Frederick E. Betts
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Frederick Everett Betts (October 17, 1870February 23, 1942) was a Canadian
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
administrator and businessman. He concurrently served as president of the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; ) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction included senior ice hockey leagues and the Allan Cup, ...
(CAHA), the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association, and the Saskatchewan branch of the
Amateur Athletic Union of Canada The history of Canadian sports falls into five stages of development: early recreational activities before 1840; the start of organized competition, 1840–1880; the emergence of national organizations, 1882–1914; the rapid growth of both amateur ...
during the 1919–20 season. He sought regulations to govern amateur sport in Canada, which he felt was in a state of disrepute due to the lack of discussion and meetings during World War I. He supported the reinstatement of former professionals as amateur athletes as favoured in Western Canada, despite the growing rift with delegates from Eastern Canada on the issue. He sought for the
Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the senior ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. It was most recently won by the Wentworth Gryphins ...
trustees to allow the CAHA to have more say into how the national playoffs were operated and argued for receiving an annual percentage of profits from
gate receipts Gate receipts, or simply "gate", is the sum of money taken at a sporting venue for the sale of tickets. Traditionally, gate receipts were largely or entirely taken in cash. Today, many sporting venues will operate a season ticket scheme, which mean ...
to allow the CAHA to govern effectively. Betts rose to sporting prominence as the manager of
senior ice hockey Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition. There are no age restrictions for Senior players, who typically consist of those whose junior ice hockey, Junior eligibility has expired. Senior hockey leagues operate un ...
in
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
, had established a clubhouse atmosphere to foster clean athletics in the city, and had hustled to revive interest in amateur sport in Saskatchewan. He was named to the
Canadian Olympic Association The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; ), also known as Team Canada, is a private nonprofit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee. It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization. History Cana ...
in preparation for the
1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (; ; ), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (; ; ) and commonly known as Antwerp 1920 (; Dutch language, Dutch and German language, German: ''Antwerpen 1920''), were an international multi-sport event held i ...
, and later managed the
Saskatoon Crescents The Saskatoon Sheiks were a professional ice hockey team in the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) and Prairie Hockey League (PrHL) from 1921 to 1928. The team played their home games at the Crescent Arena in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Histo ...
Hockey Club in the
Western Canada Hockey League The Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), founded in 1921–22 WCHL season, 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1925 and disbanded in 1926. ...
for the 1922–23 season. By the end of his hockey career, Betts was "noted for his genial and philosophical outlook upon life", and skilled as "the most prolific and entertaining author of hockey letters" that were "lengthy, profound, well-worded, interesting and to the point". Betts was the Saskatoon dealer for the
Scripps-Booth Scripps-Booth was a United States automobile marque based in Detroit, Michigan. Established by James Scripps Booth in 1913, Scripps-Booth Company produced motor vehicles and was later acquired by General Motors, becoming a division of it, until ...
car, and secretary of the Saskatoon Retail Merchants Association. Hired as an organizer by the Saskatchewan Motor League, he established 37 automobile clubs in Northern Saskatchewan within one year. He lobbied the provincial government for highway improvements and succeeded in having uniform
traffic sign Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of or above roads to give instructions or provide information to road users. The earliest signs were simple wooden or stone milestones. Later, signs with directional arms were introduc ...
s and mileposts installed. He wanted more vehicle owners to install dimmers on
headlights A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
, and advocated for enforcement of no-glare laws for driving at night. He sought to increase membership in the motor leagues to fight against the rising cost of
vehicle licence A vehicle licence (also called a vehicle registration certificate in some jurisdictions) is issued by a motor registration authority in a jurisdiction in respect of a particular motor vehicle. A current licence is required for a motor vehicle to ...
fees, and for any fees collected to be set aside for annual maintenance of roads. He was later contracted to organize clubs for the Alberta Motor League after the Saskatchewan Motor League had been the most active provincial league in Canada under his leadership.


