1. John Maxwell Roxburgh was a Canadian ice hockey administrator and politician.
91 Facts About Jack Roxburgh
1. 2.
Jack Roxburgh organized minor ice hockey in his hometown of Simcoe, Ontario, co-founded the Ontario Juvenile Hockey Association in 1934, and the Ontario Minor Hockey Association in 1940.
3.
Jack Roxburgh served as president of the Ontario Hockey Association from 1950 to 1952, improved its finances to become profitable, and appointed Bill Hanley as a full-time manager to operate the association as a business.
4.
Jack Roxburgh served as president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association from 1960 to 1962, arranged exhibition games between Canada and the Soviet Union amid an increased rivalry between the respective national teams, and pushed for the separation of politics and sport when the Cold War threatened to cancel the 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships.
5.
Jack Roxburgh was opposed to changes in the Olympic Oath and the international definition of amateurism, and later recommended the formation of a student-athlete team coached by Father David Bauer to become the Canada men's national ice hockey team.
6.
Jack Roxburgh graduated from Ontario Agricultural College and farmed before he venturing into municipal and federal politics.
7.
Jack Roxburgh served as a Liberal Party of Canada member of the House of Commons of Canada for the Norfolk electoral district from 1962 to 1968.
8.
Jack Roxburgh was elected three times, defended the Canadian tobacco industry, pushed for university students registering as voters, and lobbied for increased grants to promote physical fitness in Canada.
9.
Jack Roxburgh was a life member of multiple hockey organizations and received the Order of Merit from the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association.
10.
Jack Roxburgh died from injuries sustained in a boating accident, and was posthumously inducted into the Norfolk County Sports Hall of Recognition.
11.
John Maxwell Jack Roxburgh was born on February 14,1901, in Phoenix.
12.
Jack Roxburgh's family was temporarily living in the Arizona Territory, until his parents relocated the family to Cache Bay, Ontario while Roxburgh was a youth.
13.
Jack Roxburgh graduated from Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph in 1926, with a degree in horticulture, and played on ice hockey and rugby teams in college.
14.
Jack Roxburgh worked at a cannery in Wellington County, Ontario, for a year, then relocated to Norfolk County, Ontario, in 1928.
15.
Jack Roxburgh worked for a year at the Government of Ontario turkey farm, near Turkey Point, Ontario.
16.
Jack Roxburgh assisted in organizing a Sunday school league in 1934, in Simcoe, Ontario.
17.
Jack Roxburgh served as secretary-treasurer of the OJHA from 1934 to 1936, and then as its president from 1936 to 1938.
18.
Jack Roxburgh's team evolved into the Tiger Cub Juveniles, then was later known as Roxy's Reformer Cubs.
19.
Jack Roxburgh's OJHA operated with four teams, and he sought to increase the numbers of teams and competition level.
20.
Jack Roxburgh arranged games with the Ontario Midget and Bantam Hockey Association based in St Catharines, Ontario.
21.
Jack Roxburgh was involved in negotiations for the two organizations to merge, founding the Ontario Minor Hockey Association on November 30,1940.
22.
The new league began its first season with eight teams, and Jack Roxburgh convinced the new OMHA to sign an affiliation agreement with the OHA in 1940.
23.
Jack Roxburgh later became a convenor and an executive within the OHA, then served as OHA president from 1950 to 1952.
24.
Historian and writer Scott Young credited Jack Roxburgh for being an astute businessman and improving the OHA's finances by increasing profits from the playoffs in junior ice hockey.
25.
In 1951, Jack Roxburgh appointed Bill Hanley to become the full-time manager of the OHA to assist in running the association as a business.
26.
Jack Roxburgh was elected second vice-president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association on May 30,1957, and served in the role for two years until 1959.
27.
Jack Roxburgh chaired the minor ice hockey committee which organized Minor Hockey Week in Canada in 1958 and 1959, and oversaw scheduling at the 1959 Memorial Cup.
28.
Jack Roxburgh was elected first vice-president of the CAHA in 1959.
29.
Jack Roxburgh remained chairman of the minor hockey committee, and reported at the 1959 annual general meeting that minor hockey registrations had increased by 2700 players from the previous season.
30.
