The misogynist nature of the self-proclaimed "hockey's greatest museum" came into sharp focus last year, when both the International Ice Hockey Federation's Hall of Fame and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame inducted female members for the first time. Longtime American star Cammi Granato was a member of both groups, while Canadians Geraldine Heaney and Angela James were included in the IIHF Hall.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has inducted women since Ann Meyers was honored in 1993. Cooperstown admitted its first female honoree in 2006, when Effa Manley, the co-owner of the Newark Eagles of the Negro Leagues, was inducted.
But the Hockey Hall of Fame, long mocked by other sports as the most lenient when it comes to credentials, remains the last holdout.
It's hard to argue with Cox's premise — there certainly should be female players, coaches and builders in the HHOF — but this is also something that's emblematic of a larger problem with the women's game all over the world. Hockey, like football or rugby, is seen as a man's game, in its physicality and in the world setup around it, and it's not easy being a female player in Canada or elsewhere.Here's hoping that changes with time, as women's hockey gains more respect and becomes more popular for young girls, but for now, the HHOF is a good place to start.
Can't say I disagree. Ladies, gents, what are your thoughts?
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