Art Hughes (Canadian soccer)

Arthur Hughes (October 1, 1930 – March 4, 2019) was a Canadian soccer player. He was a two-time national champion with Canadian clubs Vancouver Hale-Co FC (1956) and Vancouver Firefighters FC (1965). He was also Canada's starting centre-forward during the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 1957.[1] In the Pacific Coast League, Hughes won seven championships with three different teams from 1954–55 to 1965–66. He won five titles with Firefighters (1954–55, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66), one with Hale-Co FC (1958), and one with Westminster Royals FC (1959). He was a British Columbia or Mainland All-Star in 11 seasons from 1951 to 1965. Along with winning two Dominion titles, he won three runner-up medals with Vancouver St. Andrews (1951), Westminster (1959), and Firefighters (1961). He was an honored member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.[2]

Art Hughes
Personal information
Date of birth (1930-10-01)October 1, 1930
Place of birth Camrose, Alberta, Canada
Date of death March 4, 2019(2019-03-04) (aged 88)
Place of death Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre forward
Youth career
Vancouver Marpoles Universals
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950–1951 Westminster Royals FC
1950–1951 Vancouver St. Andrews FC
1951–1956 Vancouver Firefighters FC
1956–1958 Vancouver Hale-Co FC
1958–1959 Vancouver Firefighters FC
1959 Westminster Royals FC
1959–1967 Vancouver Firefighters FC
International career
1957 Canada 4 (2)
Managerial career
1968–1969 Vancouver Firefighters
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

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Hughes was born on 1 October 1930 in Camrose, Alberta. His family moved to Vancouver.[2]

Club career

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After playing youth soccer for Marpoles, he joined New Westminster Royals FC and scored two goals in his Pacific Coast League debut as a teenager on September 17, 1950.[3] He split that rookie season between the Royals and Vancouver St. Andrews FC, leading the league with 15 goals scored.[4]

Along with 1950–51, Hughes also led the league in goalscoring in 1956, 1957, and 1959.[5] He was the first-ever winner of the Austin Delany Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1959.[6]

Hughes also played in the Mainland Soccer League and won the 1960–61 championship with Firefighters FC. He retired at the end of the season at age 30,[7] but was convinced to return to Firefighters late in the 1961–62 season who were by then back in the Pacific Coast League and en route to winning another championship.[8] He remained active through to the 1966–67 season and retired as the Pacific Coast League's all-time scoring leader with 158 goals (two more than Fred Whittaker).[4][2]

Hughes played and scored in three editions of the Pacific Coast International Championship, twice with the Vancouver Firefighters FC (1962, 1965) and once with the Pacific Coast League all-stars (1964). Hughes and the Firefighters won the 1962 J.F. Kennedy Trophy.[9]

Upon retiring Hughes became the assistant chief in the Vancouver Fire Department.[2][4]

International career

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After missing a chance to play for Canada in 1956 through injury, Hughes was selected to play for Canada in 1957 for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. He scored two goals in Canada's first competitive match on 22 June 1957.[1] After representing Canada in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 1957, he captained Canada's side during a 1960 tour of the Soviet Union and Britain.[4]

Managerial career

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After his playing career, Hughes served as Firefighters FC manager for one season, helping the club finish third in the 1968-69 Pacific Coast League standings.[4]

Personal life and death

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Hughes was married to his wife Marlene Hughes with whom he raised two daughters. He died in Vancouver on 4 March 2019 at the age of 88.[2][10]

Honours

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Club

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Vancouver Firefighters FC

Vancouver Hale-Co FC (Vancouver City)

Westminster Royals FC

Individual

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  • Austin Delany Memorial Trophy (PCSL Most Valuable Player): 1959[4]
  • Top Scorer of the Pacific Coast Soccer League (4): 1950–51, 1956, 1957, 1959[4]
  • Top Scorer of the Canada Soccer Championship for the Challenge Trophy: 1965[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "[1957–06] FIFA World Cup Qualifiers". Canada Soccer. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Canada Soccer Hall of Famer Art Hughes, a West Coast scoring legend, dies at 88". Powel River Peak. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  3. ^ "Small crowds see soccer re-opening". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Art Hughes (CAN)". Canada Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  5. ^ "Top Scorer of the Pacific Coast League". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Austin Delany Memorial Trophy". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  7. ^ "Hughes calls it quits after All-star stints". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  8. ^ Jukich, Roy. "Firefighters beat Italians 4–3, play for Championship Sunday". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  9. ^ Beddoes, Dick. "Firefighters give Senor the slip". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  10. ^ "Art Hughes, Hall of Fame honoured member, dies at 88". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Past Winners". Canadian Soccer Association. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
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