Arthur Johnson – Builder

Inducted October 15, 1977

Arthur Johnson was born June 19th, 1900. He received his early education at Bishop Feild College and later attended McGill University graduating from that institution with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. While Art Johnson’s involvement with sport would throughout life be in a managerial capacity, he did while attending McGill, display considerable aptitude as a boxer. He won the Bantam Weight championship and was inter-collegiate runner-up in that same boxing division in 1920.

In the local sports sphere Arthur Johnson first came to prominence in the early twenties mainly through his association with the Guards athletic organization. He was an exceptionally gifted promoter of any undertaking allied with physical fitness and throughout the late Twenties and early Thirties devoted much of his time to Y.M.C.A. activities. Johnson is however best known for his lengthy association as a sports organizer and notably for his promotional and managerial capacity in fostering interest in local hockey. When the Prince’s rink encountered financial difficulties in the early 1930’s, the Guards Association acquired the rink. They wisely placed Arthur Johnson in charge. Despite the onset of the Depression, he somehow or other managed to make the rink a paying proposition. In support of his efforts in sustaining interest in sport, notably in ice hockey, he contributed extensively to the local press. His countless daily columns were later to enrich prosperity forming the nucleus of a history of local ice hockey. He served as secretary of the Newfoundland Amateur Hockey Association for a period of fourteen years and functioned in the same capacity with the Newfoundland Amateur Athletic Association for the same number of years. He served as trainer/manager for the track and boxing team which represented Newfoundland at the Empire Games held at Hamilton, Ontario in August, 1930. Apart from his association with athletics, Arthur Johnson was also closely identified with civic minded groups like the Rotarians and the Playgrounds Association contributing generously of his time, energies and talent to community affairs. Arthur was a very personable fellow with an infectious enthusiasm for all sports and had the rare ability to awaken that interest and enthusiasm in others.