Red McCarthy

Biography

Born in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario and raised in Sudbury, he grew up to be a star athlete in baseball, football, track and field, and ice hockey. His hockey career included stops with Toronto St. Michael's College, Barrie Flyers, Boston Olympics, Nelson B.C. Maple Leafs, Sudbury Caruso Miners, and Sudbury Wolves of the Canadian Senior Hockey League. McCarthy played in three ice hockey leagues over the course of his career: the Ontario Hockey League, the Eastern Amateur Hockey League, and the Northern Ontario Hockey Association.

At the Chicago World's Fair, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, McCarthy was photographed participating in barrel jumping, a discipline of speed skating, at the Black Forest Village.

In 1954, at the age of 24, he became recreation director of Espanola, Ontario and held the position for forty-one years. He became actively involved in all aspects of Espanola's recreational programs and was instrumental in forming the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (NOHA) Junior A Hockey League, and the Espanola Eagles Junior A hockey team. He coached the team for 18 years, and then managed it for four more. The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League's Red McCarthy Memorial Trophy is named in his honour.

Ringette

McCarthy,

McCarthy had been present at a meeting when Sam Jacks brought up the fact that there was a need for a new winter team sport for girls. After Jacks's presentation, McCarthy volunteered to experiment with the new sport in Espanola where he was the recreation director and arena manager. Equipped with Jack's basic idea, McCarthy then created the first set of rules for the sport of ringette. These rules were then presented at a NORDA meeting at Moose Lake Lodge in Onaping, Ontario, on January 19–20, 1964. Today the title of "birthplace of ringette" is shared by both North Bay, Ontario, and Espanola, Ontario, though Espanola is still recognized as the "Official Home of Ringette". To date, McCarthy has not had a trophy or any other award in the sport named in his honour.

Mirl "Red" McCarthy Memorial Award

The Red McCarthy Memorial Trophy is the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League's award given annually to the "Coach of the Year".

Honours

• Ringette Canada Hall of Fame - Founder (Inducted 1988)
• Sudbury Sport Hall of Fame (2007, inducted posthumously)
• Mirl "Red" McCarthy Memorial Trophy - awarded to top Coach in Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League
• Recreational Director of Espanola, Ontario for 41 years.
• Athletic complex in Espanola named the "Red McCarthy Memorial Athletic Fields".
• Ringette is one of four sports featured on the "Canadian Inventions: Sports" series issued by Canada Post stamps on August 10, 2009.

References

References

1. "Mirl "Red" McCarthy".
2. (2022). "Ringette Canada HALL OF FAME {{!}} Mirl (Red) McCarthy {{!}} 1930-1995 {{!}} Founder {{!}} Inducted 1988". Ringette Canada.
3. "1949-50 Barrie Flyers [OHA] Photo Gallery".
4. "Boston Olympics Statistics and History [1949-1952 EHL]".
5. Collins, Kenneth. (2004). "The Ring Starts Here: An Illustrated History of Ringette". [[Highway Book Shop]].
6. Mayer, Norm. (1989). "The origins of ringette, Espanola's McCarthy developed the game". The Sudbury Star.
7. (2023). "Coach of the Year {{!}} MIRL "RED" MCCARTHY MEMORIAL TROPHY". NOJHL Media.
8. (9 March 2010). "Red McCarthy Memorial Trophy". Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
9. (22 March 2023). "NOJHL names its 2022-23 award recipients". NOJHL.
10. (11 March 2016). "NOJHL ANNOUNCES 2015-16 SEASON AWARD WINNERS". NOJHL Media.
11. (9 March 2015). "NOJHL announces 2014-15 award winners". NOJHL Media.
12. (26 March 2013). "NOJHL Coach of the Year goes to Kirkland Lake’s Marc Lafleur – Junior Hockey News". NOJHL Media.
13. SooToday Staff. (14 March 2007). "Four Thunderbirds honoured by the NOJHL". SooToday.com.
14. Hockey News North Staff. (9 April 2020). "Flashback: RB Sabrecats". hockeynewsnorth.com.
15. (July–September 2009). "Canada Post Stamp Details, Volume XVIII, No. 3".