Mike Rodden was born On April 24, 1891 in Mattawa, Ontario.
He left his hometown at the age of 15 to attend the University of Ottawa where he won the Junior boxing title. After graduating from the University of Ottawa, he enrolled at Queen’s University, graduating in 1910.
He went on to play football for Toronto Parkdale (1915) and the Toronto Argonauts (1919-1920).
He would also coach both of these teams, and was Head coach of the Hamilton Tigers that won the Grey Cup championships in 1928 and 1929.
He was also a National Hockey League referee. His induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a referee (1962) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1964) makes him the only man to achieve this honor for many years.
His main occupation was sports journalist. He worked for the Toronto Globe as a reporter in 1918, then sports editor.
He died on January 11, 1978.
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Anent Michael J: The Life and Times of Michael J. Rodden in Northern Ontario in His Own Words (1999) by Michael J. Rodden, Peter Handley