Early life and family

Frederick Everett Betts was born on October 17, 1870, in
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
, Canada, the son of Robert Betts and Eliza Ann Sampson. His father was born in Nova Scotia with English heritage, and his mother was born in the United States. During his younger years, Betts was an athlete who played football, baseball, bicycle racing and track and field sports in the eastern United States. He was a fan of baseball and attended home games for the
Providence Grays The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at the Messer Street Grounds in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National ...
and recalled seeing games at the
Polo Grounds The Polo Grounds was the name of three stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used mainly for professional baseball and American football from 1880 to 1963. The original Polo Grounds, opened in 1876 and demolished in 1889, was built for the ...
. His favourite player was
Cap Anson Adrian Constantine Anson (April 17, 1852 – April 14, 1922), nicknamed "Cap" (for "Captain"), "Pop", and "Baby" (early in his career) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman. Including his time in the National Association ...
, who he felt was one of the game's greatest first basemen. Betts later settled in
Saskatoon Saskatoon () is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It straddles a bend in the South Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province. It is located along the Trans-Canada Hig ...
, Saskatchewan, and was married to Harriett B. Betts of Nova Scotia.


Early hockey career

Betts was a recreational
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
player in Saskatoon, and served on the executive of the Saskatchewan Hockey League until his resignation in 1916. During the 1913–14 season, he was the secretary-treasurer of the Saskatoon R-Jay
senior ice hockey Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition. There are no age restrictions for Senior players, who typically consist of those whose junior ice hockey, Junior eligibility has expired. Senior hockey leagues operate un ...
team.


Saskatoon Pilgrims

Betts was president of the Saskatoon Pilgrims from 1915 to 1917 season, and attracted record crowds to watch senior hockey under his leadership of the team. He led efforts to establish a clubhouse for the Pilgrims located on the top floor of the Royal Bank Building, which included a gymnasium with exercise equipment, a sitting area and a reading room. In addition to keeping the players in good shape, he wanted the clubhouse atmosphere to foster clean athletics for Saskatoon. In April 1916, Betts agreed to race a two-person dash to raise funds for the Saskatoon Patriotic Fund during
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, which the ''
Saskatoon Daily Star ''The StarPhoenix'' is a daily newspaper that serves Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is a part of Postmedia Network. It has been referred to as a "sister newspaper" to the ''Leader-Post''. The ''StarPhoenix'' puts out six editions each week ...
'' stated would be a "great sporting race". His opponent was Roy "Tiny" Luck, a local gun club member and trap shooter who weighed in at , and vowed to win what he called a "fat man's race". Betts weighed in at and promised to embark on a training regimen in the Pilgrims' team room in advance of the race. The Pilgrims won the northern division of the Saskatchewan Hockey League during the 1915–16 season, and travelled to
Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...
in the following season to play the Toronto Dentals in a semi-final game for the fourth challenge of the
1917 Allan Cup The 1917 Allan Cup was the Canadian senior ice hockey championship for the 1916–17 season. The title was first held by the Winnipeg Victorias who won their league and two challenges, before losing in the final challenge to the University of T ...
playoffs. Betts was credited by '' The Leader'' for instilling a fighting spirit into the Pilgrims who challenged the
Regina Victorias The Regina Victorias (often shortened to ''Vics'') were two ice hockey teams, one at the senior level (1914–1938) and one at the junior level (1917–1921), based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The senior Vics played in the Allan Cup finals three tim ...
for the league's title, and was lauded by '' The Saskatoon Phoenix'' for turning the Pilgrims into "the biggest success of hockey that Saskatoon adever known".


