By James Fortin
It is a little known fact that Arthur Howie Ross, the man that the NHL's Art Ross Trophy is named for, was born right here in the Sudbury area.
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The Art Ross Trophy is awarded annually to the player who leads the NHL in scoring.
Ross's father was the manager of the Hudson's Bay Trading post at Naughton when Art was born in 1886.
Ross is recorded to have learned to skate on skates made out of old metal file blades on Simon Lake. His early introduction to the game of hockey included using sticks made out of crooked trees.
His godparents were Dr. Willam Howey and his wife Florence Howey. Dr. Howey was employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Howey Drive is also named for him.
Mrs. Howey's book Pioneering on the CPR gives a great description of the trading post and the Whitefish Lake Reserve in the 1890's. A copy of the book is available at the Sudbury Public Library's main branch on MacKenzie Street in the Mary Shantz Room. Shantz is a former Sudbury historian and member of the Sudbury Historical Society.
In 1892, when Art Ross was only six years old, his father was transferred from the area to Quebec. It was in Quebec that Ross was introduced to organized hockey.
After he completed his schooling, and with an already established reputation as an outstanding amateur hockey player, Ross moved to Brandon, Manitoba and went to work for the Merchant Bank.
Ross led the Kenora Thistles as their leading scorer in 1907 when they won the Stanley Cup.
In 1908, Ross was playing for the Montreal Wanderers, scoring eight goals in 10 games. The Wanderers won the Stanley Cup that year with Ross scoring four goals in five games. This was the last time Ross would hoist the Stanley Cup as a player, although he enjoyed a terrific NHL career.
By 1924, Ross had joined the Boston Bruins as manager-coach when they entered the NHL. Art was general manager of the Boston team from 1924 to the 1953-54 season.
In that time the team won the Stanley Cup three times.
In 1945, Art Ross was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the founders section. He is credited with designing the Art Ross net, which was used in the NHL until quite recently, and the Art Ross puck, which is still used today.
In 1947, he donated the Art Ross Trophy to the NHL to be awarded annually to "the player who leads the league in scoring points at the end of the regular season." Art Ross died in 1964.
James Fortin is curator for City of Greater Sudbury Heritage Museums. Anyone wishing to contact him can reach him at [email protected] or phone him at 692-4448.
