65 Facts About Doug Grimston

Douglas George Grimston was a Canadian ice hockey administrator who served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1950 to 1952.

Doug Grimston oversaw the establishment of the Major Series for the Alexander Cup and implemented a new deal for player contracts in senior ice hockey, in response to the Allan Cup championship being dominated by a small group of teams who sought to protect themselves from professional leagues recruiting their players.

Doug Grimston opposed the National Hockey League wanting its junior ice hockey prospect players on stronger teams, which led to limits on the transfer of players to keep balanced competition for the Memorial Cup.

Doug Grimston later accused International Ice Hockey Federation vice-president Bunny Ahearne of financially exploiting of the Edmonton Mercurys on a European tour, which led to a physical altercation between them.

Doug Grimston served as president of the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association from 1942 to 1947, and was credited by The Canadian Press for keeping junior ice hockey operational despite the lack of facilities and dwindling attendance during World War II.

Doug Grimston sat on the national committee to oversee minor ice hockey in Canada, and sought for the transparency of finances in amateur hockey.

Doug Grimston served as a director for the New Westminster Royals and played a leading role in their successful bid to join the Western Hockey League in 1952.

Doug Grimston was a vocal supporter of the Penticton Vees and led a committee to oversee travel arrangements for the team as it won the 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships for Canada.

Doug Grimston was a member of multiple community service groups, served four terms as chairman of the New Westminster Parks Commission and was president of the local Rotary Club.

Doug Grimston sought for the construction of the Queen's Park Stadium and to expand and beautify city parks.

Doug Grimston died in 1955 at age 55, was posthumously recognized by New Westminster with Doug Grimston Park named in his honour the same year, and was described by Jimmy Dunn as "one of the most colourful and aggressive presidents the CAHA ever had".

Douglas George Grimston was born on May 18,1900, in New Westminster, British Columbia.

Doug Grimston was the son of George Grimston and Jean McCormack, both of whom were Protestants from England.

Doug Grimston was a member of the British Columbia Manufacturing Company baseball team who were the New Westminster city champions in 1920 and 1923, and was a member of the Sapperton AFC team who won the second division and the Lower Mainland Cup championship during the 1923 and 1924 soccer seasons.

Doug Grimston married schoolteacher Marjorie Evelyn Gilley on September 5,1928, in New Westminster.

Doug Grimston worked for Westminster Ice Limited, a trucking company which delivered ice and was owned by his father.

Doug Grimston later worked at Westminster Hog Fuels for 25 years and was a managing director for the company.

Doug Grimston was a member of the local Masonic lodge and the Elks of Canada; and served as a president of the New Westminster Rotary Club, the junior board of trade in New Westminster, and the Vancouver Golf Club.

Doug Grimston was a director for the New Westminster Royals, and insisted on the continuation of a smoking ban at the Queen's Park Arena.

Doug Grimston served as president of the New Westminster Athletic Association, and played a leading role in a successful bid by the Royals to join the Western Hockey League in 1952.

Doug Grimston later served four terms as chairman of the New Westminster Parks Commission.

Doug Grimston sought to expand and beautify parks in the city, and for the construction of the Queen's Park Stadium.

Doug Grimston was defeated for re-election to the commission in 1954.

Doug Grimston first joined to the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association executive in 1938, and was elected its vice-president in 1941.

At the next CAHA general meeting in 1943, Doug Grimston was appointed to the committee to oversee minor ice hockey in Canada, and was named one of three trustees for the Edmonton Journal Cup.

Doug Grimston felt that hockey had been successful since its leaders sacrificed personal gain for the betterment of the sport, and stated that "the government is missing the boat if it's going to try and regiment sports as it has regimented business".

Doug Grimston recommended the championship series be cancelled due to the lack of interest in travelling across the country due to financial constraints during World War II.

Doug Grimston entertained delegates to the 1946 meeting with sightseeing visits in Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo.

Doug Grimston was elected second vice-president of the CAHA in May 1947, receiving more votes than Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association president Jimmy Dunn.

Doug Grimston sat on a special seven-person committee which deliberated on the ideas submitted by NHL president Clarence Campbell and Ontario Hockey Association president George Panter, then declined to present the proposals for voting on by the delegates to the general meeting.

Doug Grimston was elected first vice-president of the CAHA, to fill the void left by the unexpected death of Norman Dawe, and was named chairman of the CAHA's resolutions committee.