Jack Roxburgh remained in charge of scheduling for the 1960 Memorial Cup playoffs, and directed the referees to be tougher on physical play and stick-swinging in the 1960 finals, due to aggressive and dangerous play.
31.
Jack Roxburgh was elected CAHA president on May 28,1960, at the annual general meeting in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and succeeded Gordon Juckes, who had stepped down as president to be appointed a full-time secretary and employee of the CAHA.
32.
Jack Roxburgh was elected a director of the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States later in 1960.
33.
Jack Roxburgh later announced the Trail Smoke Eaters were chosen to represent Canada, and would participate in a profitable exhibition tour.
34.
Jack Roxburgh admitted that Soviet teams were faster and stronger than before, and that Canada needed to improve to win against them in the World Championships.
35.
Jack Roxburgh travelled with Trail on the exhibition tour of Europe, and felt they were a balanced team that could play physical hockey.
36.
Jack Roxburgh responded by calling the Swedish players weak, and offered to arrange to a trip to Canada where Sweden could learn how to play hockey.
37.
Jack Roxburgh told reporters in Czechoslovakia that either Canada or the Soviet Union national ice hockey team would win the gold medal at the 1961 World Championship.
38.
Jack Roxburgh's prediction proved correct when Canada won the gold medal over the Czechoslovakia men's national ice hockey team.
39.
Jack Roxburgh chose to share profits from the television rights of the exhibition series with members of the Trail Smoke Eaters, after it was mistakenly reported that the team would get a share of the profits instead of just the CAHA retaining the profits.
40.
At the 1961 CAHA annual general meeting in Port Arthur, Ontario, Jack Roxburgh stated that the recent Memorial Cup and Allan Cups were the more financially successful in recent times.
41.
Jack Roxburgh challenged delegates to choose a consistent refereeing system to be used in national playoffs.
42.
Jack Roxburgh denied the request, stating that CAHA rules do not allow en masse transfers between provincial associations.
43.
In September 1961, Earl Dawson of the Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association sought approval for the Manitoba Junior Hockey League to use international ice hockey rules, Jack Roxburgh approved of the change and was quoted as saying that "certain formalities had to be taken care of".
44.
Jack Roxburgh stated the CAHA had dropped out of the bid to host the 1962 World Championships when AHAUS proposed to subsidize the cost for European teams to travel to Colorado.
45.
An exhibition tour was approved for the Trail Smoke Eaters, and Jack Roxburgh accompanied the team to Europe.
46.
Jack Roxburgh felt that politics should not affect sports, and the decision went against the goodwill and relations established by Canadian teams travelling behind the Iron Curtain.
47.
Jack Roxburgh called for the IIHF to unite in opposition to the NATO decision.
48.
Jack Roxburgh was committed to Canada playing in the event, and stated that he would do anything in his power to keep it alive.
49.
Jack Roxburgh sent a cable to Czechoslovak officials urging for their team to participate, and not boycott due to East German travel issues.
50.
Jack Roxburgh appealed to Prime Minister of Canada John Diefenbaker, and Secretary of State for External Affairs of Canada, Howard Charles Green to pressure on NATO on its decision, but both declined to be involved.
51.
Jack Roxburgh travelled with the team, even though he failed to secure extra funding from Kenneth Farmer and the National Advisory Council on Fitness and Amateur Sport.
52.
Jack Roxburgh defended the choice of the Galt as Canada's representative, and stated that the team was just as good as the Trail Smoke Eaters, but was disappointed by the number of penalties Galt took against Sweden.
53.
Jack Roxburgh reaffirmed that the CAHA controlled broadcast rights for its games, and not the individual arenas.
54.
Jack Roxburgh had previously stated opposition to the International Olympic Committee's definition of amateur, and felt that Canada could not abide by the new Olympic code.
55.
Jack Roxburgh felt the new IOC amateur eligibility requirements were "a return to the horse and buggy days", and stating the "rule of amateurism was made years ago when the rich could send their sons and daughters into Olympic competition".
56.
Jack Roxburgh motioned not to send a team to the 1964 Winter Olympics on the basis of disagreeing with changes to the Olympic Oath and the definition of amateurism.
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Jack Roxburgh explained that since Canada pays its hockey players an allowance to compensate for lost salary it violated the oath, and that by the CAHA turning a blind eye to regulations, it set a bad example for youth.
58.
