Early hockey career in Alberta Hardy coached the
Alberta Golden Bears men's ice hockey team from 1922 to 1926. He played a leading role in getting the first
ice hockey rink built at the University of Alberta campus in 1927. He served as president of the
Alberta Amateur Hockey Association (AAHA) from 1931 to 1933, During his tenure as president, the AAHA began hockey schools for its coaches and
referees. He supported expanding the playoffs for the intermediate division in
senior ice hockey, even though Canada did not yet have national playoffs for that division. At the AAU of C meeting in April 1933, he submitted a motion to allow the reinstatement of former professionals as amateurs, after a period of not playing professionally. The AAHA meeting in November 1933, reported the largest bank balance at end of year since the founding of the AAHA 26 years prior. Hardy submitted a resolution to have the AAU of C request to the
1936 Summer Olympics be taken away from
Berlin, due to
Germany banning Jewish athletes. He was succeeded as president by Lance Morgan, and remained on the AAHA executive as past-president, representing the provincial body at national meetings.
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association Second vice-president .|alt=Canada men's national ice hockey team photo Hardy was elected second vice-president of the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) on April 4, 1934. He was re-elected by acclamation on April 13, 1935, and served as chairman of the resolutions committee. He also continued to serve on the AAHA executive, being re-elected in 1934, and 1935. The CAHA decided in 1935 to appoint a special committee to study the definition of amateur and look into updating its wording to suit hockey in Canada. The special committee included Hardy,
Cecil Duncan,
George Dudley and
Clarence Campbell. The committee studied the issues encountered when the
Halifax Wolverines team which won the
1935 Allan Cup, was unable to represent the
Canada men's national ice hockey team in
ice hockey at the 1936 Winter Olympics due to financial issues related to amateur eligibility for the games. Hardy was in charge of CAHA playoffs for
Western Canada, which included the
Allan Cup for the senior ice hockey divisions, and the
Memorial Cup for the
junior ice hockey divisions. In the
1936 Allan Cup playoffs, he ruled against including the
Port Arthur Bearcats. He stated it was too late to redraft the schedules, since the team had been overseas representing the Canada at the 1936 Winter Olympics instead of the Halifax Wolverines. Hardy and Dudley presented the special committee's report on amateur status at the CAHA general meeting in April 1936, which came in the wake of Canada being beaten by the
Great Britain men's national ice hockey team for the gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics. They proposed four points to change the existing AAU of C definition. • Hockey players may capitalize on their ability as hockey players for the purpose of obtaining legitimate employment. • Hockey players may accept from their clubs or employers payment for time lost, from work while competing on behalf of their clubs. They will not however, be allowed to hold "shadow" jobs under the clause. • Amateur hockey teams may play exhibition games against professional teams under such conditions as may be laid down by the individual branches of the CAHA. • Professionals in another sport will be allowed to play under the CAHA jurisdiction as amateurs. In presenting the reforms, Hardy stated, "it is time that we face present day realities as they exist in hockey across the country". The proposals stood to sever relations with the AAU of C as its governing body, and the CAHA's participation in international events. The
Winnipeg Tribune reported that when a vote came, the "old guard" would lose against updating the definition of an amateur. The four points were discussed at a special meeting with
