Frank Calder

Lore & Background

Calder was born to Scottish parents in Bristol, England, and participated in rugby, cricket, handball, golf, and soccer as a youth. He immigrated to Canada after flipping a coin to decide between Canada and the United States, and became a teacher at a private school. He married fellow teacher Amelia Cole, and they had three sons and one daughter. He worked as a sports editor at the Montreal Witness, then moved to the Montreal Herald and Daily Telegraph, later becoming financial editor covering the Montreal Stock Exchange. He maintained his interest in sports, creating the Montreal School Rugby League and serving as secretary-treasurer of the Montreal Football (Soccer) Association from 1903 until at least 1911.

In 1914, Calder was appointed secretary-treasurer of the NHA. In 1917, after NHA owners decided to drop Eddie Livingstone's Toronto Blueshirts franchise, Frank Robinson resigned as NHA president. Calder, seeing an opportunity, effectively became the new president of the NHA and arranged meetings to form a new league. The NHL was officially established on November 26, 1917, with Calder as president. He wielded his authority firmly, as when he suspended and fined the Hamilton Tigers players $200 each during their 1925 strike rather than negotiate. He also arranged a co-operation agreement with the American Hockey Association (AHA) in 1926, then broke it upon learning Livingstone owned the Chicago Cardinals, declaring several Cardinals players belonged to the NHL's Chicago franchise and arranging Livingstone's ouster from the AHA. When the AHA later attempted to play for the Stanley Cup, Calder declared it an 'outlaw league,' but accepted James E. Norris into the NHL to bail out the struggling Detroit Cougars, who were renamed the Detroit Red Wings.

Calder was adamant that minorities would not be restricted from NHL participation. During the 1927–28 season, upon hearing of the Boston Black Panthers, the first all-Black hockey team in the United States, he remarked that 'Pro hockey has no ruling against the colored man, nor is it likely to ever draw the line.' Only one attempt to remove him as president occurred in 1932–33, when Black Hawks owner Frederic McLaughlin circulated a letter to the NHL Board of Governors; the board rejected the motion. Calder named the top rookie starting in 1932–33, and from 1936–37 convinced the board to let him buy a trophy for the top rookie, which became the Calder Memorial Trophy after his death. He received a silver service in 1937–38 for his 20 years as president.

Reader's Guide

Calder's significance lies in his foundational role as the NHL's first president, guiding the league through its formation from the NHA and its expansion into the United States. He fended off rival leagues, such as the AHA, and maintained the NHL's status as the premier North American ice hockey league. His handling of the Hamilton Tigers strike demonstrated his authoritative approach, while his stance on racial inclusion was notable for the era. The Calder Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL's top rookie, and the Calder Cup, championship trophy of the American Hockey League, perpetuate his legacy. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1947 as a builder and received the Order of Sport marking his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. His death occurred while presiding over a Board of Governors meeting in January 1943, after suffering a heart attack.

Did You Know?

• Calder flipped a coin to decide whether to immigrate to Canada or the United States.
• During the 1927–28 season, Calder stated that pro hockey had no ruling against the colored man.
• Only one attempt to remove Calder as NHL president was made, in 1932–33, and it was rejected by the Board of Governors.