Bunny Ahearne | |
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Born | John Francis Ahearne 19 November 1900 Kinnagh, County Wexford, Ireland |
Died | 11 April 1985 Toddington, Gloucestershire, England | (aged 84)
Occupation | Travel agent |
Known for | International Ice Hockey Federation and British Ice Hockey Association executive |
Awards | Hockey Hall of Fame British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame IIHF Hall of Fame |
John Francis "Bunny" Ahearne (19 November 1900 – 11 April 1985) was a British ice hockey administrator and businessman. He served rotating terms as president and vice-president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) from 1951 to 1975, and was the secretary of the British Ice Hockey Association from 1934 to 1971, and later its president until 1982. He began in hockey by managing the last Great Britain team to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympic Games, before moving to the international stage. He implemented business reforms at the IIHF, oversaw the growth of ice hockey to new countries, and expanded the Ice Hockey World Championships. He was inducted into both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame during his lifetime and was posthumously inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.