Saskatchewan hockey

Betts served as vice-president of the Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association (SAHA) for the 1917–18 and 1918–19 seasons, and helped co-ordinate
junior ice hockey Junior ice hockey is amateur-level ice hockey for 16 to 20 year-old players. National Junior teams compete annually for the IIHF World Junior Championship. The United States men's national junior ice hockey team are the defending champions from ...
teams in Saskatoon for the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. In 1918, Betts and the SAHA approved the establishment of an intermediate level division, and the concept of reinstating former professionals as amateurs who were no longer playing sport for money. After being inactive during World War I, the
Amateur Athletic Union of Canada The history of Canadian sports falls into five stages of development: early recreational activities before 1840; the start of organized competition, 1840–1880; the emergence of national organizations, 1882–1914; the rapid growth of both amateur ...
(AAU of C) resumed meeting and governance of amateur sports in Canada. Betts was elected vice-president of the Saskatchewan branch of the AAU of C in December 1918. The branch favoured the principle of soldiers who were professional athletes before the war, could be reinstated as amateurs. The '' Regina Evening Post'' credited the SAHA for having revived interest in amateur sport in Saskatchewan, and described Betts as "the original 'ginger kid' of Saskatchewan athletics", one of the "live wires" of the province, and "a hustler ... who gets results
ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometers, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is i ...
few equals". Betts supported a recommendation for
Saskatoon City Council Saskatoon City Council is the governing body of Saskatoon, the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan Saskatchewan is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada. It is bordered on the west by Alberta, ...
to takeover the lease and management of the
Crescent Arena Crescent Arena, also known as Crescent Rink and Saskatoon Arena, was an indoor arena in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. History Crescent Rink was built in the late 1910s on Spadina Crescent East in downtown Saskatoon. This was the site of the former A ...
, and to provide necessary upgrades for senior and junior hockey teams to play in the provincial league. He reported that the alterations being made by the rink's operator would not provide an ice surface of regulation size and that Saskatoon would be without high level hockey for the season. Betts arranged a schedule for a Saskatoon league instead, without any teams in the provincial leagues.


Amateur hockey president

In March 1919, the
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA; ) was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey in Canada from 1914 until 1994, when it merged with Hockey Canada. Its jurisdiction included senior ice hockey leagues and the Allan Cup, ...
(CAHA) held its first annual meeting since 1915 due to World War I. The SAHA was given the turn to choose the president, and nominated Betts to succeed James T. Sutherland. The CAHA adopted the rules of play used in the
Ontario Hockey Association The Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) is the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level ice hockey teams in the province of Ontario. Founded in 1890, the OHA is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Federation along with the Northern ...
for
Allan Cup The Allan Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the senior ice hockey champions of Canada. It was donated by Sir Montagu Allan of Ravenscrag, Montreal, and has been competed for since 1909. It was most recently won by the Wentworth Gryphins ...
for senior competition, assumed control of competition for the
Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a consortium of three Junior ice hockey, major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tou ...
and the
Abbott Cup The Abbott Memorial Cup, commonly referred to as the Abbott Cup, was awarded annually from 1919 through 1999 to the Junior "A" ice hockey Champion for Western Canada. The Cup was named after Captain E.L. (Hick) Abbott who was a noted hockey ...
for junior competition, and agreed to form an alliance with the
Amateur Athletic Union The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. It h ...
which oversaw ice hockey in the United States. Betts was opposed to the continued postponement of the AAU of C annual meeting due to post-war economic reasons. He felt that amateur sport was in a state of disrepute by not discussing the issues, and wanted to see regulations to prevent disagreements. He was opposed to the mingling of professionals and amateurs on the same team, but supported exhibition games where amateur teams played against professional teams. He also supported the reinstatement of professionals as amateurs, but insisted on penalties for athletes who broke amateur eligibility rules. The first AAU of C annual meeting since 1914, was held at the
Château Laurier The Fairmont Château Laurier is a hotel with 429 guest rooms in the downtown core of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Located near the intersection of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive, it is designed in a French Gothic Revival Châteauesque style to co ...
in
Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...
in September 1919. Betts spoke in favour of a motion by western delegates to allow the reinstatement of former professional athletes as amateurs, despite a growing rift in Canada on the proposal. Eastern delegates were firmly against the motion, and believed that "once a professional, always a professional". A compromise was reached when the AAU of C granted Western Canada branches temporary permission to reinstate professionals as amateurs for the upcoming hockey season, but that such players would be ineligible for the national Allan Cup playoffs. In November 1919, Betts was elected as president of the SAHA for the 1919–20 season. He became president of the Saskatchewan branch of the AAU of C in December 1919, was named to the national committee for AAU of C championships, and set a deadline of December 31 for any former professional to apply for reinstatement as an amateur. Betts added another presidency to his responsibilities when chosen to lead the Saskatoon division of the Saskatchewan Intermediate Hockey League for the 1919–20 season. The SAHA sought the recognition of reinstated professionals in the Allan Cup playoffs, then withdrew from competition when the cup's trustees refused.; Betts resigned as president of the Saskatchewan branch of the AAU of C for personal health and business reasons on March 24, 1920. The next day, he submitted his resignation as president of the SAHA effective on April 15, and cited health reasons for wanting to reduce his travel. The ''Saskatoon Daily Star'' speculated that the disagreements and the indecision on the SAHA executive contributed to Betts's resignations. During the
1920 Allan Cup The 1920 Allan Cup was the senior ice hockey championship of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) for the 1919–20 season. History During the 1920 Allan Cup playoffs, CAHA president Frederick E. Betts expressed concerns that the Toro ...
playoffs, Betts expressed concerns that the
Toronto Varsity Blues men's ice hockey The Toronto Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team is an ice hockey team operated by the Toronto Varsity Blues, Varsity Blues athletics program of the University of Toronto. They are members of the Ontario University Athletics conference and compe ...
team had violated the rules by participating in both the Ontario Hockey Association and the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union playoffs. At the 1920 general meeting, the CAHA decided that the team was eligible for the Allan Cup. Betts and Allan Cup trustee William Northey formed a committee to discuss the CAHA having more say into how the Allan Cup playoffs were operated. Betts sought to end the financial struggles of operating the CAHA and to receive adequate financial compensation. He argued that the Allan Cup playoffs were the primary source of income for the CAHA, and that the lack of working capital made it difficult to have meetings and govern effectively. He sought a provision that gave a set percentage of
gate receipts Gate receipts, or simply "gate", is the sum of money taken at a sporting venue for the sale of tickets. Traditionally, gate receipts were largely or entirely taken in cash. Today, many sporting venues will operate a season ticket scheme, which mean ...
to the CAHA annually, as opposed to funds being distributed solely at the discretion of the cup's trustees.


