James Callahan (ice hockey)

James Francis Callahan (April 1, 1893 – May 25, 1961) was an American attorney who was president and minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National Hockey League.

Career

Callahan was legal adviser of the Pittsburgh Pirates hockey club under its original owner Henry Townsend.^[1]^[2] Callahan continued in that role when Townsend died and left the franchise to his sons Horace and Edward.^[3]^[4]^[5] In the fall of 1928, the Pirates were ostensibly sold to ex-lightweight boxing champion Benny Leonard, although the money for the purchase is suspected to have come from Bill Dwyer, owner of the New York Americans, who may have hid his involvement with the Pittsburgh club to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.^[6] At this point Callahan was made president of the Pirates.^[7] Callahan was also a minority stockholder.^[6]

Shortly after the Pirates moved to Philadelphia in 1930 to become the Philadelphia Quakers, Callahan became secretary and treasurer of the new Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets of the International Hockey League, which took over the franchise of the defunct Niagara Falls Cataracts.^[8]

References

^ "Local Hockey Team Obtains Three Players". The Pittsburgh Post. September 29, 1926. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Local Moguls Active". The Pittsburgh Press. September 19, 1926. Sporting Sec., p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Hockey Team Status in Air". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 24, 1928. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pirate Hockey Officials Go to Canada for Important Meeting of League Heads". The Pittsburgh Post. February 13, 1927. Sec. 3, p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Bass, Alan (2020). Professional Hockey in Philadelphia: A History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 42. ISBN 978-1-4766-8269-3. But on January 15, 1927, owner Henry Townsend passed away, leaving the team to his two sons, Horace and Ed.
^ ^a ^b Ross, J. Andrew (2015). "Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945". Syracuse University Press. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-0-8156-3383-9.
^ Taggart, Bert P. (October 9, 1928). "Strong Ice Team Is Promised". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Pittsburgh To Have Pro Hockey Team". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 24, 1930. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.

[1] "Local Hockey Team Obtains Three Players". The Pittsburgh Post. September 29, 1926. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.

[2] "Local Moguls Active". The Pittsburgh Press. September 19, 1926. Sporting Sec., p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.

[3] "Hockey Team Status in Air". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 24, 1928. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] "Pirate Hockey Officials Go to Canada for Important Meeting of League Heads". The Pittsburgh Post. February 13, 1927. Sec. 3, p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.

[5] Bass, Alan (2020). Professional Hockey in Philadelphia: A History. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 42. ISBN 978-1-4766-8269-3. But on January 15, 1927, owner Henry Townsend passed away, leaving the team to his two sons, Horace and Ed.

[Ross-6] Ross, J. Andrew (2015). "Joining the Clubs: The Business of the National Hockey League to 1945". Syracuse University Press. pp. 174–175. ISBN 978-0-8156-3383-9.

[7] Taggart, Bert P. (October 9, 1928). "Strong Ice Team Is Promised". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.

[8] "Pittsburgh To Have Pro Hockey Team". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 24, 1930. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.

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