Bunny Ahearne
Encyclopedia
John Francis "Bunny" Ahearne (November 19, 1900 – ) was a promoter
for ice hockey
.
Born in Wexford
, Ireland
, Bunny was instrumental in bringing the sport of ice hockey to Great Britain
. He became the Manager
of the Great Britain national ice hockey team in 1934 and helped manage the British to a gold medal
at the 1936 Winter Olympics
, then the European Ice Hockey Championship
in 1937 and 1938.
He later became prominent in administering the sport at an international level, becoming the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation
in 1957. He held this post until 1960, then again from 1963–66 and 1969–75. From 1951 until 1969, he was Vice President whenever he did not hold the Presidency. He was also the Secretary of the British Ice Hockey Association
from 1934 to 1971, then its President until 1982.
Promoter (entertainment)
An entertainment promoter i.e. music, wrestling, boxing etc is a person or company in the business of marketing and promoting live events such as concerts/gigs, boxing matches, sports entertainment , festivals, raves, and nightclubs.- Business model :Promoters are typically hired as independent...
for ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
.
Born in Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Bunny was instrumental in bringing the sport of ice hockey to Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. He became the Manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
of the Great Britain national ice hockey team in 1934 and helped manage the British to a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
at the 1936 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics
At the 1936 Winter Olympics, Great Britain won the men's ice hockey competition. While only one player on the team was born in Canada, nine of the thirteen players on the roster grew up in Canada, and eleven had played previously in Canada.-Medalists:...
, then the European Ice Hockey Championship
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
in 1937 and 1938.
He later became prominent in administering the sport at an international level, becoming the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
in 1957. He held this post until 1960, then again from 1963–66 and 1969–75. From 1951 until 1969, he was Vice President whenever he did not hold the Presidency. He was also the Secretary of the British Ice Hockey Association
British Ice Hockey Association
The British Ice Hockey Association was founded in 1913 and was the governing body of ice hockey in the United Kingdom during the 1913–14 season and between 1923 and 1999 when it was replaced by Ice Hockey UK....
from 1934 to 1971, then its President until 1982.
Awards
- Named to the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1977. - Named to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986.
- Named to the IIHF Hall of FameIIHF Hall of FameThe IIHF Hall of Fame is a hall of fame which was established by the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1997, when 30 individuals were inducted at the world championships in Helsinki...
in 1997.