Frank Dempster was born in Ayr on March 13th, 1937 and it would not be over-stating it to say, he has devoted his life to ice hockey.
The old Beresford Terrace rink in the Scottish west coast town was where Frank first played hockey, in the early fifties, in what he described as ‘inter ice-rink’ games. Soon afterwards, the original British League collapsed with the withdrawal of all the Scottish teams but one, Paisley.
After the ‘big league’ folded, rink management was unwilling to let the original team name of “Raiders” be continued. When serious hockey began to be played again, towards the end of the fifties, the team was first known as the Balmorals (after a local café owned by the club’s backer), and later as the Rangers. In those days, Frank Dempster also guested for many teams, including the Glasgow Flyers, Perth Blackhawks, Fife Flyers and the Falkirk Lions as well as various “Scottish Select” teams. Such was his enthusiasm, “…anywhere you could get a game,” was how he described hectic late-night 400-mile plus journeys to play in the Southampton or Brighton.
He went on to become secretary of the Ayr club and also served turns as manager and coach, as well as representing the team on the Northern Ice Hockey Association. Frank retired from playing himself when the old rink closed in 1972 and after helping the team, by now known as the Bruins, become established at Limekiln Road, he became a personal member of the BIHA in 1976.
When the Scottish Ice Hockey Association was re-formed in 1979, having been defunct for twenty years, Frank Dempster was elected President and at the time of his induction in the Hall of Fame, he continued in the role as well being Chairman of the BIHA Disciplinary Committee and Premier Division Administrator and Fixtures Secretary.
In short, name a job in British ice hockey and it’s a fair bet that Frank Dempster has done it. He may not have pleased all the people all the time, but one thing cannot be argued, it would be difficult to find anybody who worked harder or longer for the sport, often without receiving anything like the credit his efforts deserved.
On into the nineties and the turn of the century, Frank Dempster remains involved on almost a daily basis, co-ordinating GB tournaments in this country and always a spectator when the Scottish Eagles, the latter day Superleague franchise in his home town of Ayr are at home.
Frank died aged 67 on Christmas Eve 2004.
Compiled with research, provided by Martin C.Harris - March 1992
Read More
