In 1926, Livingstone acquired an American Hockey Association franchise for Chicago, the Chicago Cardinals. He negotiated a deal to play at the Chicago Coliseum, the same arena that the fledgling Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League used for its home games. In March 1927, Livingstone tried to sell the team to Harry Herendeen, a Chicago miller, but the league did not approve the transfer. Late in the season, the Coliseum refused to give Livingstone's team ice time, citing non-payment of rent. Livingstone said the rejected new club owner had agreed to pay the rent. After the 1926–27 season, the AHA wanted to negotiate a new agreement with the NHL, setting out the rules for how the leagues would work together. NHL president Frank Calder threatened not to sign an agreement while the AHA was working with Livingstone. On August 24, 1927, the AHA terminated Livingstone's membership in the league. When Livingstone tried to sell the franchise, he was told that he did not have one to sell and that four of his players (including Marvin Wentworth, who would play 13 seasons in the NHL) were now the property of the Blackhawks. He filed suit against Frederic McLaughlin, owner of the Blackhawks, charging him with tampering with his players and in December 1927 filed a $700,000 lawsuit against Calder and three AHA executives claiming that his team was taken away from him through a conspiracy. Ontario Hockey Association Livingstone returned to Toronto and gave up professional hockey for the amateur game. In 1929–30, he started coaching the Toronto Victorias junior team in the Ontario Hockey Association. Starting in the 1931–32 season, the team was affiliated with the Lions Club and renamed the Toronto Lions. They played at Maple Leaf Gardens. Even there, controversy followed him. In November 1933, the OHA ordered three of his players to play with their high school teams for the 1933–34 season. Livingstone charged that the move was taken deliberately against him. In the 1934–35 season, his players included future hall-of-famer Gordie Drillon. He continued to coach the team through the 1938–39 season. Livingstone outlived his enemies Sam Lichtenhein, who died in 1936, Frank Calder, who died in 1943, and Fred McLaughlin, who died in 1944. Livingstone died the day before his 61st birthday in 1945. References Further reading 1884 births 1945 deaths Canadian ice hockey officials National Hockey League executives People from Old Toronto