Jack Riley (ice hockey b. 1919)
| Jack Riley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
June 14, 1919 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| Died | July 13, 2016 (aged 97) Scott Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
| Weight | 178 lb (81 kg; 12 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
Baltimore Orioles Hershey Bears Philadelphia Falcons Washington Lions Tulsa Oilers |
||
| Playing career | 1938–1950 | ||
John Thomas "Jack" Riley (June 14, 1919 – July 13, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and executive. He is best remembered for being the first general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League. He served the Penguins from their founding through the spring of 1970, and then in a second term from January 1972 to January 1974. In 1975, he became Commissioner of the Southern Hockey League. From 1979 to 1983 he served was President of the International Hockey League.
Riley was born in Toronto, Ontario. As a teenager he began an 11-year playing career, mostly in the Eastern Hockey League and the American Hockey League. Riley played for the Baltimore Orioles/Clippers, Philadelphia Falcons, Hershey Bears, Washington Lions, and Tulsa Oilers during his career. After retiring as a player in 1950, he became the Lions' head coach and remained with the team until 1953. In 1959, he became general manager of the American Hockey League's Rochester Americans. He served in that capacity until 1964, and in 1966 left the Americans organization for the general manager position with one of the National Hockey League's new expansion teams.
When the NHL decided to expand in 1967. Riley had offers to be general manager from the Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues and the Philadelphia Flyers. Riley decided on Pittsburgh, because of its proximity to his family in Toronto, and was hired by the Penguins' owner Jack McGregor, who also served as the team's president and CEO.
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