Bob Nadin

{{Infobox person

| name = Bob Nadin

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1933|03|15}}

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| occupation = Ice hockey referee, educator

| awards = IIHF Hall of Fame
Paul Loicq Award
Pierre de Coubertin Medal

}}

Bob Nadin (born March 15, 1933) is a Canadian retired ice hockey referee and administrator. He refereed at the 1972 Winter Olympics, and served as a referee supervisor for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the National Hockey League, and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association. He was involved with the Winter Olympic Games every Olympiad from 1972 until 2012, and was honoured by the International Olympic Committee with the Pierre de Coubertin Medal. The IIHF honoured Nadin with the Paul Loicq Award, and inducted him into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

Early life

Nadin was born March 15, 1933, in Toronto, Ontario.{{cite web |url=http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=7607&chash=f997a502bc564eaa02dd053ea9f166bc |title=Nadin leaves stamp on hockey |last=Podnieks |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Podnieks |date=March 15, 2013 |website=IIHF |access-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-date=August 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805023116/http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=7607&chash=f997a502bc564eaa02dd053ea9f166bc |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://etobicokesports.ca/bob-nadin-inductee/ |title=Bob Nadin |date=October 10, 2013 |website=Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame |access-date=July 22, 2018 |archive-date=April 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425201236/https://etobicokesports.ca/bob-nadin-inductee/ |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://aroundtherings.com/public/Olympic_Order.pdf |title=Olympic Orders |pages=12–13 |date=May 2012 |website=Around the Rings |access-date=July 28, 2018}} He attended elementary and high school in Toronto, and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1958, with a degree in physical education.

Refereeing career

Nadin began refereeing ice hockey at the University of Toronto, when he was 17 years old.{{cite web |url=http://scoutingtherefs.com/2017/02/17936/iihf-bob-nadin/ |title=IIHF Recognizes Bob Nadin on 45 Years as Referee, Supervisor |date=February 26, 2017 |website=Scouting The Refs |access-date=July 24, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://archive.org/stream/thevarsity100/thevarsity100_djvu.txt |title=Wanted: Students for $60,000 Worth of Jobs |date=September 4, 1979 |website=The Varsity, Volume 4, Issue 1 |access-date=July 25, 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ohahockey.ca/view/oha/news/news_496444 |title=Nadin Part of IIHF Hall of Fame Class of 2018 |last=Podnieks |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Podnieks |date=December 1, 2017 |website=Ontario Hockey Association |access-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818174257/http://www.ohahockey.ca/view/oha/news/news_496444 |url-status=dead}} He was encouraged to officiate by teammates in the interfaculty league, and he said that he enjoyed refereeing more than playing. He later became referee-in-chief of the school league, officiated in the church leagues of Toronto, and moved onto the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). Nadin later refereed games at the Memorial Cup, Allan Cup, Centennial Cup, approximately 100 international games, and was offered a place in the National Hockey League, but ended up refereeing in the Eastern Hockey League. He twice refereed matches between the Canada men's national ice hockey team and the Soviet Union national ice hockey team at Maple Leaf Gardens, first on January 10, 1967, then on January 19, 1969.{{cite web |url=http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/soviet-nationals-at-maple-leafs-gardens.1280731/ |title=Soviet nationals at Maple Leafs Gardens |website=HFBoards |access-date=July 27, 2018 |archive-date=August 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804232059/http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/soviet-nationals-at-maple-leafs-gardens.1280731/ |url-status=live}} Nadin made his debut at an International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) event, refereeing seven games at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo. Later in the same year, he conducted refereeing clinics for Russian ice officials, shortly before the Summit Series took place.{{cite web |url=https://www.toronto.com/news-story/4200566-etobicoke-celebrates-2013-sports-hall-of-fame-inductees/ |title=Etobicoke celebrates 2013 sports hall of fame inductees |last=Shephard |first=Tamara |date=November 8, 2013 |website=Toronto.com |access-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-date=August 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805021553/https://www.toronto.com/news-story/4200566-etobicoke-celebrates-2013-sports-hall-of-fame-inductees/ |url-status=live}} Nadin returned to the international stage, refereeing games at the 1974 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Leningrad. A few months later, Nadin refereed at the 1974 Memorial Cup in Calgary.{{cite book |last1=Lapp |first1=Richard M. |last2=Macaulay |first2=Alec |title=The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship |publisher=Harbour Publishing |page=170 |date=1997 |location=Madeira Park, British Columbia |isbn=1-55017-170-4}}

