W. G. Hardy | |
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| Born | William George Hardy February 3, 1895 Peniel, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | August 28, 1979 (aged 84) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
| Education | BA, MA, Ph.D. |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto University of Chicago |
| Occupation | Professor of Classics |
| Years active | 1922 to 1964 |
| Employer | University of Alberta |
| Known for | Writer and editor; president of the Canadian Authors Association, International Ice Hockey Federation, International Ice Hockey Association, Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and Alberta Amateur Hockey Association; founder of the Western Canada Senior Hockey League |
| Notable work | From Sea Unto Sea: Canada — 1850 to 1910, The Greek and Roman World, Alberta: A Natural History, The City of Libertines |
| Awards | Order of Canada, Governor General's Academic Medal, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame |
| Honours | Dr. W. G. Hardy Trophy Hardy Cup |
William George Hardy CM (February 3, 1895 – August 28, 1979) was a Canadian professor, writer, and ice hockey administrator. He lectured on the Classics at the University of Alberta from 1922 to 1964, and served as president of the Canadian Authors Association. He was an administrator of Canadian and international ice hockey, and served as president of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), the International Ice Hockey Association, and the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Hardy was self-taught in Greek and Latin. He paid his way through university by earning scholarships, and won the Governor General's Academic Medal in Classics and English. He earned a Master of Arts at the University of Toronto, and then a Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He educated about the Classics and world events by radio, and gave 250 talks on CBC Radio. He was critical of progressive education in Alberta, arguing it did not prepare students for university and lacked emphasis on the three Rs. He authored eight novels, six other books, and over 200 short stories published in Maclean's and The Saturday Evening Post. His books told the history of Canada and the Greco-Roman world, and his novels included the fictionalized life and times of Julius Caesar and Ancient Rome. He wrote four plays produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, was a judge in literary contests, and taught at creative writing workshops.
Hardy coached the Alberta Golden Bears men's ice hockey team, then became president of the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association and established a new playoffs system for senior ice hockey in Western Canada. He was elected to the CAHA executive in 1934, then became its president in 1938. Hardy and George Dudley recommended updates to the definition of an amateur ice hockey player in 1936, to reflect the financial challenges during the Great Depression to have national playoffs and send the Canada men's national ice hockey team to the Ice Hockey World Championships or ice hockey at the Olympic Games. Hardy campaigned to the Canadian public who accepted the changes, despite opposition by the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. As president of the CAHA, he revised playoffs formats for the Allan Cup and Memorial Cup to become more profitable, and reinvested the money into minor ice hockey in Canada. He negotiated an affiliation agreement with the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States in 1938, which led to the formation of the International Ice Hockey Association in 1940, to oversee hockey in North America and Great Britain. He improved professional–amateur relations with the National Hockey League, and negotiated to reimburse the amateur associations for developing professional players. Hardy founded the Western Canada Senior Hockey League in 1945, which later merged with the Pacific Coast Hockey League. 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 in 1948. He was the first North American to be elected its president, and sought for the International Olympic Committee to recognize the Canadian definition of amateur, and for inclusion of the Soviet Union national ice hockey team at the Winter Olympic Games.
Hardy was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada in 1974 for contributions to education, literature and amateur sports in Canada. He was posthumously inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, and is the namesake of the Dr. W. G. Hardy Trophy for university hockey, and the Hardy Cup for senior hockey.