Remembered By Inmemory June 29, 2016June 29, 2016

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Francis Alexis “Frank” Patrick (December 21, 1885 – June 29, 1960) was an early Canadian professional ice hockey player, NHL head coach and manager. His brother Lester Patrick was also a professional ice hockey player, coach and executive.

Patrick was the son of a wealthy lumberman Joseph Patrick, who invented the idea of putting numbers on players’ uniforms.

While attending McGill University, Patrick played hockey from 1904 to 1908, winning the Queen’s Cup championship in 1905 alongside his brother Lester Patrick.

Frank and Lester helped found the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. He played for the Vancouver Millionaires of that league from 1911–1918, winning a Stanley Cup in 1915. He also served as PCHA president until 1924. In addition, he was the owner of the Vancouver Amazons women’s hockey team. He became the managing director of the NHL in 1933–34 and resigned to become head coach of the Boston Bruins between 1934-1936.

Among Patrick’s contributions to hockey were the blue line, the penalty shot, the boarding penalty, and the raising of the stick when a goal is scored, which he suggested. He also made a prophecy: “I dream of the day that teams will dress two goaltenders for each game.” This became a reality in the NHL in 1964–65.

Frank Patrick was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1950.Patrick is also a member of the British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame, elected in 1966.

On June 29, 1960, Frank died of a heart attack exactly four weeks after his brother Lester died, also of a heart attack.

As early as January 1916, Frank and his brother Lester talked of the formation of a women’s league to complement the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. The proposal included teams from Vancouver, Victoria, Portland and Seattle. The league never formed but in January 1917, the Vancouver News-Advertiser reported that wives of the Seattle Metropolitans had assembled a team. In February 1921, Frank announced a women’s international championship series that would be played in conjunction with the Pacific Coast Hockey Association

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