Arthur Uniacke Chipman (October 2, 1902 – December 14, 1993) was a Canadian football executive who was president of theWinnipeg Blue Bombers from 1944 to 1948 and president of theCanadian Rugby Union in 1952.
Chipman was born inWinnipeg on October 2, 1902, to Percy Howard and Bertha M. (Iredale) Chipman. He was involved with a number of business enterprises, including Sterling Securities Corporation, Standard Finance Corporation, and Brathwaite's Limited.[1] He was a member of theManitoba Liquor Control Commission and served as acting chairman following the retirement ofNorman Elliot Rodger.[2]
Chipman became involved with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1936 and was an executive when the club won the1939 and1941Grey Cups.[3] He was chairman of the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club's management committee in 1942 and 1943, when the club sponsored theWinnipeg RCAF Bombers.[4] In 1944, Chipman, as vice president of the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club, announced the organization would not sponsor senior football that season.[5] He was president of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1945 to 1948, during which time the team appeared in three straight Grey Cups.[3] In 1949, he was elected president of theWestern Interprovincial Football Union.[6] Three of the conference's teams supported Chipman for a second term, but he did not want to return for another season.[7] During the1952 season, he was president of the Canadian Rugby Union.[3]
Chipman was president of theWinnipeg Rangers of theManitoba Junior Hockey League from 1942 to 1946. Under his leadership, the club won the1943 Memorial Cup.[8] He was part of the founding ownership group of theWinnipeg Goldeyes minor league baseball team. He owned several racehorses and was president of theAssiniboia Downs Turf Club. He was a director of theWinnipeg Enterprises Corporation, which owned and operatedWinnipeg Stadium andWinnipeg Arena. He was also a member of the board of directors for the1967 Pan American Games.[1]
Chipman received the Manitoba Golden Boy Award in 1960.[1] He inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1969, the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 1984, and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.[1][3] He died on December 14, 1993 in Winnipeg.[1]