W. A. Fry, the president of the AAU of C.
First vice-president Chronicle'' newspaper that defended the old definition of amateur, and said that no mail-in vote would be held, and deferred the issue to the AAU of C general meeting in November 1936. and maintained that the CAHA would go ahead with its plan, regardless of any AAU of C vote. Hardy publicized the CAHA ambitions and published the article "Should We Revise Our Amateur Laws?" in ''
Maclean's'' on November 1, 1936. He argued for updating the definition of amateur, when it was commonly accepted to bend the rules in hockey. He felt that the AAU of C was hypocritical for classifying
cricket,
soccer, and
tennis as pastime sports where athletes may compete with or against professionals and still be called amateurs. He sought for these inconsistencies with respect to professionals and amateurs should be "ironed out and a common-sense view be taken of the situation". He further stated that the old definition of amateur came "from the days when only gentlemen with independent means were supposed to engage in sport"; and that in the era of the
Great Depression, it was justified that a hockey player be allowed legitimate employment in sport and be compensated for work lost while away at playoffs or representing his country at international events. Hardy felt that defending the interests of players in Canada was more important than maintaining international relations. The AAU of C voted and approved exhibition games between amateurs and professionals, but rejected the other three points. The status of the alliance between the CAHA and the AAU of C was left in limbo and unclear. Hardy remained open to a relationship with the AAU of C, and denied a report in
The Gazette that the CAHA had formally severed ties. In March 1937, the
Amateur Athletic Union of the United States terminated its affiliation agreement with the CAHA due to the split with the AAU of C. Hardy was not deterred since it meant fewer players going to the United States and depleting rosters in Canada. In other business, Hardy defended the decision to reduce the expenses covered for delegates to attend the CAHA meeting, and spend the money instead on grants to the provincial branches to promote
minor ice hockey, junior ice hockey, and expenses for the Canadian national team at the Olympics. He anticipated that eastern Canadian teams may start an intermediate level championship, and he was re-elected to the AAHA executive. Hardy was re-elected first vice-president of the CAHA, on April 20, 1937, and supervised playoffs schedules for Western Canada. The CAHA profited
C$17,000 from the 1938 playoffs. National registrations had increased 4,500 players in three seasons, which justified giving the grants to promote minor ice hockey. By 1938, profits had improved the financial reserves of the CAHA from $5,000 to $50,000. In February 1938,
National Hockey League (NHL) president
Frank Calder terminated the working agreement with the CAHA, after a player suspended by the NHL was registered by a CAHA team. Hardy met with Calder and felt that issues were worked out, but Calder told NHL teams that they could approach any junior player with a contract offer. Hardy then set up a committee including himself, Dudley and
W. A. Hewitt to represent the CAHA at a meeting with the NHL to discuss the issues.
President First term Hardy was elected president of the CAHA on April 18, 1938, succeeding Cecil Duncan. Hardy then represented the CAHA at the joint rules committee to draft uniform rules with the NHL. Hardy set out to negotiate a working agreement with the
Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (AHAUS), which had been founded in 1937 by
Tommy Lockhart as a new governing body for ice hockey in the United States. Hardy reached a two-year agreement with AHAUS in September 1938. It regulated games played between amateur teams in Canada and the United States, set out provisions for transfers from one organization to the other, and recognized each other's suspensions and authority. Hardy cautioned Canadians against signing contracts with the
Tropical Hockey League based in
Miami, since the league was not affiliated with AHAUS. In February 1939, the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States responded to the CAHA affiliation with AHAUS by protesting to the
Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LIHG). The Amateur Athletic Union did not recognize the authority of AHAUS within the United States, and disagreed any fellow LIHG members entering into agreements with the new governing body. Hardy stated that the CAHA would stay true to the agreement with AHAUS, which he referred to as the most comprehensive ice hockey governing body in the United States. His decision potentially meant that the CAHA would lose its membership in the LIHG, and not be permitted to compete at the
Ice Hockey World Championships or in
ice hockey at the Olympic Games. Hardy met with officials from the AAHA and the
Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association in February 1939, to discuss the cost of developing players lost to professional teams. They agreed to propose a draft fee when a CAHA player signed an NHL contract to offset financial losses. In the same month, Hardy negotiated to include the
British Ice Hockey Association (BIHA) into the existing agreement with AHAUS to regulate imported players. In other business, Hardy announced more grants to provincial branches to promote minor ice hockey, he arranged the Western intermediate senior playoffs, and spoke on national radio about developments in the status of amateur sport in Canada. Hardy's first term as president ended with the CAHA's
silver jubilee celebrations. He appointed
Claude C. Robinson to oversee the event in
Winnipeg, to recognize the contributions of the
Manitoba Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) in starting the CAHA. He felt the future goals of the CAHA should be, "the development of youths who will fight hard, but fight clean".
