FREDERICTON (UNB/CIS) – It is with great pleasure that the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds, hosts of the 2012 CIS men’s hockey championship, will welcome back the father of the University Cup, Major W.J. “Danny” McLeod, for the 50th anniversary of the tournament.
Major McLeod and his wife, Sheila, will return to UNB as special guests for the Cavendish University Cup from March 21 to 26 in Fredericton.

“To receive an invitation from UNB for the 50th anniversary is, needless to say, a privilege and an honour,” said McLeod.

“I am very excited to be invited as a guest, to enjoy this occasion and to take part in this auspicious event known as the University Cup. My hat is off to UNB and CIS for hosting this remarkable event.”

McLeod was a driving force behind the establishment of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (known then as the CIAU), the organization joining the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and, of course, the creation of a national championship tournament.

Born in Medicine Hat, Alta., in 1921, McLeod left to serve his country in World War II. He became the first athletic director at Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont., in 1960, and shortly thereafter pitched the idea of a men’s national hockey championship to Air Commodore L. Birchall, commandant of RMC. The proposal was well-received and the college partnered with Queen’s University to split the cost of the trophy and host the inaugural tournament at the end of the 1962-63 season.

“It was exciting to bring together the winners of the five associations, with many of Father Bauer’s National Team enrolled at UBC,” said McLeod. “They were the obvious favorites but McMaster edged them by a goal, which made McMaster the first winner of the University Cup.”

McLeod spent time as coach of RMC, the Kingston Senior A Aces, who represented Canada at the 1968 Spengler Cup, and the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. He was twice named OHL coach of the year.

Following his retirement from RMC, he joined the NHL as supervisor of officials in the expanded 12-team league and trained all on-ice officials on international rules for the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the USSR.

To this day, he still marvels at the success of the University Cup tournament.

“While watching the CIS hockey final in 2010, I could hardly believe so much time had passed and we had been there at the beginning.”

The trophy awarded annually to the MVP of the University Cup tournament is named in his honour – the Major W.J. ‘Danny’ McLeod Award.

In 2004, Major McLeod received an Honorary Doctorate of Military Science from RMC. The NHL Officials Association honoured him in 2007 with the prestigious Birchell Leadership Award.

On June 8, 2011, CIS recognized Major McLeod with the Austin-Matthews Award, presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to interuniversity sport in Canada.

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