CARVER MEMORIES – First Black to sign NHL contract

Western's Utendale served as Vikings' FAR from 1985 to 1996
 
BELLINGHAM, Wash. --- If Dr. John Utendale was alive today, no one would have been more excited for Seattle to obtain a National Hockey League franchise, and see the Kraken begin play in October of 2021.
 
So, on February 24, 2022, it was only appropriate that Utendale, who died in 2006 following a battle with cancer, was honored at a Kraken home game during Black History month for his feats as an elite player and hockey activist as a part of a groundbreaking career in sport and higher education.
 
In 1955, Utendale became the first Black hockey player to sign an NHL contract. He never played for the Detroit Red Wings, but that was the time of just the six original teams and signing a contract meant that you were an exceptional player.
 
In 1972, Utendale became the first Black faculty member in Western Washington University's School of Education. He led the university's Student Personnel Administration graduate program for more than 25 years. His program was one of the first that intensely recruited and dramatically increased the number of minority students at now Woodring College of Education.
 
Utendale, who retired from Western in 2001, was the school's Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) for 11 years (1985-96). During that time, he served a two-year term as chair of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Council of Faculty Athletic Representatives.
 
As a FAR, Utendale was the school President's liaison with athletics and as chair of the national FAR council, he was an ex-officio member of the Council of Presidents, the main NAIA governing body. A school's FAR, who cannot be a member of the athletic department, does the final certification of athletic eligibility for its student-athletes.
 
Utendale was nationally recognized for his academic work by his peers and moved into full professorship, making him one of the few minority faculty members with tenure. His distinguished career with WWU included many posts, among them president of the State Higher Education Personnel Board, chair of the Department of Educational Administration and Foundations, director of the Seattle Urban Centre, program chair of Human Resources Development and president of the Northwest Association of Student Affairs Professionals.
 
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1937, Utendale, a graduate of Victoria Composite High School, was accepted into the University of British Columbia where he received his teaching certificate in 1961, teaching and coaching at the junior high level from 1961-63.
 
Returning to his birthplace and attending the University of Alberta, Utendale earned his bachelor's degree in just two years (1965) and became the first Director of Physical Education at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology where he worked from 1964-69. There he coached the men's hockey team for the 1967-68 season.
 
Utendale obtained his master's degree (1968) at Eastern Washington University and was hired at Washington State University. During his three years there (1969-72), he was assistant dean of students, academic coordinator for the athletic department, a member of the Washington State Human Rights commission, and taught a course in the Black studies department, all while earning his Doctorate in Education degree (1972).
 
From WSU, Utendale moved to Western, remaining in Bellingham until his death in 2006.
 
But the love of Utendale's life, besides education, was ice hockey, which was interwoven throughout his life as a player and coach.

 
The NHL contract that Utendale signed with the Detroit Red Wings in 1955 came three years before Willie O'Ree broke the NHL's color barrier in 1958 with the Boston Bruins. Utendale attended three or four camps with the Wings, skating with the likes of NHL greats Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio and Red Kelly. But he never played for the Red Wings, instead seeing action with a Wings' farm team, the Edmonton Flyers.
 
O'Ree was quoted in a 2018 article in The Undefeated, that it could easily have been Utendale, or O'Ree's Boston teammate Stan Maxwell, or Herb Carnegie or Art Dorrington who could have been the NHL's first Black player.
 
As a youth and teenager, Utendale played on the outdoor city rinks in Edmonton while competing in peewee, bantam and midget hockey. His post-minor hockey career started with the Edmonton Oil Kings, prior to his historic signing with the Red Wings. After that, he played three seasons with the Flyers, followed by a couple of seasons where he moved east, playing for teams such as the Windsor Bulldogs and North Bay Trappers (Ontario Senior league), Quebec Aces (Quebec Hockey League), and Sudbury Wolves (Eastern Professional Hockey League).
 
In his part-time 1958-59 season (five games) with the Aces, Utendale would be joined by O'Ree and Maxwell, where they played together on "The Black Line." And it is believed Utendale was only the fourth Black to play Senior A hockey in Ontario, joining Herb and Ossie Carnegie and Manny McIntyre.
 
