Biography

A professional life that started in academics soon became one forever linked to sports, and by the time he retired from the working world, Jack Hamilton had had a career worthy of admittance to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Born near Caledonia, Hamilton became a school teacher before moving west to Saskatoon in 1909 to continue his career in education. But almost as soon as he moved to Saskatchewan he developed an interest in sports that became greater and greater, pushing aside the school room in favour of the field of competition. Hamilton was secretary-treasurer of the Sutherland Baseball Club from 1912 to 1916, and in 1916 he was so well respected that that town made him mayor. In 1918, he virtually single-handedly had built for Saskatoon a 3,500-seat hockey rink. He coached the Regina Vics from 1922 to 1926 and during this time helped that city turn its arena into one with artificial ice. He remained arena manager for eleven years. He was also the president of the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association (1925-27), and in 1930 he was named president of the national branch, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA). In addition to his winter love for hockey, Hamilton was closely associated with an autumn passion for football. He was the secretary of the Regina Roughriders form some 17 years and later became president of the Western Canada Interprovincial Football League. In recognition of his work in sports in the west, he was bestowed the honour of a Coronation Medal from King George. Hamilton played a major role in the erection of a third hockey arena in 1958 when he helped build the 3,500-seat arena in Moose Jaw in 1958.