Gladwell, Frank

BORN SEPTEMBER 28TH 1931 at the Royal Women's Hospital in Carlton, Melbourne, [5] Gladwell joined the VIHA Monarch B-grade in 1948, and progressed to the A-grade, first on the Wing, then in Defense alongside future Olympian Basil Hansen. Over a 191-game playing career, [2] he won the 1959 VIHA Premiership with the Monarchs and was a player in the back-to-back premiership years of 1961 and '62. He also represented Victoria in the Brown Trophy.

When Gladwell retired from competition in 1964, he embarked on a career as an ice hockey referee, excelling at it for over 20 years. From 1964 to 1986, when he retired for the second time, the state association estimates he officiated over 2000 games, from junior level to the International Series against the touring West Germany Olympia 80 team with Trevor Wardel in Melbourne in 1977. [4]

The renowned European referee Walter Matthes also traveled with the West Germany team, and ran seminars for the Australian referees. State Referee-In-Chief in the 1970s, then nationally, Gladwell was Sportsman of the Year in 1985, the recipient of the national association's SM and HC Hudson Trophy. Widely regarded as one of the best and fairest referees of his era, Gladwell's wife Gwen also officiated hundreds of games as Penalty Timekeeper.

"Frank was the fairest ref you could find," recalls Nick Cooper. "Little bit of this and a little bit of that was okay; [but] get out of line too far and he would give you a rest. Always glad to see Frank wearing the arm bands. You knew the game would be fast and fair". [1] Gladwell's contribution to the Victorian Ice Hockey Development Council is remembered by its founder, Elgin Luke. [1]

A young Glenn Grandy often watched Gladwell referee games in which his father, Charlie, played. The expat Canadian "always knew he would be spending time in the penalty box. Frank said that he never saw what Charlie would do, but knew he had done something. Charlie always said hello to Gwen before the game, and she would tell him she brought the new Sports Illustrated for him to read". [1]

Frank and Gwen's son Gary plays hockey, and they have a daughter, Terri. Frank Gladwell's love of the game spanned about four decades, and in 2019 the Victorian ice hockey association acknowledged his contribution with honorary Life Membership.