George Dudley

Lore & Background

Dudley joined the OHA executive in 1928 and served as its president from 1934 to 1936, then as its treasurer from 1936 to 1960. He was elected to the CAHA executive in 1936, served as its president from 1940 to 1942, as its secretary from 1945 to 1947, and as its secretary-manager from 1947 to 1960. He was secretary of the International Ice Hockey Association from 1945 to 1947, and later vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) from 1957 to 1960, and was expected to become the next IIHF president before his death.

Dudley and W. G. Hardy led the revision of the definition of an amateur hockey player to keep amateur players in Canada and slow the number turning professional. Dudley negotiated deals with the NHL and the British Ice Hockey Association to govern player transfers internationally. He introduced contracts for junior ice hockey players to obtain development payments from professional teams. He supported an alliance between the CAHA and the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (AHAUS), and sought international recognition of AHAUS as the governing body of ice hockey in the United States. He threatened to withdraw Canada from the Olympic Games if the International Olympic Committee did not accept the Canadian definition of amateur, and supported the IIHF hosting its own World Championships separate from the Olympics.

Dudley's role as secretary-manager of the CAHA made him influential in Canadian hockey, as he served as the regular delegate to IIHF meetings and was in charge of selecting the Canada men's national team. He facilitated the first exhibition tour by the Soviet Union national team in Canada, and oversaw ice hockey at the 1960 Winter Olympics on behalf of the IIHF. He was committed to implementing reforms for amateur hockey, opposed government funding or control of amateur sports associations, and supported incorporating Royal Canadian Air Force teams into the CAHA during World War II.

Reader's Guide

Dudley's significance lies in his long tenure as a hockey administrator who shaped amateur hockey policy in Canada and internationally. He and W. G. Hardy led the revision of the amateur definition, which aimed to keep Canadian players from turning professional. He negotiated transfer agreements with the NHL and the British Ice Hockey Association, and introduced junior player contracts to secure development payments. His work with the CAHA and IIHF included facilitating the first Soviet Union exhibition tour in Canada and overseeing the 1960 Winter Olympics hockey tournament. He was described by journalist Jack Sullivan as a staunch and shrewd hockey official and a problem solver. Journalist Scott Young stated Dudley was a low-key figure at first who grew to prominence by his reputation as a busy and able volunteer, a forward thinker who could find compromise without forcing anyone to change his mind. Young credited Dudley for dealing with reforms to amateurism and regulations on player salaries and transfers, which led to increased interest in hockey. Dudley was made a life member of both the CAHA and OHA, received the Gold Stick award from the OHA and the AHAUS citation award, and was named to the selection committee for the Hockey Hall of Fame. He and W. A. Hewitt were made the namesakes of the Dudley Hewitt Cup, first awarded in 1971.

Did You Know?

• Dudley graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1917 and practiced law for 43 years as the town solicitor for Midland, Ontario.
• He oversaw construction of the Midland Arena Gardens in 1931, which became the only artificial ice rink between Toronto and Winnipeg at the time.
• He was expected to become the next president of the IIHF before his death in 1960.