Later hockey career

Betts was named to the board of governors for the
Canadian Olympic Association The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC; ), also known as Team Canada, is a private nonprofit organization that represents Canada at the International Olympic Committee. It is also a member of the Pan American Sports Organization. History Cana ...
which prepared for the
1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (; ; ), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (; ; ) and commonly known as Antwerp 1920 (; Dutch language, Dutch and German language, German: ''Antwerpen 1920''), were an international multi-sport event held i ...
in Belgium. He was succeeded as president of the CAHA on March 31, 1920, by H. J. Sterling of the Thunder Bay Amateur Hockey Association. The AAU of C appointed a commission to investigate into the amateur status of hockey players in Canada in May 1921. Betts wrote to the commission and argued to resolved the disputes on amateurism for the sake of the fans, and wanted to see an end to hockey authorities ignoring the regulations if the local team had a chance to win the Allan Cup. Betts was appointed as the western representative to the commission in June 1921, by then CAHA president W. R. Granger who was sympathetic to Betts's cause and wanted to end the differences between east and west. Betts was unable to travel to the commission's meeting in Toronto and recommended another representative from Saskatoon instead. At the general meeting of the SAHA in November 1921, northern and southern delegates disagreed on how to interpret the constitution, then passed a motion by Betts to divide the SAHA in two pending approval by the CAHA. The SAHA later decided on operating as one association with separate divisions for the north and south. Betts was named to the organizing committee for the north, which formed teams at the intermediate level.


