Dartmouth Mourns Passing of Hockey Legend Walter Bush Jr. '51

HANOVER, N.H. – The Dartmouth hockey family was saddened to hear of the passing of Walter Bush Jr. '51 on Thursday at his home in Naples, Florida, at the age of 86.

The former Dartmouth hockey and football player was the longtime president of USA Hockey, the governing body for the sport in the United States. He began working with the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (now USA Hockey) in 1956 until his retirement in 2003. Since then, Bush has held the position of the organization's chairman of the board.

“This is a sad loss for Dartmouth and the entire hockey community,” head coach Bob Gaudet '81 said. “Walter was a dear friend to me personally and our hockey program in so many ways. He represented Dartmouth extremely well throughout his entire life and I am going to miss him dearly.”

In his nearly five decades of service to USA Hockey, Bush served in several capacities including director for the US Olympic Committee during the 1960 Olympic Winter Games in Squaw Valley, California, and later as general manager of the US Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team in 1964. That 1960 team would win Gold and was coached by former Dartmouth legend Jack Riley '44, who passed away earlier this year.

Many in the United States will also remember Bush's contributions to helping the National Hockey League in its first round of expansion, successfully bidding for a franchise in his home state. He would serve as the president of the Minnesota North Stars for 10 years (1966-76) and chairman of the board for another three (1976-78). During his time with the team, Bush was named the NHL's Executive of the Year in 1972.

The first-ever US-born official to be named to the Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors in 1972, Bush would be enshrined in the Hall 28 years later in 2000. He was also a member of the US Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of 1980 and was a 1973 recipient of the Lester Patrick Award for outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

Additionally, he served on the International Ice Hockey Federation Council from 1986-2008, and played a key role in instituting the first-ever IIHF World Women's Championship in 1990. Bush went on to serve as the IIHF vice president from 1994-2008, was elected to the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2009 and awarded the Olympic Order in 2002.

So highly regarded by the American hockey community, USA Hockey's national headquarters — The Walter L. Bush, Jr., Center — was named in his honor.

"Hockey mourns tonight the passing of USA Hockey's Walter Bush, a pioneer in the game and one of the most beloved figures in the sport," USA Hockey said in an issued statement.

“Walter made important and lasting contributions to the sport,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a league statement. “His impact was felt, nationally and internationally, in the professional and the amateur ranks, in women's hockey as well as men's.''

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