# Max Silverman

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**Max Silverman** (August 25, 1900 – October 5, 1966) was a [Canadian](/source/Canadians) [ice hockey](/source/Ice_hockey) manager and politician, who was the mayor of [Sudbury](/source/Greater_Sudbury), [Ontario](/source/Ontario) in 1966.[1]

## Background

He was the son of Myer Silverman and Sara Riva Benjamin, [Russian Jewish](/source/Russian_Jewish) immigrants who had briefly lived in [New York City](/source/New_York_City), where Max Silverman was born, before moving to Sudbury around the turn of the century.[2] Myer and his brothers Aaron and Hiram opened Silverman's, the city's first [department store](/source/Department_store),[3] although their partnership soon dissolved due to business disagreements, and the store continued under Aaron's sole ownership while Myer opened his own competing discount store across the street.[2]

Saul Silverman, Aaron's son and Max's cousin, would also become an important figure in the city, serving on the boards of both [Sudbury General Hospital](/source/St._Joseph's_Health_Centre,_Sudbury) and [Laurentian University](/source/Laurentian_University).[3]

## Career

### Sports

He began his longtime association with the [Sudbury Wolves](/source/Sudbury_Wolves) in his youth, working various entry-level positions for the team until becoming the goal umpire at age 16.[4] By the early 1930s, he was the team's president and general manager.[5]

Silverman and coach [Samuel Rothschild](/source/Samuel_Rothschild) led the team to victory in the [1932 Memorial Cup](/source/1932_Memorial_Cup), the 1935 [Richardson Cup](/source/George_Richardson_Memorial_Trophy) and the [1938 World Ice Hockey Championships](/source/1938_World_Ice_Hockey_Championships).[6] The team also competed in the [1949 World Ice Hockey Championships](/source/1949_World_Ice_Hockey_Championships), but lost to the Czechoslovak team.

Silverman later took over the coaching role himself until retiring from that position in 1955, although he retained the title of honorary president.[7] He sold the team to a local business consortium for $17,500 in 1956,[8] and subsequently served a short stint as coach of the [Indianapolis Chiefs](/source/Indianapolis_Chiefs) in the [International Hockey League](/source/International_Hockey_League_(1945%E2%80%932001)),[9] before returning to Sudbury to launch a new team, the Sudbury Combines, in the [Northern Ontario Hockey Association](/source/Northern_Ontario_Hockey_Association)'s senior division.[10]

The Combines played an exhibition game against the Czechoslovak national team in 1960, in what was widely billed as a "rematch" of the 1949 Wolves vs. Czechoslovakia series, but lost 9-4.[11] Despite not yet being formally admitted to the NOHA, they were permitted to enter that year's NOHA playoffs, but were defeated in the regional semi-finals by the Rouyn-Noranda Alouettes and did not advance in the series.[12] The fledgling team effectively collapsed by the fall, however, and never played again after 1960.[13]

### Politics

Silverman unsuccessfully ran for the city's Board of Control in 1960, but was successful in 1962.[1] He served as the city's deputy mayor from 1962 to 1964, and defeated [Joe Fabbro](/source/Joe_Fabbro) for the mayoralty in the [1965 Sudbury municipal election](/source/1965_Sudbury_municipal_election).[14] He was the city's first Jewish mayor.[15]

While serving as mayor, he sat on a committee of mayors appointed to study the feasibility of [Northern Ontario](/source/Northern_Ontario) separating from Ontario to form a [new province](/source/Proposals_for_new_Canadian_provinces_and_territories), alongside G. W. Maybury of [Kapuskasing](/source/Kapuskasing), Ernest Reid of [Fort William](/source/Fort_William,_Ontario), Leo Del Villano of [Timmins](/source/Timmins), [Merle Dickerson](/source/Merle_Dickerson) of [North Bay](/source/North_Bay,_Ontario) and Leo Foucault of [Espanola](/source/Espanola,_Ontario).[16]

He died on October 5, 1966, after less than a year in office.[6] His death resulted in the elevation of deputy mayor [Grace Hartman](/source/Grace_Hartman_(politician)) to the mayoralty, making her the city's first female mayor.[17]

## References

1. Tom Keenan, ["Sudbury's Max Silverman Silver Fox of Hockey Dies"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sault-star-silverman-max-tom-keen/148452695/). *[Sault Star](/source/Sault_Star)*, October 6, 1966.

1. Gary Peck, "Silvermans Linked to Sudbury’s Rich Jewish History". *Republic of Mining*, April 4, 2008.

1. Vicki Gilhula, ["Memory Lane: Share your memories of the ‘Greatest Store in Northern Ontario’"](https://www.sudbury.com/memory-lane/memory-lane-share-your-memories-of-the-greatest-store-in-northern-ontario-2837383). *[Sudbury.com](/source/Sudbury.com)*, October 30, 2020.

1. James Y. Nicol, ["Never a Hockey Fan Like Maxie"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-weekly-silverman-max-james-nicol/148452801/). *[Toronto Star](/source/Toronto_Star)*, January 3, 1953.

1. Wallace, C. M.; & Thomson, Ashley (Eds.) (1993). *Sudbury: Rail Town to Regional Capital* (3rd ed.) [Dundurn Press](/source/Dundurn_Press). ISBN 978-1-55002-170-7.

1. [Lives Lived: Sports & Recreation](http://www.mysudbury.ca/downloads/lives_lived/sports_and_recreation.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110706191026/http://www.mysudbury.ca/downloads/lives_lived/sports_and_recreation.pdf) 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine. *South Side Story*, January 2005.

1. ["Silverman Resigns as Sudbury Coach"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sault-star/158733455/). *[Sault Star](/source/Sault_Star)*, June 7, 1955.

1. ["Wolves Sold for $17,500"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-windsor-star/158733768/). *[Windsor Star](/source/Windsor_Star)*, September 17, 1956.

1. Eric Wesselby, ["Casual Comment on Sport"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-times/158734174/). *[Owen Sound Sun-Times](/source/Owen_Sound_Sun-Times)*, December 10, 1958.

1. "Maxie's Combines getting ready". *[North Bay Nugget](/source/North_Bay_Nugget)*, March 5, 1960.

1. ["Czechs Win 1st Game Against Sudbury"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star/158734588/). *[Toronto Star](/source/Toronto_Star)*, March 9, 1960.

1. ["Dudley's Insinuation Draws Silverman's Ire"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sault-star/158735090/). *[Sault Star](/source/Sault_Star)*, April 12, 1960.

1. ["Hearing May Be Called to Deal With Combines' Plea to Enter League"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-bay-nugget/158735320/). *[North Bay Nugget](/source/North_Bay_Nugget)*, October 15, 1960.

1. "Silverman defeats Fabbro for mayoralty in landslide upset at Sudbury". *[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)*, December 7, 1965.

1. "Max Silverman Elected First Jewish Mayor of City in Ontario". *[Jewish Telegraphic Agency](/source/Jewish_Telegraphic_Agency)*, December 14, 1965.

1. "Split Ontario: 11th province studied". *[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)*, August 22, 1966.

1. ["Mayor of Sudbury, Max Silverman Dies"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/waterloo-region-record-obituary-for-max/158736221/). *[Waterloo Region Record](/source/Waterloo_Region_Record)*, October 6, 1966.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Max Silverman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Silverman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Silverman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.