Saskatoon Crescents

The
Saskatoon Crescents The Saskatoon Sheiks were a professional ice hockey team in the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) and Prairie Hockey League (PrHL) from 1921 to 1928. The team played their home games at the Crescent Arena in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Histo ...
Hockey Club was reorganized in April 1922, and Betts joined the team's board of directors. He was appointed chairman of the team's management committee, made the final decision on player contracts, and had a policy of not making statements to the media until a deal was final. He represented the Crescents at meetings of the
Western Canada Hockey League The Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL), founded in 1921–22 WCHL season, 1921, was a major professional ice hockey league originally based in the prairies of Canada. It was renamed the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 1925 and disbanded in 1926. ...
(WCHL), and in joint meetings with the
Pacific Coast Hockey Association The Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA) was a professional ice hockey league in Western Canada and the Western United States, which operated from 1911 to 1924 when it then merged with the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL). The PCHA was cons ...
(PCHA) for a mutual working agreement and inter-league play. PCHA president Frank Patrick felt that the WCHL would have strong leadership for the season. He wrote that Betts was "noted for his genial and philosophical outlook upon life", skilled at writing letters, and that "his name aslikely to go down in hockey history as the most prolific and entertaining author of hockey letters". The ''Saskatoon Daily Star'' anticipated a successful season for the Crescents, and described Betts as "an authority on hockey constitutions before and since his time", and that his letters were "lengthy, profound, well-worded, interesting and to the point". Betts signed ten new players to contracts by November in addition to three players who returned from the previous season. He sought to sign
Newsy Lalonde Édouard Cyrille "Newsy" Lalonde (October 31, 1887 – November 21, 1970) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League (NHL) and a professional lacrosse player. Lalonde is regarded as one of hockey's and lacrosse ...
from the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
, and was willing to buy Lalonde's release pending all other
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
clubs waiving their right to claim him. Betts later agreed to trade the rights to highly-touted prospect
Aurèle Joliat Aurèle Émile "Mighty Atom, Little Giant" Joliat (August 29, 1901 – June 2, 1986) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens. Playing career Joliat was b ...
to bring Lalonde to the Crescents as the team's
player-coach A player–coach (also playing coach, captain–coach, or player–manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. Player–coaches may be head coaches or assistant coaches, and they may make chang ...
for the season. The Crescents won eight of thirty games played, placed fourth during the
1922–23 WCHL season The 1922–23 WCHL season was the second season for the Western Canada Hockey League. Four teams played 30 games each. Teams Map of teams Regular season Final standings Note GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goa ...
and did not qualify for the playoffs, despite that Lalonde led the league with 30 goals scored. Betts retired as chairman of the management committee in May 1923, when new ownership assumed control of the Crescents.


Motor leagues organizer

Betts was the Saskatoon dealer for the
Scripps-Booth Scripps-Booth was a United States automobile marque based in Detroit, Michigan. Established by James Scripps Booth in 1913, Scripps-Booth Company produced motor vehicles and was later acquired by General Motors, becoming a division of it, until ...
car, and served as secretary of the Saskatoon Retail Merchants Association. He touted the Scripps-Booth as an energy efficient vehicle, and drove an 8-cylinder roadster. He was an enthusiast for fast cars and good roads, and was hired by the Saskatchewan Motor League as an organizer in winter 1916–17. He sought a co-ordinated effort by motorists to improve roads in Saskatchewan, mailed out letters to promote joining a motor league, and committed to making real progress within one year. He felt that by joining a motor league, vehicle owners would have strength in numbers and protect their investment. He wanted the province to assume maintenance of roads instead of the poor quality patchwork system kept by the municipalities.; In less than one year by July 1917, Betts had organized the establishment of 37 automobile clubs in Northern Saskatchewan. He lobbied the provincial government for a better highway network between its borders with Manitoba and Alberta, and succeeded in having uniform
traffic sign Traffic signs or road signs are signs erected at the side of or above roads to give instructions or provide information to road users. The earliest signs were simple wooden or stone milestones. Later, signs with directional arms were introduc ...
s and mileposts installed in Saskatchewan. He arranged an inter-provincial motor league convention in February 1918 and invited delegates from Manitoba and Alberta to work together for better roads. He co-operated with the Manitoba Motor League to install signage on major routes between Saskatchewan and Manitoba in 1918. Betts assumed organizing duties for the southern half of the Saskatchewan Motor League in April 1919, and opened an office in Regina in addition to Saskatoon. He wanted more vehicle owners to install dimmers on
headlights A headlamp is a lamp attached to the front of a vehicle to illuminate the road ahead. Headlamps are also often called headlights, but in the most precise usage, ''headlamp'' is the term for the device itself and ''headlight'' is the term for t ...
, and advocated for enforcement of no-glare laws for driving at night. At the annual convention, he urged for local
trail blazing Trail blazing or way marking is the practice of marking paths in outdoor recreational areas with signs or markings that follow each other at certain, though not necessarily exactly defined, distances and mark the direction of the trail. A blaz ...
associations to take advantage of government grants for signage, and continued input from members to pressure the government for regular improvements to the road network. He sought to increase membership in the motor leagues to fight against the rising cost of
vehicle licence A vehicle licence (also called a vehicle registration certificate in some jurisdictions) is issued by a motor registration authority in a jurisdiction in respect of a particular motor vehicle. A current licence is required for a motor vehicle to ...
fees, and convinced the provincial government to have a portion of the fees collected set aside for the annual maintenance of roads in Saskatchewan. Betts's success in Saskatchewan led to him being contracted to organize clubs for the Alberta Motor League, to improve roads for the farmers, commercial travellers and tourists. He began working in Alberta while speaking at the
Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...
Auto Club annual meeting in February 1920, and spent his winter vacation working from the
Palliser Hotel The Fairmont Palliser, formerly known as the Palliser Hotel, is a hotel of the Canada-based Fairmont Hotels and Resorts chain. The historic hotel (1914) is located in downtown Calgary, Alberta, at 133 9 Avenue SW adjacent to the Calgary Tower an ...
in Calgary to complete the organization of the Alberta Motor League for 1921. The Saskatchewan Motor League had been the most active provincial league in Canada under Betts's organization until it broke down due to internal politics. The Northern Saskatchewan Motor League was organized in February 1925, with Betts named to its board of governors to continue improving arterial roads and signage in Northern Saskatchewan.


