Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as “The Hockey Maven, shares his humor and insight with readers every Wednesday.
This week, Fischler marks the 70th anniversary of Marguerite Ann Norris becoming the first woman to be an executive for an NHL team. In December 1952, she was named president of the Detroit Red Wings and later was the first woman to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
In a sense, it was perfectly natural for Marguerite Ann Norris to be named president of the Detroit Red Wings 70 years ago this month.
After all, she grew up in a hockey environment and learned the business of hockey from her father, James E. Norris. It was “Big Jim” who, in 1932, bought the failing Detroit Falcons, changed their name to Red Wings, and put the franchise on solid financial footing.
Before he died on Dec. 4, 1952, the Red Wings’ owner — to everyone’s surprise — designated the youngest of his four children to run the first-place team. For that Original Six era this was a shocking development since the 25-year-old was the first woman to become the chief executive of an NHL team.
Asked for her reaction to the appointment, Marguerite shot back, “I’m nervous. Wouldn’t it be you?”
But the shock soon wore off and she became eminently successful in her new role. The Red Wings finished first for three consecutive seasons and won the Stanley Cup in 1954 and 1955.
To those who expressed surprise at her easy grasp of the hockey business, the personable executive pointed out that hockey was a religion in the Norris family.
“I was no stranger to the game when I became club president,” she pointed out. “After all, I used to play hockey with my brothers on the outdoor rink near our (Lake Forest, Illinois) home.
“Since I was the youngest of the kids, I was left with no choice: I had to be a goalie. I was the target, and it was a while before I found out that goalies wear
shin pads. They never told me!”
Nobody had to tell Marguerite Norris how to run a business. After graduating from Smith College, she worked for a management company and then the prestigious Dun & Bradstreet financial firm.
In his autobiography, “Mr. Hockey: My Story,” Red Wings icon Gordie Howe described Marguerite as “smart and capable.”
Red Wings players liked and appreciated their new boss and had no compunctions about working for a woman.
“As long as it is a Norris,” was the clubhouse sentiment.
Associated Press reporter Joe Falls called her “The Petticoat President” and praised “the womanly touch” she gave to the venerable Olympia Stadium.
“Olympia is visibly cleaner and more attractive,” Falls added. “The inside has been coated with fresh — mostly flaming red — paint and the ushers have been outfitted with new, flashy red and white uniforms.”
She also was insightful enough not to noticeably interfere with the hockey operations of Jack Adams who had been Red Wings general manager for more than 25 years.
“I would never attempt to run the hockey team in the sense that Jack does,” she insisted. “I’ve come to like the business and want to stay in it, either with the
rest of my family or by myself.”
But Marguerite’s job was not as easy as driving through the tunnel to nearby Windsor, Ontario. Adams was a crusty, old-school hockey man who was more than 30 years her senior. He would call her “Dearie,” which could have been grounds for her firing him, although she refused to do so.
Her three-year run at the top appeared secure after Detroit won the 1955 Stanley Cup. But, according to one source, she lost an “inter-family struggle” to her brother Bruce who replaced her as president. Marguerite was demoted to vice president and eventually lost any meaningful leadership role with the team.
According to Howe, Ms. Norris’ departure coincided with the decline of the Red Wings dynasty. Howe contended that Marguerite was able to put the brakes on some of Adams’ moves that would “upset the apple cart.” Nevertheless the Red Wings traded away future Hall of Famers in goalie Terry Sawchuk, left wing Ted Lindsay and defensemen Bill Quackenbush and Red Kelly..
Five years after leaving her team presidency, Marguerite married John J. Rider. They had four children and co-owned The Westenhook Farm in Salisbury, Connecticut.
She died of heart failure in 1994 at age 67. In 1976 she was inducted into the Red Wings Hall of Fame along with Cup-winning coaches Jimmy Skinner and Tommy Ivan.
In the Hockey Hall of Fame’s “Builders” category, three members of the Norris Family have been inducted. They include James Norris, Sr., Bruce Norris and James Dougan Norris.
But not “Madame President,” Marguerite Ann Norris.
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