Philip Dansken Ross
Encyclopedia
Philip Dansken Ross was a Canadian
journalist
, newspaper
publisher, sportsman and ice hockey
pioneer builder.
He was born in Montreal
, the son of Christina Chalmers Dansken and Montreal accountant Philip Simpson Ross (1827–1907) who was the founder of the Order of Chartered Accountants of Quebec and a member of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
.
Philip Dansken Ross studied at McGill University
and Queen's University
. At McGill, Ross studied engineering and played for the football and rowing clubs.. Ross captained the McGill football club
to victory against Harvard University in the first Canada-U.S. international football game in 1878. He was provincial single sculling
champion twice. He also played lacrosse and founded several golf clubs.
Upon graduation, Ross worked for the Montreal Harbour Commisssion. He left the Commission and joined the staff at the Montreal Star
in 1880. He joined the Toronto Daily Mail as a journalist. He returned to Montreal and joined the Montreal Star in 1885, eventually becoming its managing editor.
In 1886, Ross became co-owner of the near-bankrupt Ottawa Evening Journal
newspaper. In 1891 he bought out his partner and made it into a highly successful and respected paper. He served as its president for 60 years during which time he helped found the Canadian Press
newspaper association.
He was a builder and sometimes player of the Ottawa Hockey Club, later to be known as the Ottawa Senators
. With this club, he befriended the sons of Lord Stanley
, the Governor-General of Canada. In 1892, Lord Stanley appointed him to be a trustee for his championship ice hockey
trophy, known today as the Stanley Cup
. He helped found the Ontario Hockey Association
in 1890. He played in the first Ontario championship game in 1891 at the Rideau Rink
in Ottawa, helping Ottawa win 5-0 over Toronto St. George's.
Mr. Ross was one of the two original Trustees of the Stanley Cup named by Lord Stanley in 1894, and so served for over 50 years until his death in 1949. He also served as trustee for the Minto Cup
of lacrosse. He turned down the trusteeship for the Grey Cup
of Canadian football. He was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1974 and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1976.
He also went into politics. He won election as alderman in Ottawa, serving from 1902 to 1923, but lost in 1914 in election for Ottawa mayor and was also defeated in a run for provincial politics in 1904.
A historical plaque commemorating Ross was erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation on Kent Street in downtown Ottawa.
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...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
publisher, sportsman and 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...
pioneer builder.
He was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, the son of Christina Chalmers Dansken and Montreal accountant Philip Simpson Ross (1827–1907) who was the founder of the Order of Chartered Accountants of Quebec and a member of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
Canadian Business Hall of Fame
The Canadian Business Hall of Fame honours "Canada's most distinguished business leaders", selected by an independent panel representing Canadian business, academic and media institutions....
.
Philip Dansken Ross studied at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
and Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
. At McGill, Ross studied engineering and played for the football and rowing clubs.. Ross captained the McGill football club
McGill Redmen
The McGill Redmen CIS football team is one of the oldest in all of Canada, having begun organized competition in 1898. The team has appeared in three Vanier Cup national championships, in 1969, 1973 and 1987, with the Redmen finally winning the title in the 1987 game...
to victory against Harvard University in the first Canada-U.S. international football game in 1878. He was provincial single sculling
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
champion twice. He also played lacrosse and founded several golf clubs.
Upon graduation, Ross worked for the Montreal Harbour Commisssion. He left the Commission and joined the staff at the Montreal Star
Montreal Star
The Montreal Star was an English-language Canadian newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It folded in 1979 following an eight-month pressmen's strike....
in 1880. He joined the Toronto Daily Mail as a journalist. He returned to Montreal and joined the Montreal Star in 1885, eventually becoming its managing editor.
In 1886, Ross became co-owner of the near-bankrupt Ottawa Evening Journal
Ottawa Journal
The Ottawa Journal was a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Ottawa, Ontario from 1885 to 1980.It was founded in 1885 by A. Woodburn as the Ottawa Evening Journal. Its first editor was John Wesley Dafoe who came from the Winnipeg Free Press. In 1886, it was bought by Philip Dansken Ross.The...
newspaper. In 1891 he bought out his partner and made it into a highly successful and respected paper. He served as its president for 60 years during which time he helped found the Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Canadian Press Enterprises Inc. is the entity which "will take over the operations of the Canadian Press" according to a November 26, 2010 article in the Toronto Star...
newspaper association.
He was a builder and sometimes player of the Ottawa Hockey Club, later to be known as the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators (original)
The Ottawa Senators were an amateur, and later, professional, ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Canada which existed from 1883 to 1954. The club was the first hockey club in Ontario, a founding member of the National Hockey League and played in the NHL from 1917 until 1934...
. With this club, he befriended the sons of Lord Stanley
Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby
Frederick Arthur Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby KG, GCB, GCVO, PC , known as Frederick Stanley until 1886 and as Lord Stanley of Preston between 1886 and 1893, was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who served as Colonial Secretary from 1885 to 1886 and the sixth Governor General...
, the Governor-General of Canada. In 1892, Lord Stanley appointed him to be a trustee for his championship 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...
trophy, known today as the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
. He helped found the Ontario Hockey Association
Ontario Hockey Association
The Ontario Hockey Association is the governing body for the majority of Junior and Senior level ice hockey teams in the Province of Ontario. The OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. Other Ontario sanctioning bodies along with the...
in 1890. He played in the first Ontario championship game in 1891 at the Rideau Rink
Rideau Skating Rink
The Rideau Skating Rink was an indoor skating and curling rink located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was one of the first indoor skating rinks in Canada, opened in January 1889...
in Ottawa, helping Ottawa win 5-0 over Toronto St. George's.
Mr. Ross was one of the two original Trustees of the Stanley Cup named by Lord Stanley in 1894, and so served for over 50 years until his death in 1949. He also served as trustee for the Minto Cup
Minto Cup
The Minto Cup is awarded annually to the champion junior men's lacrosse team of Canada.It was donated in 1901 by the Governor-General, Lord Minto, and from 1901 until 1909 awarded to the senior men's champion of Canada...
of lacrosse. He turned down the trusteeship for the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
of Canadian football. He was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1974 and he was inducted into 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...
in 1976.
He also went into politics. He won election as alderman in Ottawa, serving from 1902 to 1923, but lost in 1914 in election for Ottawa mayor and was also defeated in a run for provincial politics in 1904.
A historical plaque commemorating Ross was erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation on Kent Street in downtown Ottawa.
See also
- Minto CupMinto CupThe Minto Cup is awarded annually to the champion junior men's lacrosse team of Canada.It was donated in 1901 by the Governor-General, Lord Minto, and from 1901 until 1909 awarded to the senior men's champion of Canada...
- Ottawa JournalOttawa JournalThe Ottawa Journal was a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Ottawa, Ontario from 1885 to 1980.It was founded in 1885 by A. Woodburn as the Ottawa Evening Journal. Its first editor was John Wesley Dafoe who came from the Winnipeg Free Press. In 1886, it was bought by Philip Dansken Ross.The...
- Ottawa Hockey Club
- Rideau Skating RinkRideau Skating RinkThe Rideau Skating Rink was an indoor skating and curling rink located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It was one of the first indoor skating rinks in Canada, opened in January 1889...
- Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...