark Antony and Octavia Minor. She was a niece of the Emperor Augustus, sister-in-law of the Emperor Tiberius, paternal grandmother of the Emperor Calig ...
, the mother of the Roman Emperor
Claudius
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Nero Claudius Drusus, Drusu ...
, and an Athenian bell
krater
A krater or crater ( grc-gre, , ''kratēr'', literally "mixing vessel") was a large two-handled shape of vase in Ancient Greek pottery and metalwork, mostly used for the mixing of wine with water.
Form and function
At a Greek symposium, krat ...
used for serving wine.
In 1979, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation published a book including unedited transcripts of Hardy's radio programs.
In ''The Literary History of Alberta: Volume I'' (1998), Canadian academic
George Melnyk
George Roman Melnyk (born 1946) is a Canadian cultural historian. Melnyk is Professor Emeritus of Communication, Media and Film at the University of Calgary. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Manitoba, a Maste ...
wrote that "Hardy succeeded in bringing the lives of historical figures to a broader audience".
[''Melnyk, George (1998),'' p. 122] The database of Classical scholars maintained by
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...
states that Hardy was head of the University of Alberta's Classics Department "during the period of its greatest growth", and that "his publications reveal him as a humanist and pedagogue above all, but a man with a sound footing in the technical aspects of his subject".
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardy, W. G.
1895 births
1979 deaths
20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights
20th-century Canadian educators
20th-century Canadian essayists
20th-century Canadian historians
20th-century Canadian male writers
20th-century Canadian novelists
Alberta Amateur Hockey Association presidents
Alberta Golden Bears
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association presidents
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association vice-presidents
Canadian anthologists
Canadian classical scholars
Canadian Expeditionary Force soldiers
Canadian historical novelists
Canadian ice hockey coaches
Canadian literary critics
Canadian male dramatists and playwrights
Canadian male essayists
Canadian male novelists
Canadian people of English descent
Canadian radio personalities
Canadian sports builders
Canadian sports executives and administrators
Classics educators
Governor General's Award winners
Ice hockey people from Alberta
International Ice Hockey Federation executives
Members of the Order of Canada
People from Kawartha Lakes
Scholars of ancient Greek history
Scholars of Roman history
Sportspeople from Edmonton
University of Alberta faculty
University of Chicago alumni
University of Toronto alumni
Writers from Edmonton
Writers of historical fiction set in antiquity