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Hall of Famers

Hall of Famer

COLONEL JACK DAVIES

Inducted in 1978

Member Details

Date of Birth: February 7, 1899
Place of Birth: Paris, France
Date of Passing: July 22, 1978
Sport: Multisport
Member Category: Builder

Career Highlights

20 years a member of Canadian track and Field committee, officiated 1934 British Empire Games

1934-76

Member, director and manger of numerous Commonwealth, Pan-Am, and Olympic teams

1971

Named to the Order of Canada

Hall of Famer COLONEL JACK DAVIES
Sport

Story

When Jack Davies was a young boy, the 1900 Paris Olympics played out across the street from where he lived. Fittingly, he would continue to live with amateur sports for the rest of his life. Davies emigrated to Canada in 1920. His track and field career spanned a staggering thirty-five years and at one time he was judged Canada's top track and field competitor. He also actively competed in swimming, badminton, tennis, soccer, water polo, boxing, equestrian events, sailing, and table tennis. A highly successful track and field competitor in his youth, Col. Davies is best known for his devotion to the development and promotion of the Commonwealth Games. Davies served as President of the Commonwealth Games Association of Canada for a quarter century (1953-1978) during which time he took on the tremendous task of organizing the Canadian teams and the raising of the funds required to send those teams to the Games. Davies was Commandant for every Canadian commonwealth Games team from 1954 to his death. He served as the chairman of the Commonwealth Games Records Committee from 1952 and served on the Technical Committee of the International Amateur Athletic Federation for twenty-four years. He was a life Member of the British Olympic Association and the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States. He was awarded the "News of the World" plaque for being the outstanding Commonwealth Games official and he also received the Queen's Coronation Medal for his work with amateur sport and the predecessor to the Commonwealth Games, the British Empire Games. In all, he was an active part of Canada's participation at ten Olympic Games, nine Commonwealth Games, and two Pan-American Games.