Mickey Ion
Encyclopedia
Fred J. Ion (February 25, 1886, in Paris, Ontario
– October 26, 1964) was a professional ice hockey
referee
and Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
.
A professional lacrosse player with the Toronto Tecumsehs
in 1909, Ion signed with the Vancouver
Lacrosse Club team in 1911. The team was run by hockey entrepreneurs Lester Patrick
and Frank Patrick, and when they started the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
in 1911, they hired several of their lacrosse players -- Ion among them -- to referee the league's games.
Ion quickly became the league's chief referee. Among his innovations was the first known season-ending All-Star team, the naming of which was a regular practice of his from then on and which received much publicity each year. His first such selection, in the 1913–14 PCHA season, had Hugh Lehman of New Westminster in goal, Ernie Johnson
of New Westminster and Frank Patrick of Vancouver
on defence, Cyclone Taylor
of Vancouver as the rover, and Tom Dunderdale of Victoria
, Eddie Oatman
of New Westminster and Dubbie Kerr
of Victoria at forward. He was well-known as being an iron man, officiating as many as four or five games in a week throughout western Canada.
Ion joined the Western Canada Hockey League
as senior official when the PCHA folded in 1924, and the National Hockey League
in 1926 when the western loop folded as well. He was later named referee-in-chief of the NHL, a position he held until 1942.
He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
- one of the first three referees to be so honoured - in 1961.
for the 1914 season. He would return to Vancouver for the 1915 season. Ion played one more season of professional field lacrosse in British Columbia with Vancouver in 1919. He then became the chief referee in the professional league for the 1921 season.
Paris, Ontario
Paris, Ontario is a community on the Grand River in Ontario, Canada. The town was established in 1850. In 1999, its town government was amalgamated into that of the County of Brant, Ontario, thus ending about 149 years as a separate incorporated municipality.-History:The town was first settled in...
– October 26, 1964) was a professional 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...
referee
Official (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There are two categories of officials, on-ice officials, who are the referees and linesmen that enforce the rules during game play, and off-ice officials, who have an...
and Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The 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...
.
A professional lacrosse player with the Toronto Tecumsehs
Toronto Tecumsehs
The Tecumseh Hockey Club, also known as the Toronto Tecumsehs and nicknamed the Indians, were a team in the National Hockey Association in 1912-13. They then became the Toronto Ontarios....
in 1909, Ion signed with the Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
Lacrosse Club team in 1911. The team was run by hockey entrepreneurs Lester Patrick
Lester Patrick
Curtis Lester "The Silver Fox" Patrick born in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, was a professional ice hockey player and coach associated with the Victoria Aristocrats/Cougars of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association , and the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League...
and Frank Patrick, and when they started the Pacific Coast Hockey Association
Pacific Coast Hockey Association
The Pacific Coast Hockey Association was a professional men's ice hockey league in western Canada and the western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League...
in 1911, they hired several of their lacrosse players -- Ion among them -- to referee the league's games.
Ion quickly became the league's chief referee. Among his innovations was the first known season-ending All-Star team, the naming of which was a regular practice of his from then on and which received much publicity each year. His first such selection, in the 1913–14 PCHA season, had Hugh Lehman of New Westminster in goal, Ernie Johnson
Ernie Johnson
Ernie Johnson may refer to:*Ernie Johnson *Ernie Johnson , running back at UCLA*Ernie Johnson **Ernie Johnson, Jr. , son and sports commentator...
of New Westminster and Frank Patrick of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
on defence, Cyclone Taylor
Cyclone Taylor
Frederick Wellington "Cyclone" Taylor, OBE, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and civil servant. Taylor was one of the earliest professional players. He played professionally for the Portage Lakes Hockey Club, the Ottawa Hockey Club and the Vancouver Millionaires from 1905 to 1923...
of Vancouver as the rover, and Tom Dunderdale of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Eddie Oatman
Eddie Oatman
Edward Cole "Eddie" Oatman was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was among the elite goal scorers of his era. Among his 32 years playing professional ice hockey, Eddie was named an all-star for ten consecutive seasons by the Pacific Coast Hockey Association...
of New Westminster and Dubbie Kerr
Dubbie Kerr
Albert Daniel "Dubbie" Kerr was a Canadian professional hockey player. He was a member of the 1909 and 1911 Ottawa Senators Stanley Cup-winning teams. Born in Brockville, Ontario, he started out as a professional with Pittsburgh in 1907 before returning to Canada with the Toronto Pros in 1908. He...
of Victoria at forward. He was well-known as being an iron man, officiating as many as four or five games in a week throughout western Canada.
Ion joined the Western Canada Hockey League
Western Canada Hockey League
The Western Canada Hockey League , founded in 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League in 1925 and disbanded in 1926.-History:...
as senior official when the PCHA folded in 1924, and the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
in 1926 when the western loop folded as well. He was later named referee-in-chief of the NHL, a position he held until 1942.
He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The 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...
- one of the first three referees to be so honoured - in 1961.
Lacrosse career
Ion was primarily a defensive player in the 'coverpoint' and three 'defense' positions with a decent knack for goals-scoring - an unusual occurrence back in those days. He played with Toronto Tecumsehs in 1909 and came out west with the team in its Minto Cup challenge. He then moved west in 1911 when the Vancouver Lacrosse Club team in the professional BCLA league signed him. He played three seasons with Vancouver but then signed with the New Westminster SalmonbelliesNew Westminster Salmonbellies
The New Westminster Salmonbellies are a Men's Senior 'A' lacrosse team located in New Westminster, BC. Their home arena is Queen's Park Arena. They compete as part of the Western Lacrosse Association and have won the Mann Cup 24 times, most recently in 1991...
for the 1914 season. He would return to Vancouver for the 1915 season. Ion played one more season of professional field lacrosse in British Columbia with Vancouver in 1919. He then became the chief referee in the professional league for the 1921 season.