Bill Friday (January 24, 1933 – May 13, 2024) was a Canadian ice hockey referee.[1] He refereed 1,425 major league hockey games, and is the only referee to work both the Avco Cup Finals in the World Hockey Association (WHA) and the Stanley Cup Finals in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Bill Friday | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 24, 1933 |
| Died | May 13, 2024 (aged 91) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation(s) | NHL and WHA referee |
Friday started his officiating career in the NHL, and moved to the WHA in 1972.[2] In 1976 he was named the WHA's referee-in-chief. Friday also served as the first president of the NHL Officials Association.[3] Friday died from cancer in Hamilton, Ontario on May 13, 2024, at the age of 91.[4][5][6]
Honours
editIn 2010, Friday was an inaugural inductee into the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame.[7]
In 2012, Friday was elected to the World Hockey Association Hall of Fame.[8]
References
edit- ^ Hendry, Glenn (24 January 2024). "Hamilton hockey official hall-of-famer celebrates 91st birthday". In the Hammer. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ 'Putting on the foil' and other tall tales
- ^ "National Hockey League Officials Association | About US NHLOA News Events Alumni Become a Ref". Archived from the original on 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2013-09-11.
- ^ Radley, Scott (May 15, 2024). "Hamilton's Bill Friday was NHL's most-colourful ref". Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ "Friday dies at 91, refereed Stanley Cup Final, WHA championship | NHL.com". www.nhl.com. NHL. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ "Statement from the National Hockey League on the Passing of Bill Friday". NHL. May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
- ^ "Bill Friday – Hockey (Official) | Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2013-09-11.
- ^ "WHA Hall of Fame Members". Archived from the original on 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2013-09-11.