Utendale eventually returned to western Canada, getting married to Maryan "Mickey" Maddison Leonard in 1959, and starting his university education.


 
Throughout the 1960s, until his on-ice career ended in 1969, Utendale was still playing, including stints with the Ponoka Stampeders, Edmonton Nuggets and Edmonton Monarchs, along with the Spokane Jets (Western International Hockey League).
 
Had his story ended here, Utendale would already have established himself as a significant figure in the history of the sport of hockey.
 
But a sentence included in his obituary, published in the Edmonton Journal following his death in 2006, illustrates that hockey really was a lifelong passion for Utendale.
 
"John's career was a story of diversity from professional hockey player to professor."
 
With the conclusion of his playing career, Utendale's focus shifted to what would be a long and influential career in post-secondary education.
 
But during his time as an educator, hockey continued to play a significant role in Utendale's life. He was involved at the local, post-secondary and regional levels in Washington State. He helped found the Bellingham Area Minor Hockey Association and the city's junior A team (Bellingham Blazers), which he also coached, and served as Western Regional Director for the Amateur Hockey Association of the U.S.

He coached the WWU club team for nine years, winning four straight Western United States Collegiate Club championships from 1982-85.
 
In 1980, Utendale was also an assistant training coach with the U.S. Olympic team, becoming the first Black member of the coaching staff of the national men's hockey team. That group upset a formidable Russian squad in the semifinal round and won gold at the "Miracle on Ice" Lake Placid Olympics.
 
On January 28, 2022, the Washington State Legislature passed a House Bill honoring Utendale for his lifetime of barrier-breaking contributions as an athlete, educator and civil rights trailblazer.
 
Yes, there is no doubt. If Utendale was with us today, he would be making lots of trips to Seattle and Climate Pledge Arena.
 
(Hockey Alberta, February 2021; EWU Alumni Magazine, 2/7/2022; WWU Resume' 1985 and 1993; UBC Communications)
 
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2022-4637
 
HR 4637
 
By Representatives Leavitt, Taylor, Robertson, J. Johnson, Bronoske, Jacobsen, MacEwen, Ryu, Walen, Slatter, Goehner, Ramel, Orwall, Young, Wylie, and Dolan
 
 WHEREAS, Dr. John Utendale broke barriers throughout his life, first in professional hockey, and then in higher education in Washington state; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Utendale was the first black man to sign an NHL contract, and played for years for a number of teams such as the Quebec Aces and the Edmonton Flyers; and
WHEREAS, During his playing days, he began his studies and earned his teaching certificate, later teaching junior high math, science, and physical education; and
WHEREAS, While playing full time for the Spokane Jets, Dr. Utendale earned his master's degree from Eastern Washington University; and
WHEREAS, Washington State University recruited Dr. Utendale to serve as Assistant Dean of Students, and during his time there he earned his doctorate in education while teaching, coaching Little League Baseball, and serving on the Washington State Human Rights Commission; and
WHEREAS, He then joined Western Washington University as its first black faculty member of the College of Education, leading the university's Student Personnel Administration graduate program for more than 25 years as well as serving other roles such as head of the Higher Education Administration; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Utendale helped create the Bellingham Area Minor Hockey Association, coached the WWU Vikings hockey club, and served as an assistant training coach to the United States Olympic hockey team that won gold at the Lake Placid Olympics; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Utendale died of cancer in 2006, but his life serves as an example of how one person can make a difference in many areas including as a teacher, coach, mentor, and trailblazer;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the life and legacy of Dr. John Utendale; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to the family of Dr. John Utendale.
 
 
I hereby certify this to be a true and correct copy of
Resolution 4637 adopted by the House of Representatives
January 28, 2022
__________________________
Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk
 
Presented by Paul Madison who served 48 years as sports information director at WWU from 1966 to 2015. He is now in his seventh year as the school's Athletics Historian.



WWU FARs:

Top Row (L-R): Dr. Herb Hearsey (1950-74), Dr. Carl Schuler (1975-84), Dr. John Utendale (1985-96)

Bottom Row (L-R) : Dr. Ron Riggins (1997-2006), Dr. Brent Carbajal (2007-12), Dr. Bruce Larson (2013-present)