Bob Hodges

Canada’s Bob Hodges grew up just blocks from the local outdoor speed skating rink at Optimist Park in Saskatoon, and even on the coldest of Saskatchewan nights, he could be found skating there. Although he participated in football, swimming, and track and field, it turned out that speed skating was his prime sport. In 1964, Hodges held outdoor provincial records in six different events, and from 1965-67, held records in seven events. One of Canada’s prominent outdoor speed skaters, he was a seven-time Canadian champion (intermediate champion in 1960-61, and senior champion in 1962, 1965-67, 1969). He represented Canada at four World Championships and two Olympic Winter Games (Grenoble 1968, Sapporo 1972).

After retiring from competition, Hodges was elected vice-president of the Canadian Amateur Speed Skating Association six times. He was also Canadian team coach at two Junior World Championships (1973, 1976) and World Sprint Championships (1973). In addition, he was Canadian team manager at the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games, vice-chairman and chief of competitions at the Calgary 1988 Olympic Winter Games, and race director for two other world meets held in Calgary. He was the recipient of 16 awards for good sportsmanship and skating excellence, including the Clarence Downey Memorial Trophy for the best club skater, which he won seven times. Hodges was inducted into the Saskatchewan (1977), Canadian Speed Skating Association (1985), and Saskatoon (1995) Halls of Fame.

Off the ice, Hodges was an accomplished and distinguished scientist.

He graduated from Bedford Road Collegiate in 1961, from the University of Saskatchewan in 1965 with a B.Sc. (Honours Biochemistry), and from the University of Alberta in 1971 with a Ph.D. (Biochemistry). His post-doctoral work at Rockefeller University in the laboratory of Chemistry Nobel Prize winner, Dr. R.B. Merrifield, set him on a path of discovery, innovation and excellence in peptide chemistry. He continued his research and leadership until his untimely death. Hodges was a Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Alberta; Director and CEO of the Protein Engineering Centers of Excellence; President of the American Peptide Society; Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (granted to those who have made remarkable contributions to Canadian Public Life through the arts, humanities and sciences); Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and the John Stewart Endowed Chair in peptide chemistry. In 2017, Hodges received the Bruce Merrifield Award for outstanding lifetime accomplishment in peptide research. He published more than 500 research papers and mentored many graduate students.

Hodges passed away at his Saskatoon home at the age of 77.

Personal Bests: 500 – 41.5 (1968); 1000 – 1:25.3 (1970); 1500 – 2:09.5 (1972); 5000 – 7:55.8 (1968); 10000 – 17:00.5 (1968).