Doug Grimston felt that the NHL could determine when a junior player became professional, but should not be allowed to dictate player transfers and tell the CAHA which team the junior-aged player would be on.

Doug Grimston served as chairman of the rules and regulations committee which debated at great length several proposed changes to the icing the puck rule.

Doug Grimston sought to delete the existing rule which further penalized a team that was playing short-handed, whereas other delegates favoured keeping the rule which made the defending team carry the puck past their own blue line.

Doug Grimston was elected president of the CAHA on June 10,1950, to succeed Al Pickard.

Doug Grimston supported the concept and sought to stabilize Allan Cup competition, insisted that the proposed contract have a termination clause, and wanted to resolve the differences since he felt that the leagues might break away from the CAHA and become professional without an agreement in place.

In July 1950, Doug Grimston announced that the CAHA would operate a Major Series in a similar east-versus-west playoffs format as the Allan Cup.

In September 1950, Doug Grimston announced the revival of the Major Series including the same five leagues.

Teams from the BCAHA considered joining, although Doug Grimston urged them to remain in the more affordable lower level series for the Allan Cup.

Doug Grimston announced that the Lethbridge Maple Leafs who played intermediate level senior hockey, were chosen to represent Canada at the 1951 Ice Hockey World Championships and to play a European tour.

Doug Grimston commended the team on its sportsmanship and gentlemanly play on behalf of Canada.

Doug Grimston voted against the change and felt it would decrease offensive action on a power play.

In July 1951, Doug Grimston announced that the Edmonton Mercurys were chosen to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo.

Doug Grimston was appointed an ex-officio member of the European executive council of the International Ice Hockey Federation, which would oversee hockey at the Olympics.

Doug Grimston issued a directive that no games be played under CAHA jurisdiction on February 15,1952, the day of the king's funeral.

Doug Grimston felt the games were tame compared to North American standards and that the Olympics would suffer without hockey which was its biggest attraction.

Doug Grimston stated that he would not complain if Canada was no longer invited to Olympic hockey.

Doug Grimston dismissed the charges as silly, and implied that they were made in relation to the Soviet Union team's intention to begin participating in hockey at the Olympics in 1956.

Doug Grimston further stated, "I told [the Soviets] they were crybabies, and that's quite a feat getting it over to them, as they use an interpreter who speaks only French".

Journalist Jim Coleman reported that Doug Grimston threw a punch at Ahearne, who in turn kicked Doug Grimston in the stomach.

Doug Grimston stated that the perceived exploitation of the Edmonton Mercurys on their European tour by Ahearne led to the altercation, and later admitted that he was wrong to lose his temper but that he never punched Ahearne and had grabbed him by the shirt and shook him.

Doug Grimston complained that Edmonton Mercurys players were given only five pounds per week for expenses, which he felt was "hardly enough to pay their laundry and some postage stamps".

Doug Grimston felt the notion that European tours by Canadian teams had created goodwill was "plain bunk", and argued that European newspapers frequently criticized Canadians for rough play.

The Canadian Press expected a showdown at the 1952 general meeting where Doug Grimston would call for the resignation of Ahearne as the CAHA's European representative, but argued that Ahearne would likely be retained due to the strong influence he wielded and the need to have representation for Canadians playing in European leagues.

The CAHA declined to grant transfers for junior players from Western Canada to Eastern Canada for two seasons, and Doug Grimston felt the decision was within the limits of the existing agreement with the NHL.

Doug Grimston clarified the requests by saying that the intent was to tell the NHL that members of the CAHA were not satisfied, rather than "holding a pistol to their heads".

Doug Grimston was made a life member of the BCAHA, and an honorary president of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association.

Doug Grimston was appointed to lead a three-person committee to oversee travel arrangements for the team.

Doug Grimston felt that the Vees were strong enough to win the World Championships without the need to have the CAHA add extra players, and were aware of the style of play differences in Europe.

Doug Grimston sought for the team to be endorsed by the entire CAHA, and felt he should not be personally blamed if they did not become world champions.

Doug Grimston later stated, the Vees "are the fightingest team in hockey today and can do a better job of representing this country than any all-star team".

Doug Grimston expected the team to play exhibition games against Canadian military teams stationed in Europe after the World Championships concluded.

Doug Grimston died at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster on September 14,1955, following a six-month illness with colon cancer.

Doug Grimston was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Doug Grimston was a leader in the organization and growth of Canadian amateur hockey; he assisted financially and morally - every type of sport found in the Royal City.