Frank Hayden
Born Windsor, Ontario
Occupation(s) Professor and pioneer of the Special Olympics Known for Legally incorporated "Special Olympics Inc"
Frank Joseph Hayden , CC OOnt [1] is a retired physical education /kinesiology professor and pioneer of the Special Olympics from Oakville, Ontario .
Personal life
Hayden was born in Windsor, Ontario [2] and lives in Burlington . He completed his Bachelor of Arts (BA) at the University of Western Ontario in 1955, and a Master of Science (MS) in 1958 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in 1962 at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign .[3] Hayden joined the faculty of the University of Western Ontario in 1964, then became director of the School of Physical Education and Athletics at McMaster University in 1975.[3] [4] He retired from McMaster in 1988.[3]
Special Olympics
While at Western in the early 1960s, Hayden researched fitness programs for disabled children. He has a notable interest in sports and fitness activities for children, especially for those who have mental disabilities. His research became known to the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation , and for two years Hayden helped produce and build a fitness program and establish legislation to accommodate persons with disabilities. In 1968, he organized the first Chicago Special Olympics with the Kennedy Foundation and the Chicago Park District , and legally incorporated "Special Olympics Inc". Today this program supplies training and friendly rivalry for more than three million athletes with disabilities in over 170 countries.[5] [6] Hayden served as executive director of the Special Olympics from 1968 to 1972,[3] founded and lead the Office of European Affairs for Special Olympics International in Paris from 1988 to 1990,[7] and was a special consultant to the Canadian Special Olympics from 1994 to 2000.[7]
Honours
Hayden was made an officer of the Order of Canada in 2000[8] and a member of the Order of Ontario in 2012[9] A plaque in his honour was unveiled outside his former laboratory in Thames Hall at Western University in April 2012.[10] [6] He has also received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal [11] and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal .[12] Dr. Frank J. Hayden Secondary School in Burlington , Ontario was named in his honour in 2013.[13] In 2016 he was awarded the Order of Sport , marking his induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame .[14]
Hayden has received honorary degrees from McMaster University (1997),[7] the University of Calgary (1988),[7] the University of Toronto (1999),[7] Saint Mary's University , Halifax (2004),[7] [15] the University of Western Ontario (2011),[16] and Memorial University of Newfoundland (2017).[17]
References
^ "Order of Canada appointees - June 2022" . 21 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022 .
^ "Frank Hayden" . Ontario Heritage Trust . Retrieved 28 February 2023 .
^ a b c d "Frank J. Hayden, MS '58, PhD '62 – Professor Emeritus and Special Olympics Visionary – McMaster University" . University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Frank Hayden" . McMaster University. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Dr. Frank J. Hayden" . Halton District School Board. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015 .
^ a b Glover, Craig (5 April 2012). "Where a dream came true" . The London Free Press . Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ a b c d e f "Frank J. Hayden" . St. Mary's University. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Frank J. Hayden, O.C., O. Ont., Ph.D., LL.D." Order of Canada . Governor General of Canada . Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Order of Ontario Appointees by year of Appointment" . Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade . 2 February 2015. Archived from the original on 28 November 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Special Olympics Ontario to honour Frank Hayden at Western ceremony" . Western University. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Hayden, Frank J., O.C., O.Ont., Ph.D., LL.D." Golden Jubilee Medal . Governor General of Canada . Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Hayden, Frank J., O.C., O.Ont., Ph.D., LL.D." Diamond Jubilee Medal . Governor General of Canada . Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Halton high school named for Special Olympics founder Frank Hayden" . Burlington Post . 19 April 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ Russell, Scott (1 November 2016). "Special Olympics' Dr. Frank Hayden transformed lives of millions" . CBC Sports. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ "Honourary Degrees 1990 – Present" . Saint Mary's University. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ Travis, Heather (27 October 2011). "Don't miss your moment to shine: Hayden" . Western University. Retrieved 8 March 2016 .
^ "Honorary degree recipients announced" (Press release). Memorial University of Newfoundland . 5 April 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017 .
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