Later life and retirement

Betts was the secretary-treasurer of the Saskatoon
Lawn Bowling Bowls, also known as lawn bowls or lawn bowling, is a sport in which players try to roll their ball (called a bowl) closest to a smaller ball (known as a "jack" or sometimes a "kitty"). The bowls are shaped (biased), so that they follow a curve ...
Club during the early 1920s, and played in doubles competitions in the Saskatchewan Lawn Bowling Association. He also played as a goaltender in a local
broomball Broomball is a both a recreational and organized competitive winter sport, winter and ball sport played on ice or snow. It is played either indoors or outdoors, depending on the climate and location. It is most popularly played in Canada and the ...
league, and was an officer of the Saskatoon
Elks of Canada Elks of Canada is a fraternal organization that was founded in 1912 as a separate but affiliated entity of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Although the Elks of Canada became a separate entity in 1970, the two "share a common history a ...
Lodge. Betts was president of the Saskatoon Kennel Club from 1926 to 1927, and grew the club's annual dog show to become a prominent part of the Saskatoon Exhibition by including international judges. He supported the use of dogs to protect personal property, and led opposition to a proposed city by-law which would have allowed for the destruction of dogs that bit or attempted to bite anyone. He was named an associate director of the Saskatoon Exhibition in June 1927, and was the manager of the Winter Fair Building which included an ice rink for the 1930–31 season. The CAHA awarded Betts a medal as its past president in 1925. When the CAHA held its
silver jubilee Silver Jubilee marks a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, the 25th year of a monarch's reign or anything that has completed or is entering a 25-year mark. Royal Silver Jubilees since 1750 Note: This ...
and invited all past presidents as guests of honour in April 1939, Betts was unable to attend due to illness. Betts moved from Saskatoon to
Chilliwack Chilliwack ( ) is a city of about 100,000 people and in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is located about east of the City of Vancouver in the Fraser Valley. The enumerated population is 93,203 in the city and 113,767 in the gr ...
, British Columbia, in July 1939, and was confined to bed following a stroke in January 1942. He died at home on February 23, 1942, and was interred in the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political, non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Odd Fellows, Order ...
Cemetery in Chilliwack.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Betts, Frederick E. 1870 births 1942 deaths 20th-century Canadian businesspeople Businesspeople from Nova Scotia Businesspeople from Saskatchewan Canadian Amateur Hockey Association presidents Canadian lobbyists Canadian male bowls players Canadian merchants Canadian sports builders Canadian sports executives and administrators Canadian people of English descent Ice hockey people from Nova Scotia Ice hockey people from Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Amateur Hockey Association executives