Supervisor of officials

On August 11, 1975, Nadin who was serving as the referee-in-chief of the OHA, was nominated to replace Hugh McLean as the referee-in-chief of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA).{{cite news |title=Sports Briefs |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |location=Winnipeg, Manitoba |date=August 12, 1975 |page=45 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-aug-12-1975-767876/}} Nadin served as referee-in-chief of the CAHA from 1976 to 1986. He created a referee certification program for the CAHA, and wrote casebooks to interpret hockey rules for both the CAHA and the IIHF. He was a member of CAHA rules committee, and helped implement rule changes to reduce injuries from ice hockey sticks, in response to increasing eye injuries.{{cite news |title=Hockey Season Left 37 Players Legally Blind |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |location=Winnipeg, Manitoba |date=June 18, 1975 |page=69 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-jun-18-1975-767875/}} He supported adding sticks to the list of dangerous equipment which referees were allowed to remove from a game.{{cite news |title=CAHA gives refs more power on ice |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |location=Winnipeg, Manitoba |date=May 27, 1976 |page=65 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-27-1976-767877/}} Also for player safety, he supported making face masks mandatory on hockey helmets,{{cite news |title=Players wear masks |newspaper=Medicine Hat News |location=Medicine Hat, Alberta |date=May 24, 1978 |page=12 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-24-1978-767879/ |access-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021065947/https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-may-24-1978-767879/ |url-status=live}} and a reduction in physical aggression on the ice.{{cite news |title=CAHA wants to put fun back into game: Too much pressure in minor hockey |newspaper=Lethbridge Herald |location=Lethbridge, Alberta |date=September 13, 1986 |last=Korobanik |first=John |page=12 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-sep-13-1986-767859/ |access-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-date=October 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021111407/https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-sep-13-1986-767859/ |url-status=live}}

Nadin was one of the supervisors of officials at 1976 Canada Cup.{{cite news |title=Suspicious minds: Officials will be subjects of concern |newspaper=Brandon Sun |location=Brandon, Manitoba |date=August 27, 1976 |page=10 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/sports-clipping-aug-27-1976-767881/}} He has also served as a referee supervisor for Ontario University Athletics, and from 1992 to 1996, was a referee supervisor for the National Hockey League.{{cite web |url=https://www.new-iihf.com/en/events/2018/wm/news/3292/iihf-hall-of-fame-inducts-new-members |title=IIHF Hall of Fame inducts new members |last=Sanful |first=John |date=May 20, 2018 |website=International Ice Hockey Federation |access-date=July 28, 2018 |archive-date=May 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524004405/https://www.new-iihf.com/en/events/2018/wm/news/3292/iihf-hall-of-fame-inducts-new-members |url-status=dead}}

In 1976, Nadin joined the IIHF rules and referee committee and was a referee supervisor at each Winter Olympic Games from 1976 until 2012. He travelled worldwide to assist and evaluate officiating crews at IIHF events. He was responsible for writing, updating, and interpreting rules. Nadin said, "The president of the ice hockey federation refers to me as the pope of the rules". He also conducted referee seminars in over 40 countries, and implemented regulations on ice hockey goaltending equipment at IIHF events.{{cite web |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/officials-take-measure-of-canadian-goaltenders/article4085963/ |title=Officials take measure of Canadian goaltenders |last=Spencer |first=Donna |date=January 12, 2004 |website=The Globe and Mail |access-date=July 25, 2018 |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019180640/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/officials-take-measure-of-canadian-goaltenders/article4085963/ |url-status=live}} He was part of the committee which selected referees for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano,{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeynut.com/olympics/refs.html |title=Three NHL refs selected to Olympics |year=1997 |website=The HockeyNut |access-date=July 25, 2018}} and the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He also supervised officials at the 2011 Asian Winter Games, the 2012 Winter Youth Olympics, the 2013 IIHF World Women's U18 Championship – Division I, the 2013 IIHF World U18 Championships, and the 2017 Asian Winter Games.