Second term Hardy was re-elected president of the CAHA on April 12, 1939. He continued the affiliation with AHAUS, in objection to the protest by the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States. He received a letter from LIHG president
Paul Loicq which permitted continued negotiations with AHAUS. Hardy reported that the intermediate playoffs which he started in Western Canada were becoming profitable. He extended more grants to promote minor ice hockey within Canada, and to the
Quebec Amateur Hockey Association (QAHA) to translate playing rules into the
French language. The CAHA executive felt it was in a good financial situation and felt it appropriate to help the
Canadian Olympic Association. Hardy announced a grant of $3000 towards travel expenses for teams to the
1940 Winter Olympics. He explained CAHA financial policy was to keep enough funds at hand in case of years with deficits, to take care of playoffs travel expenses for its teams, to pay administration costs, and to reinvest profits into youth hockey for the future. The CAHA proposed having junior hockey contracts which tied a player to a team, as a means to prevent rosters being raided by professional teams, and to protect the junior teams against not being reimbursed for developing the player. The proposed contract required a $500 release fee to be paid when a player signed by any professional club. Hardy said the contracts would put the CAHA in a good legal position with respect to the relationship with its players. He also supported refusing transfers for players who had been offered a reasonable contract of $75 to $125 per month. In June 1939, the CAHA formally notified the NHL of the request for development fees after the existing deal expired in 1940. When
World War II began, the
Government of Canada wanted sports to continue, and maintain morale of the people during war time. Hardy announced that the CAHA would operate its normal schedule and playoffs for the Allan Cup and Memorial Cup, and stated that the CAHA would provide any services needed. The residency rule was waived for those engaged in military service, and military hockey teams became eligible for the Allan Cup playoffs. The CAHA welcomed any professional players who entered military service with consent of the NHL, and drafted plans to replace players lost to military service. Hardy asked that the provincial hockey associations incorporate military teams into schedules, and assist in running leagues for
garrison units. At the general meeting in 1940, Hardy stated a desire to continue the existing agreement with the NHL, as long as professional teams did not sign junior-aged players. Teams in the CAHA were given the option of making player contracts for the upcoming season. The AAU of C decided in 1938 to adopt the definition of amateur as laid out by the respective world governing body of each sport as recognized by the
International Olympic Committee (IOC). The CAHA declined the request from the AAU of C to re-affiliate. The CAHA stance on amateurs was solidified, and its constitution was updated to define an amateur player as one who, "either has not engaged or is not engaged in organized professional hockey". Hardy served as past-president until 1942, He was chairman of the CAHA's player committee, which considered whether permission could be given for the NHL to sign juniors. He remained in charge of the Western Canada playoffs for the CAHA; and he and Dudley met with QAHA officials in 1941, to approve a plan which gave control of the
Eastern Canada playoffs for the Allan Cup and Memorial Cup to a subcommittee of the CAHA.
International Ice Hockey Association Foundation of the association On April 15, 1940, in Montreal, the CAHA and AHAUS agreed to form a new governing body known tentatively as the International Ice Hockey League, and invited the BIHA to join. Hardy who was also the CAHA president, stated that "the purpose of the new association is to promote the game of hockey among the three
Anglo-Saxon nations". He also noted the inactivity of the LIHG resulting from World War II. He sought for acceptance by the IOC on terms acceptable to the CAHA. A constitution for the new association was delegated to a committee including future CAHA presidents
Hanson Dowell and
W. B. George, and MAHA president
Vic Johnson. The constitution stated that the associations president must be an executive officer or a past-president of the CAHA. The CAHA gave $500 to the association, and an honorarium to Hardy for expenses.
Professional–amateur relations Amateur and junior hockey teams in Canada were upset about losing players to professional leagues without compensation, and Hardy set about to negotiate reimbursement of the Canadian teams when a player became professional. The CAHA had introduced player contracts for the 1940–41 season, with the goal to keep junior-aged and amateur players under service in Canada instead of leaving for professional leagues. The distribution of the development funds from the NHL was based on the service time the amateur had with each respective club, and was overseen by Hardy and
Frank Sargent. The agreement included allowing the NHL to sign a limited number of junior age players. Hardy decided on disputes of players becoming professionals, and reinstatements as amateurs. He committed to decide on all application within 15 days to expedite transfers and reinstatements due to wartime enlistments and travel restrictions. He stated, "we believe that the movement between professional and amateur ranks should be made as easy as possible", which included former professionals being welcomed back in amateur. By January 1941, both Hardy and Calder agreed that amateur and professional organizations were at a "perfect understanding" and were co-operating closely. Calder reported there was a general agreement with the amateur leagues that a junior-aged player should be able to determine his own financial future due to the war. In 1943, Hardy recommended adjustments in amateur payments for players becoming professional, since many later enlisted shortly after signing a contract. He felt that under normal circumstances, junior-aged players should not be signed to professional contracts. He negotiated wartime measures with the NHL, without opposition being raised by presidents of the provincial associations. The
