JOHN M. TOBIN
(Researched and written by Frank W. Graham)
In the annals of sport in Newfoundland there has never been a more dedicated devotee to athletics than Jack Tobin. Seasonally, he throughout his lifetime, devoted his entire winters to hockey and parcelled out the summer months to training crews and participating in the St. John's Regatta. His contribution to hockey was fittingly acknowledged in 1977 when he was inducted into the Newfoundland Sports Hall of Fame. With the establishment of the St. John's Regatta Hall of Fame in 1967, Tobin's achievements both as an oarsman and a coxswain as well as his role as a member of the Regatta Committee for over 25 years, now warrant that earnest consideration be given his candidacy as a prospect for induction into the Regatta Hall of Fame.
John Tobin was born in St. John's, October 25th, 1885 and educated at St. Bon's College, St. John's, and St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish. His career as an oarsman began in 1920 when he rowed #4 oar in a crew participating in the Amateur Race in the Regatta of that year. His role as an oarsman was to involve crews entered in the Amateur races for the next seven years. The Amateur crews themselves were invariably referred to as Tobin's crews. He was the organizer and driving force behind the assembly of crews and the guiding spirit in sustaining interest, not only in the Amateur Race itself but the general success of the Regatta. In 1928, at age 43, Tobin forsook his role as oarsman and for the next 24 years of Annual Regatta participation functioned as a coxswain. Over that period he steered 18 crews to victory, placed second in 10 races, finished third 6 times and ended up out of the money in fourth place on 4 occasions.
A supporting list of race participation is attached.
John M. (Jack) Tobin was a sports phenomenon in that his whole life was wrapped up in athletics, as a hockeyist, oarsman, coxswain, sports official (in his capacity as referee and judge), Honorary Secretary of the Newfoundland Hockey League for over 40 years, Member of the St. John's Regatta Committee for over 25 years and to crown all those associations was well along in years when he began a new career as a radio sports broadcaster. In his later years as well, he was elected to the St. John's Municipal Council and still later became a member of the House of Assembly representing St. John's East. Jack Tobin's career was nothing if not versatile and flexible. He became wholeheartedly involved in anything he undertook.
Being financially "well fixed" to employ a term, Jack Tobin did not have to grub for a living. His inheritance in the form of rents from his valuable real estate holdings simply went to work for him. In that happy circumstance he was able to indulge himself in his avocation - his all consuming interest in sports. His contribution of his time and his energies to athletics generally has been of incalculable benefit to two sports, in particular hockey and rowing.
Jack Tobin deserves to be posthumously honored by induction into the St. John's Regatta Hall of Fame.
Jack Tobin had the rare ability to bring to any event a sense of occasion in his role as hockeyist, oarsman, referee, coxswain and broadcaster. He holds a unique position in the realms of sport in Newfoundland for having served for fifty years in a secretarial capacity with the Newfoundland Hockey league. It is a record of service unrivalled anywhere in the sports sphere.
John M. Tobin was born in St. John's and educated at both St. Bonaventure's College, St. John's and St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish. At the latter institution he acquired proficiency as a hockeyist and on his return to Newfoundland made effective use ofhis artistry as a skater and stick handler. He first allied himself with the Crescents hockey team in the early 1900's and remained with them until they won the Boyle trophy in 1910. Still later he joined the Terra Nova hockey team and in his capacity as captain guided them to championships in 1916 and 1919. Following an active hockey career Jack volunteered his services as referee and served as arbiter in both the inter-collegiate and senior hockey leagues. Meanwhile he was simultaneously performing his duties as secretary of the Newfoundland Hockey Association. In his younger days, Jack Tobin was an oarsman of note and at our annual Regatta there was, invariably, a Tobin crew in the Amateur race with Jack himself on stroke oar. Later in life he took over the coxswain's role and steered many crews to victory on Quidi Vidi Lake. A further display of his versatility as a sportsman occurred in 1934 when as coach and manager he moulded a group of Holy Cross hockeyists into a team of Championship calibre winning the Boyle trophy that year. John M. Tobin was one of our first radio broadcasters to effectively publicize hockey outside of St. John's through the medium of radio. His broadcasts of hockey games throughout the later Thirties and early Forties under the title 'Over the Blue Line with Tobin' had exceptional popular appeal. Through his folksy delivery Tobin established a rapport with his listeners which few sportcasters have been privileged to enjoy. The expressions he employed in describing players, individual abilities and the games themselves have become a popular cant, and have passed into the language. For many years Jack Tobin was a member of the B.I.S. executive and played an active role in that Society's involvement with sport. Jack was elected to the Municipal Council and, as well, served as a member of the House of Assembly representing St. John's East. The accolade which best and affectionately describes Jack Tobin is to say that he was one of that delightful and fast-fading breed 'a typical St. John's sports character.'