Jack Roxburgh's motion was defeated by a vote of delegates.
59.
Jack Roxburgh mentioned a proposal from Father David Bauer to form a hockey team of the best student players available, and to train and complete schooling at the University of British Columbia.
60.
Jack Roxburgh invited Bauer to the 1962 general meeting to present the idea, which was tentatively approved by the delegates.
61.
Jack Roxburgh was succeeded by Art Potter as president of the CAHA in 1962.
62.
Jack Roxburgh intended to stay involved with the CAHA as its past-president, despite having political aspirations.
63.
Jack Roxburgh was opposed to a stacked team competing in the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union.
64.
Jack Roxburgh responded stating that the team would not be competing in a league, but rather represent Canadian college hockey as a whole.
65.
Jack Roxburgh further defended the decision and said, "Father Bauer is one of the greatest coaches in Canada".
66.
Jack Roxburgh began his political aspirations while still president of the CAHA, and skipped the 1962 Memorial Cup banquet due to preparations for the 1962 Canadian federal election.
67.
Jack Roxburgh was elected to the 25th Canadian Parliament on June 18,1962, as the Liberal Party of Canada candidate in the riding of Norfolk, earning 10,882 votes.
68.
Jack Roxburgh said his opponent John Evans Knowles was a good man and good friend.
69.
When parliament opened, Jack Roxburgh took his seat as a backbencher.
70.
Jack Roxburgh was not the only hockey person in the Liberal caucus, which included Red Kelly of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and ice hockey referee Rodger Mitchell.
71.
Jack Roxburgh urged fellow members of parliament to keep politics out of the national fitness program, which saw the budget reduced to $1,000,000 from the $5,000,000 promised.
72.
Jack Roxburgh lobbied to see more grants to promote physical fitness within Canada.
73.
Jack Roxburgh was reelected in the 1963 Canadian federal election to represent the Norfolk riding on April 8, with 10,862 votes.
74.
In September 1964, Jack Roxburgh supported legislation by Harry Hays, the Minister of Agriculture of Canada, to guarantee loans for groups of three or more farmers buying farm machinery.
75.
Jack Roxburgh stated, "farmers are the greatest group of co-operators in the world, and the only group for which this kind of legislation would really work".
76.
Jack Roxburgh defended the system stating that, an inquiry would "set the facts straight", and "might be of value in pointing out to the public the facts of the matter".
77.
In May 1964, Jack Roxburgh did extensive research to find if Canadian parliament had ever declared a national game, and specifically looked into whether lacrosse was officially declared.
78.
Jack Roxburgh was reelected in the 1965 Canadian federal election to represent the Norfolk riding on November 8, with 9,833 votes.
79.
Jack Roxburgh served as vice-chairman of the Standing Committee on Indian Affairs, Human Rights and Citizenship and Immigration.
80.
Jack Roxburgh stated that during the 1965 general election, students were unable to register in a new constituency when relocating for studies.
81.
Jack Roxburgh compared this to ministers and teachers being able to move into a new constituency between the beginning of the campaign period and polling day, and register as voters.
82.
Jack Roxburgh positioned himself as a self-described federalist, working for the farming community and encouraging youth to become involved.
83.
Jack Roxburgh received 13,132 votes, but was defeated by William David Knowles who was elected with 14,908 votes.
84.
Jack Roxburgh met his wife Marion Seldon while they attended Ontario Agricultural College.
85.
Jack Roxburgh was known locally as "Roxy", and was a member of the Simcoe Kinsmen Club, the Simcoe Rotary Club, and St James United Church.
86.
Jack Roxburgh died on February 27,1975, at a hospital in Venice, Florida at age 74.
87.
Jack Roxburgh was interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Simcoe, Ontario.
88.
Jack Roxburgh received the OHA Gold Stick in 1961, in recognition of contributions to hockey, and received the similar AHAUS citation award in 1962.
89.
Jack Roxburgh received the CAHA's Order of Merit in 1971, for a lifetime of work in hockey.
90.
Jack Roxburgh was made a life member of the OHA in 1973, was a life member of the OMHA, and is the namesake of the Jack Roxburgh Trophy for the OMHA Juvenile C playoff championship.
91.
Jack Roxburgh was posthumously inducted into the Norfolk County Sports Hall of Recognition in 1996.