Pacific Coast Hockey League began in 1944, and competed for junior-aged players. Hardy ruled that since the league operated under affiliation with AHAUS, the existing international transfer rules and professional–amateur agreement would apply to the new league. In April 1943,
The Canadian Press reported that Hardy was rumoured to be appointed president of the NHL, to replace
Red Dutton who had been acting president since the death of Calder in 1943. Hardy stated that he had not been formally approached by the NHL. In October 1944,
Lester Patrick sponsored Hardy to be president. "He is an ideal man for the job. He is temperamentally suited and has an excellent record as an executive of the CAHA". Patrick credited Hardy for being largely responsible for the current working agreement between the NHL and amateur associations. Hardy "warmly appreciated the nice things Lester Patrick" said, but declined further comment. In April 1945, Hardy was re-elected president of the International Ice Hockey Association. By 1946, the professional–amateur agreement provided more than $45,000 in development fees. The association and the NHL agreed to enforce suspensions for players not fulfilling a tryout contract. Hardy then declined transfers to those under such a contract. In May 1946, the NHL proposed a flat payment of $20,000 to cover all players being signed to professional contracts, whereas the CAHA requested $2,000 for any player remaining in the NHL for more than a year. Hardy felt the CAHA was at a disadvantage to press too hard, and wanted to maintain good relations with the NHL and AHAUS. The flat rate offer was later accepted with the stipulation that a junior-aged player could sign a contract at age 16, but not play professional until age 18. In January 1947, the CAHA and AHAUS disagreed over a $100 transfer fee requested for players going to the United States. Lockhart refused the fee, stating the CAHA had no authority to make that request. He also threatened to resign as vice-president and withdraw AHAUS from the association. Several players had left Canada without proper documentation, but Hardy ultimately allowed the players to remain in the United States.
World hockey relations At the 1944 CAHA general meeting in
Montreal, a motion was passed to sever relations with the LIHG. Another a motion of confidence was passed in the International Ice Hockey Association, and closer relationships between the CAHA, AHAUS and the BIHA. In April 1945, Hardy envisioned an amateur hockey World Series after World War II, involving teams from Canada, the United States, England and Scotland. The proposed series would be an annual event between the North American and European champion to begin in 1947 or 1948. Hardy expected hockey to grow after the war, and said proper rules had been established to limited transfers and prevent raiding of Canadian rosters. He expected a large number of Canadian soldiers stationed in Europe to remain there playing hockey. At the meeting, it was agreed to propose a merger with the LIHG to oversee international ice hockey. A proposal would also be submitted for the Ice Hockey World Championships to alternate between Europe and North America, with the Olympic hockey tournaments played under the same rules as the CAHA and the NHL. Hardy's resolution from 1941 stated the merger was acceptable if the CAHA definition of amateur was approved, the membership and voting system was acceptable to the CAHA, and that AHAUS be admitted as a member to the merged organization. The CAHA sought to have Hardy nominated as vice-president of the new governing body, and Dudley as its secretary. The CAHA attended the LIHG meeting during the
1947 Ice Hockey World Championships in
Prague, and pushed for the definition of amateur to be anyone not actively engaged in professional sport. The LIHG agreed to a merger where the presidency would alternate between North America and Europe every three years, and recognized AHAUS as the governing body of hockey in the United States. Since both the CAHA and AHAUS were now members, LIHG regulations prevented roster raids between the countries. A decision on increased voting power for the CAHA was deferred, and the CAHA was permitted to have its own definition of amateur as long as teams at the Olympic games adhered to existing LIHG rules. Hardy agreed to the merger and accepted the vice-presidency of the LIHG. The association was dissolved on July 1, 1947.
Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace The first meeting of the recently elected LIHG executive took place in
Quebec City in May 1947, concurrently with the CAHA general meeting. Hardy announced that the BIHA and the Scottish Ice Hockey Association had set aside their differences, with the possibility of the two groups merging. The CAHA approved a resolution to become a member of the LIHG as of July 1, 1947. The LIHG decided in 1947, that it supported the IOC interpretation of amateur as defined by
Avery Brundage. The definition read, "an amateur is one whose connection with sport is and always has been solely for pleasure and for the physical, mental and social benefits he derives therefrom and to whom sport is nothing more than recreation without material gain of any kind, direct or indirect". In response to the IOC decision, Hardy wrote the article "Fiasco on Ice", published in ''Maclean's'' on February 1, 1948.
