THE DUDLEY HEWITT CUP AND THE BUSINESS OF HOCKEY
By Sherry Aalto
Right about now you might be thinking, 'What is a hockey article doing in a business magazine?' Well the truth of the matter is, hockey, no matter if it's amateur or professional, is as much a business as it is a sport. But let's not get this wrong! Hockey isn't all about business. But it has to be run like one or it would not survive!
Since the beginning of its name mention, (hockey, pre -1799 Wikipedia – Naming Hockey) it has been a favourite and extremely competitive sport for a little more than two centuries. It is regarded as an aggressive man's sport, even though today, women have come to develop very competitive leagues of their own. No matter who's playing...who's winning...or who's losing...most everyone wants to see the game. They want to be part of the energy as they sit on the side lines cheering on
their teams or boo-ing the opposition! They want to be part of the big engaging conversations and debates that spill over into the work places, at the supper tables and favourite watering holes! Hockey is to Canadians what apple pie is to our neighbours just south of us. It is as much of our heritage and national pride as our national flag and we are proud of it!
Having said all that, there are people who's passion for hockey is so strong and bigger thank life, that you could almost say they move and have moved mountains. Now, to claim a mountain would be great, but equally great, is to claim a well sought after cup bearing your team's name as Champion! In this particular article, the Dudley/Hewitt Cup is the focus of our interest. The history of the Dudley Hewitt Cup is quite amazing really! The Dudley Hewitt Cup is named after George
Dudley and W.A. Hewitt, two pioneers of amateur hockey in Ontario. The first Dudley Hewitt Cup was awarded in 1971 to the Detroit Jr. Red Wings of the Southern Ontario Junior 'A' Hockey League. The tournament is played in round robin format with the host team as well as representatives from the NOJHL(Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League), OJHL(Ontario Junior Hockey League) and SIJHL(Superior International Junior Hockey League). The winner of the Dudley Hewitt Cup moves on top compete for the TBC Royal Bank Cup, Hockey Canada's national Junior 'A' Championship.
The Dudley Hewitt Cup is hosted each year on a rotating basis by one of the three leagues. Hosts from the OJHL and NOJHL, go through a selection process with teams and centres bidding on the rights to host this prestigious event. The SIJHL chooses their host by giving the job to the winner of the Salonen Cup, the year after the league last hosted, giving them two years to prepare for the event.
You'll need a bit more historical information to tie all this together, so here it is. George Dudley was born on April 19,1894 and passed on May 8, 1960. During his lifetime George was influential in promoting and working with hockey associations and was a member of the Ontario Hockey Association as well as the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association as an executive. George grew up in Midland , Ontario, his hometown and in the world of hockey. He served as secretary of the International Ice Hockey Federation. George also helped to organize the first exhibition tours of the Soviet National Team as well as oversaw the hockey operations of the 1960 Olympics. George Dudley was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, based on his, over 30 years of service in
developing hockey in Canada and overseas.
William Hewitt was born on May 15, 1875 and passed on September 6, 1966. Over his life time, William was a member of the Canadian Hockey Association and the Ontario Hockey Association. He and Claude Robinson organized the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association while working as a
reporter in Toronto for the Toronto News. Hewitt also managed three winning Olympic teams in 1920, 1924 and 1928, as well as worked with Conn Smythe in the planning phase of developing Maple Leafs Gardens. Hewitt was named a lifetime member of the OHA and CAHA as well as
trustee of the Memorial Cup. In 1921 he introduced his son to a new innovation (the radio) and the rest is history... "He shoots!...He scores!" In 1947 Hewitt was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Now! One last piece of history to conclude part of this article...As you may or may not know, the 2012 Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship will be hosted by our Thunder Bay North Stars. It is known as "The Thunder Bay International Airport Authority Inc. Dudley Hewitt Cup" given that
the TBIAAI is a major sponsor of this year's event. This exciting and prestigious event is proudly dedicated to the memory of Gary (Cookie) Cook. Gary Cook, a hockey legend in his own right, was the Manager of the North Stars when the Dudley was last held in Thunder Bay in 2006. He had a long and illustrious involvement with hockey, both locally and in the United States. Cookie started with the Port Arthur North Stars in the 1950’s and continued his involvement with hockey hroughout the years. He celebrated many championships, awards and achievements. After
50 years in the game, he ended his career with the Fort William North Stars winning the Dudley and going on to play in the Royal Bank Cup. It is in honour and memory of Cookie’s commitment to the development of young hockey talent in Northwestern Ontario that the slogan for this year’s tournament has been selected: "Developing Players, Creating
Champions."
You can build or create anything you like, especially if you have a driving passion. In the case of hockey, passion is what built this national sport... running it like a business is what kept it from
falling by the wayside. It would be sad if any passion were left to die. The men of hockey, past and present, have kept the passion alive and performing well! The other side of this business or this passion, is you! Without you, where would hockey be? You, the fans, the die-hards, the one's that help to breathe life into this exciting international sport, we all know as hockey! Over the years, it has brought family and friends together to spend countless hours in their living rooms in front of the television sets and huddling in the arenas to see all the action! They have spent many mornings, days and evenings, showing up for practice, showing up for the games! Saving,
scrimping and fund raising! Yelling, screaming, jumping out of their seats and debating the plays and the calls! The manager, coaches, captains, all planning their strategies for their next game, next move, next championship. Sponsors, organizers and volunteers alike, all do it for one reason and one reason only...the passion for the game that we love so much. The Dudley Hewitt Cup is very much a part of all of this passion, . Speaking of passion, especially for hockey, it is important
that you know this...Thunder Bay has a rich history of junior hockey dating back to the early 1900’s. After the fall of the mighty USHL Thunder Bay Flyers in 2000, there was a rebirth of Junior A hockey in Thunder Bay and surrounding area with the establishment of the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL) in 2001. The SIJHL originally had 5 teams, including the Thunder Bay Wolves, which in their second year was purchased by the Fort William First Nation and a group of 7 businessmen from the Band, thus becoming the Fort William
North Stars. The team eventually had a sole owner and operator from 2003 – 2010.
In October 2010 the former Fort William North Stars folded. Their assets, roster, personnel and name were transferred to a new ownership group comprised of local Thunder Bay business people. "Myself and Marvin Pelletier drew together a solid group of businessmen in town to
save Junior A hockey in Thunder Bay" says team President David Dubinsky. "Without the commitment of Marvin and I and people like Kenny Perrier of Perhol Construction, Hans Mutschel of Dynamic Painting and Jason Logozzo of Norcan Tours and Travel, Thunder Bay may very well
have seen the demise of Junior A hockey last year", Dubinsky added. The team’s name was changed to the "Thunder Bay North Stars" to reflect that they are the only Thunder Bay team remaining in the now 7 team SIJHL. The North Stars are now truly "Thunder Bay’s team".
Now here in Thunder Bay from April 17th through April 21, 2012, you'll have that opportunity to be a part of what keeps hockey alive. You can't see this kind of action just anywhere so don't miss the Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship! Set your calendars for April 17 – 21st, 2012, Fort Williams Gardens and keep the legend alive!
All out-of-town teams will be housed at the Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel .The Prince Arthur is situated downtown Thunder Bay North, in the heart of the Entertainment District, within walking distance to numerous restaurants, taverns and the OLG Casino.
Visit us at www.thedudleyhewittcup.com then come out and be part of this exciting event and our great passion!
Dudley/Hewitt Cup Logo/compliments of Laurie Abthorpe Graphic Designer
