Thomas Duggan
Encyclopedia
Thomas Joseph Duggan was a sports promoter with interests in horse racing
, hockey
, dog racing and arena management. He was the co-owner of the Mount Royal Arena
and founder of the New York Americans
of the National Hockey League
(NHL).
Tom Duggan was involved in advertising and real estate activities in Montreal
before becoming involved in one of his first sports ventures, the Buffalo franchise of baseball's upstart Federal League
. When this league failed in 1915, Duggan turned his attention to horse racing, helping to build the Mount Royal track in Montreal and the Devonshire track in Windsor
, Ontario
, which had opened in 1916 in partnership with American entrepreneur Grant Hugh Browne.
In 1919, when Montreal's Jubilee Rink
burned to the ground, Duggan joined up with George Kennedy
, the owner of the NHL
's Montreal Canadiens
, the Jubilee's tenants, to build the Mount Royal Arena
on the south side of Mont-Royal avenue between Clark and St. Urbain Streets. From there, Duggan and Kennedy promoted boxing, wrestling and hockey events under the banner of the National Sporting Club, and Duggan tried to get a franchise in the NHL for an English Montreal team to complement the Canadiens. When unsuccessful, he turned his sights southwards and obtained options for NHL franchises in the United States (where the league was looking to expand to thwart competition), selling one franchise to Boston grocery magnate Charles F. Adams and keeping another for himself (financed by bootlegger Bill Dwyer
) to play in New York's Madison Square Garden
.
Despite setbacks in Boston, where he accused Adams of reneging on the deal to give him half the profits, and New York, where an onerous lease arrangement constrained the profitability of the Americans, Duggan continued to be active in the various attempts to expand the NHL into the US northeast in the later part of the 1920s. At this time he also became interested in greyhound racing, but failed in his attempt to introduce the sport into Chicago Stadium
. He had shifted his hopes to establish the sport in New York when he died suddenly at his home in Montreal on July 23, 1930. (Coincidentally, he died shortly after being interviewed about the sudden death of Paddy Harmon, the builder of Chicago Stadium and another failed NHL aspirant.)
Although Duggan was an important pioneer in the expansion of professional hockey in the United States, his legacy has often been overlooked in favour of other men like Tommy Gorman
, Tex Rickard and Bill Dwyer
. As Baz O'Meara wrote in the Montreal Daily Star: "Essentially a pioneer and trustful to an unusual degree, he lost a considerable portion of the fruits of his vision." Duggan had predicted that hockey would be greatest attendance-getter of all sports in America and, while it never rivaled baseball, during the Depression it superseded boxing and other sports and proved the salvation of many arenas, including Madison Square Garden
.
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, dog racing and arena management. He was the co-owner of the Mount Royal Arena
Mount Royal Arena
The Mount Royal Arena was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the corner of Mount Royal and St. Urbain Street. It was home of the National Hockey League Montreal Canadiens from 1920 to 1926, before moving to the then two year old Montreal Forum. It had a capacity of 6,000...
and founder of the New York Americans
New York Americans
The New York Americans were a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York from 1925 to 1942. They were the third expansion team in the history of the National Hockey League and the second to play in the United States. The team never won the Stanley Cup, but reached the semifinals...
of 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...
(NHL).
Tom Duggan was involved in advertising and real estate activities 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...
before becoming involved in one of his first sports ventures, the Buffalo franchise of baseball's upstart Federal League
Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that operated as a "third major league", in competition with the established National and American Leagues, from to...
. When this league failed in 1915, Duggan turned his attention to horse racing, helping to build the Mount Royal track in Montreal and the Devonshire track in Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, which had opened in 1916 in partnership with American entrepreneur Grant Hugh Browne.
In 1919, when Montreal's Jubilee Rink
Jubilee Arena
The Jubilee Arena also known as Jubilee Rink was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was located at the corner of St. Catherine Street East and Moreau Street...
burned to the ground, Duggan joined up with George Kennedy
George Kennedy (sports promoter)
George Washington Kendall , known professionally as George Kennedy, was a Canadian sports promoter best known as the owner of the Montreal Canadiens ice hockey team from 1910 to 1921. Kennedy was a wrestler himself and after the end of his wrestling career turned to wrestling promotion...
, the owner of the NHL
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...
's Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, the Jubilee's tenants, to build the Mount Royal Arena
Mount Royal Arena
The Mount Royal Arena was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada at the corner of Mount Royal and St. Urbain Street. It was home of the National Hockey League Montreal Canadiens from 1920 to 1926, before moving to the then two year old Montreal Forum. It had a capacity of 6,000...
on the south side of Mont-Royal avenue between Clark and St. Urbain Streets. From there, Duggan and Kennedy promoted boxing, wrestling and hockey events under the banner of the National Sporting Club, and Duggan tried to get a franchise in the NHL for an English Montreal team to complement the Canadiens. When unsuccessful, he turned his sights southwards and obtained options for NHL franchises in the United States (where the league was looking to expand to thwart competition), selling one franchise to Boston grocery magnate Charles F. Adams and keeping another for himself (financed by bootlegger Bill Dwyer
Bill Dwyer (mobster)
William Vincent Dwyer , known as "Big Bill" Dwyer, was an early Prohibition gangster and bootlegger in New York during the 1920s. He used his profits to purchase sports properties, including the New York Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Hockey League , as well as the Brooklyn...
) to play in New York's Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
.
Despite setbacks in Boston, where he accused Adams of reneging on the deal to give him half the profits, and New York, where an onerous lease arrangement constrained the profitability of the Americans, Duggan continued to be active in the various attempts to expand the NHL into the US northeast in the later part of the 1920s. At this time he also became interested in greyhound racing, but failed in his attempt to introduce the sport into Chicago Stadium
Chicago Stadium
The Chicago Stadium was an indoor sports arena and theater in Chicago. It opened in 1929, and closed in 1994.-History:The Stadium hosted the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL from 1929–1994 and the Chicago Bulls of the NBA from 1967–1994....
. He had shifted his hopes to establish the sport in New York when he died suddenly at his home in Montreal on July 23, 1930. (Coincidentally, he died shortly after being interviewed about the sudden death of Paddy Harmon, the builder of Chicago Stadium and another failed NHL aspirant.)
Although Duggan was an important pioneer in the expansion of professional hockey in the United States, his legacy has often been overlooked in favour of other men like Tommy Gorman
Tommy Gorman
Thomas Patrick "T. P." Gorman was a founder of the National Hockey League , a winner of seven Stanley Cups as a general manager with four teams, and an Olympic gold medal-winning lacrosse player for Canada....
, Tex Rickard and Bill Dwyer
Bill Dwyer (mobster)
William Vincent Dwyer , known as "Big Bill" Dwyer, was an early Prohibition gangster and bootlegger in New York during the 1920s. He used his profits to purchase sports properties, including the New York Americans and Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Hockey League , as well as the Brooklyn...
. As Baz O'Meara wrote in the Montreal Daily Star: "Essentially a pioneer and trustful to an unusual degree, he lost a considerable portion of the fruits of his vision." Duggan had predicted that hockey would be greatest attendance-getter of all sports in America and, while it never rivaled baseball, during the Depression it superseded boxing and other sports and proved the salvation of many arenas, including Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
.