International Ice Hockey Federation The LIHG was renamed the
International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 1948. Hardy was the first North American to be elected president of the IIHF. He considered the position to be recognition of Canada's contribution to hockey, and hoped for a World Championship to be hosted in Canada by 1950. Hardy anticipated that once post-war travel restrictions were lifted, European teams would rank favourably with Canadian teams, and thought a European country would be able to win the World Championship. In May 1949, the IIHF, CAHA and AHAUS hosted their annual meetings concurrently at the
New Yorker Hotel. At the 1949 meeting, the North American professional and amateur leagues agreed to a campaign on selling hockey to the Canadian and American public. A committee composed of the NHL president Clarence Campbell, CAHA president Pickard, and IIHF president Hardy, was made to "plan and develop a positive statement of hockey objectives for a vigorous presentation to the public". The campaign was in response to alleged exploitation of young hockey players by professional teams. The
1950 Ice Hockey World Championships were played in
London. The reigning champion Czechoslovakia, did not participate in protest of two radio broadcasters who were denied travel visas. Czechoslovakia also feared losing players, due to recent defection of
Jaroslav Drobný. Despite the politics, Hardy stressed that the event was "to promote international amity". Canada won the gold medal at the 1950 championships, The IOC rejected a May 1950 proposal to allow each individual sports federation to determine its own respective definition of amateur, but agreed to an Olympic ice hockey tournament in 1952 using the IOC definition of amateur. Hardy stated that the IIHF had no intention of negotiating for inclusion in the 1952 Winter Olympics under the terms announced by the IOC, and asserted that the IIHF had the right to decide on its definition of amateur. In November 1950, the
Lethbridge Maple Leafs embarked on a 60-game exhibition tour prior to the
1951 Ice Hockey World Championships, to raise the $10,000 to cover travel expenses and lost wages for the players. Hardy stated that profits for exhibition tours of Europe were limited by the number of rinks in Sweden, competition for ice shows in Great Britain, and that
gate receipts were not allowed to be taken out of Czechoslovakia. The 1951 World Championships were hosted in
Paris, and Canada won the gold medal represented by Lethbridge. The IIHF presidency reverted to European control in 1951, and Kraatz returned to the post succeeding Hardy. Hardy remained a director with the IIHF, and recommended that the
Soviet Union national ice hockey team be allowed to enter
ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics, provided there is no political interference and that IIHF rules were followed.
Later Canadian hockey career In April 1945, Hardy sought to organize a senior hockey league including teams from Alberta and
Saskatchewan. The result was the
Western Canada Senior Hockey League which began in the 1945–46 season, with Hardy as a league governor. The first season had teams in
Edmonton,
Calgary,
Saskatoon and
Regina. A fifth team was added in
Lethbridge in the 1946–47 season. The league produced the
1946 Allan Cup champion
Calgary Stampeders, and the
1948 Allan Cup champion
Edmonton Flyers. Hardy had nominated the Flyers to represent Canada at the 1947 Ice Hockey World Championships, The league operated for six seasons, when it merged with the
Pacific Coast Hockey League for the 1951–52 season, and later became the
Western Hockey League for the 1952–53 season. Hardy remained involved with the AAHA, being elected to its board of directors as a representatives from the northern zone Alberta. He also represented the AAHA at the national CAHA meetings until 1953. He served as a convenor on the Western Canada intermediate hockey committee, and awarded the
Melville Millionaires the Saskatchewan-Manitoba championship by default when the Letellier Maple Leafs withdrew. He was later made chairman of the committee, serving in the role until 1954. In June 1949, the CAHA approved of a resolution by Hardy to establish cultural scholarships for music, painting and drama. Two scholarships worth $2000 each were open to Canadians between the ages of 18 and 30, with one recipient each from Eastern and Western Canada. Hardy assisted in preparations for the
Edmonton Mercurys to represent Canada in ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics, which included verification of amateur status for each player such as
David Miller being a former semi-professional player reinstated as an amateur. The Mercurys went on to capture the gold medal with seven wins and a draw in eight games. Hardy was a member of the CAHA committee to continue negotiations for the working agreement with the NHL in January 1954. The NHL wanted to transfer to players to eastern junior teams to develop, whereas the CAHA defended western teams wanting to keep players there to develop. Hardy warned that the CAHA must be "master in its own house" in any new agreement. He felt previous agreements worked well, but were an "uneasy marriage" due to the different motives of the organizations. He disagreed with the CAHA decision to allow direct NHL sponsorship junior teams, which gave the professionals too much say in CAHA business. ==Literary career==