Awards and honours

Nadin was named to the OHA referees' honour roll in 1981. He was given the OHA Gold Stick in 1984, in recognition of outstanding service to the game.{{cite web |url=http://www.ohahockey.ca/view/oha/about-us/association-awards/gold-stick |title=Gold Stick |website=Ontario Hockey Association |access-date=July 25, 2018 |archive-date=March 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323181655/http://www.ohahockey.ca/view/oha/about-us/association-awards/gold-stick |url-status=live}} He was honoured with the Hockey Canada Order of Merit in 1990.{{cite web |url=https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/corporate/awards/hc-awards/awards/order-merit |title=Hockey Canada Order of Merit |website=Hockey Canada |access-date=July 24, 2018}} Nadin received the Paul Loicq Award in 2007, for outstanding contributions to the IIHF, and international ice hockey.{{cite web |url=http://www.hockeycentral.co.uk/hhof/IIHFHOF.php |title=International Ice Hockey Federation – Hockey Hall of Fame |website=Hockeycentral |access-date=July 25, 2018}} He was named an honorary member of the IIHF officiating committee, in 2010. Nadin received the Pierre de Coubertin Medal in 2012, in recognition of his work in ice hockey at the Winter Olympic Games.{{cite web |url=http://aroundtherings.com/site/A__40329/Title__No-Londoners-Among-Olympic-Orders/292/Articles |title=No Londoners Among Olympic Orders |last=Hula |first=Ed |date=June 19, 2012 |website=Around the Rings |access-date=July 25, 2018}} He had originally been nominated for the Olympic Order by René Fasel, but received the Coubertin medal instead. Nadin was inducted into the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame on November 7, 2013. Prior to the 2017 Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Nadin received a special ring from René Fasel at a Japanese tea ceremony, in honour of his service to the IIHF, and to commemorate refereeing at the 1972 Winter Olympic in the same location. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame as a builder, in 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2017/12/snapshots-iihf-hof-players-of-the-month-devils.html |title=Snapshots: IIHF HOF, Players of the Month, Devils |last=Leach |first=Zach |date=December 1, 2017 |website=Pro Hockey Rumors |access-date=July 25, 2018 |archive-date=August 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180804231743/https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2017/12/snapshots-iihf-hof-players-of-the-month-devils.html |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Alfredsson, Blake, Chelios, Lehtinen named IIHF Hall of Fame inductees |last=Johnston |first=Mike |date=December 1, 2017 |work=Sportsnet | location=Toronto, Ontario |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/alfredsson-blake-chelios-lehtinen-named-iihf-hall-fame-inductees/ |access-date=June 16, 2023 |archive-date=April 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402015015/https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/alfredsson-blake-chelios-lehtinen-named-iihf-hall-fame-inductees/ |url-status=live}} As of 2020, he is the only recipient of the Paul Loicq Award to also be inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

Personal life

Nadin resides in Weston, Toronto. He married his wife, Nancy, on April 21, 1962, and they have one son, one daughter, and five grandchildren. He began a teaching career at Weston Collegiate Institute in 1958, and later became head of the physical education department in 1969. He retired in 1994 and had coached football, hockey, baseball, and alpine skiing at the school.

Nadin makes a hobby of stamp collecting, and has hockey-related stamps from around the world. He regularly adds to his collection in his travels, using the Scott catalogue of postage stamps. He also has an extensive collection of lapel pins, mugs, photos, and pennants, and has donated items to the Hockey Hall of Fame resource centre.{{cite web |url=https://www.hhof.com/htmlResCentre/rc03-15.shtml |title=2014-15 Hockey Hall of Fame Donor List |website=Hockey Hall of Fame Resource Centre |access-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-date=August 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180805052011/https://www.hhof.com/htmlResCentre/rc03-15.shtml |url-status=dead}}