Abigail Hoffman
Encyclopedia
Abigail Hoffman, OC
(born February 11, 1947) is a former Canadian
track and field
athlete.
, she first learned to skate when she was three. When she was nine, she wanted to play ice hockey
, however there were no leagues for girls in the Toronto area. She cut her hair and registered her name as 'Ab Hoffman' in the boy's league. When it was discovered she was a girl, she was no longer allowed to play. Her parents took the case to the Ontario Supreme Court and the story was covered by Time Magazine and Newsweek
. She played for a St. Catharines, Ontario
boy’s team in the newly formed Little Toronto Hockey League as a defenceman
and was selected for an All-Star charity game, however once she needed to produce her birth certificate her true gender was discovered and the story made national and international news.
: (1964
, 1968
, 1972
and 1976
), four Pan American Games
and two Commonwealth Games
and was Canada's flag-bearer at the 1976 Games. She won the gold medal in the 880-yard event at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
. She also won gold for the 800-metre race at the 1971 Pan American Games
and the bronze at the 1967 and 1975 Games, for the 800-metre and the 1500-metre distances.
, a federal government sports agency. In 1981, she was the first Canadian female elected to the Executive Committee of the Canadian Olympic Committee
. From 1980 to 1982, she wrote a fitness column for the Canadian magazine, Chatelaine
.
In 1982, she and Maureen McTeer
, helped to organize the first women
's national championship in ice hockey (known as the Esso Women's Nationals
). The Abby Hoffman Cup is named in her honour. Since 1995, she has been a council member of the International Association of Athletics Federations
. In 2003, she was named senior advisor with Health Canada
and is executive co-ordinator of Health Canada’s pharmaceutical management strategies.
She is also the sister of Paul F. Hoffman
, a geologist credited with the "snowball earth" theory.
. In 2004, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born February 11, 1947) is a former Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete.
Hockey
Born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, she first learned to skate when she was three. When she was nine, she wanted to play 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...
, however there were no leagues for girls in the Toronto area. She cut her hair and registered her name as 'Ab Hoffman' in the boy's league. When it was discovered she was a girl, she was no longer allowed to play. Her parents took the case to the Ontario Supreme Court and the story was covered by Time Magazine and Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
. She played for a St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines, Ontario
St. Catharines is the largest city in Canada's Niagara Region and the sixth largest urban area in Ontario, Canada, with 97.11 square kilometres of land...
boy’s team in the newly formed Little Toronto Hockey League as a defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
and was selected for an All-Star charity game, however once she needed to produce her birth certificate her true gender was discovered and the story made national and international news.
Track and field
After her experiences with hockey she tried swimming before realizing the track and field is what she was good in or more specifically the 800-metre event. She competed in four Olympic GamesOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
: (1964
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
, 1968
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
, 1972
1972 Summer Olympics
The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....
and 1976
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
), four Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
and two Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
and was Canada's flag-bearer at the 1976 Games. She won the gold medal in the 880-yard event at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Kingston, Jamaica from 4 August to 13 August 1966. This was the first time that the Games had been held outside the so-called White Dominions....
. She also won gold for the 800-metre race at the 1971 Pan American Games
1971 Pan American Games
The 6th Pan American Games were held in Cali, Colombia, from July 30 to August 13, 1971. The then called "Salsa World Capital", located at the foot of the Andes Mountains, hosted a total of 2,935 athletes from 32 countries, who participated in seventeen sports...
and the bronze at the 1967 and 1975 Games, for the 800-metre and the 1500-metre distances.
Post-athletics
From 1981 to 1991, she was the first woman Director General of Sport CanadaSport Canada
Sport Canada is a branch of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Its mission is "to enhance opportunities for all Canadians to participate and excel in sport." Sport Canada develops Federal sport policy in Canada, provides funding programs in support of sport, and administers special projects...
, a federal government sports agency. In 1981, she was the first Canadian female elected to the Executive Committee of the Canadian Olympic Committee
Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee - COC is the private, non-profit organization representing Canadian athletes in the International Olympic Committee and the Pan American Games. It was formally recognized by the IOC in 1907. The COC also represents the selection of Canadian cities in their bid for...
. From 1980 to 1982, she wrote a fitness column for the Canadian magazine, Chatelaine
Chatelaine (magazine)
Chatelaine is an English-language Canadian magazine of women's lifestyles. Both Chatelaine and its French-language version, Châtelaine, are published monthly by Rogers Media, Inc., a division of Rogers Communications, Inc...
.
In 1982, she and Maureen McTeer
Maureen McTeer
Maureen Anne McTeer is a Canadian author and a lawyer, married to Joe Clark, the 16th Prime Minister of Canada.-Life and career:...
, helped to organize the first women
Canadian national women's hockey team
The Canadian women's national ice hockey team is controlled by Hockey Canada. Canada has been by far one of the two most dominant teams in international competition. They have won the majority of major ice hockey tournaments, while their losses have only been against the United States and Sweden...
's national championship in ice hockey (known as the Esso Women's Nationals
Esso Women's Nationals
The Esso Women's Nationals is the Canadian women's senior ice hockey championship, established in 1982. The winners of the event receives the Abby Hoffman Cup. The second place team is awarded the Fran Rider Cup, while the third place is given the Maureen McTeer Trophy. Nine or ten teams qualify...
). The Abby Hoffman Cup is named in her honour. Since 1995, she has been a council member of the International Association of Athletics Federations
International Association of Athletics Federations
The International Association of Athletics Federations is the international governing body for the sport of athletics. It was founded in 1912 at its first congress in Stockholm, Sweden by representatives from 17 national athletics federations as the International Amateur Athletics Federation...
. In 2003, she was named senior advisor with Health Canada
Health Canada
Health Canada is the department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public health.The current Minister of Health is Leona Aglukkaq, a Conservative Member of Parliament appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper.-Branches, regions and agencies:Health Canada...
and is executive co-ordinator of Health Canada’s pharmaceutical management strategies.
She is also the sister of Paul F. Hoffman
Paul F. Hoffman
Paul Felix Hoffman is a Canadian geologist and former Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology at Harvard University. He specializes in the Precambrian era and is widely known for the theory of the Snowball Earth about phenomena that occurred in the Neoproterozoic era, co-published with Daniel P....
, a geologist credited with the "snowball earth" theory.
Honours
In 1982, Hoffman was made an Officer of the Order of CanadaOrder of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. In 2004, she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
.