James Dooley (Judge)

Judge James E. Dooley, a leading sports figure in Rhode Island. He was a part owner of the Providence Steam Roller of the National Football League from 1916 until 1933, the founder of the Providence Reds of the Canadian-American Hockey League (CAHL) and also the one time Preseident of the CAHL. He became a judge when he succeeded Willis Knowles, who was a murder victim, as judge of the Rhode Island Eighth District Court in 1916 and served in that post for a year before resigning. However the title "Judge" stuck to him for the rest of his life.

Dooley also fought to win approval for pari-mutual horse race gambling in Rhode Island. In June of 1934 his bill passed, and horse race gambling became legal in the state. He then bought 130 acre in Pawtucket for $150,000. In 1934 he helped open the famed Narragansett Park Race Track. A month prior, he became the first Vice President of the Narragansett Racing Association. He later became President of the association 1941 and held onto the post until his death in 1960. Dooley's son, J. Alden Dooley, took over as President several years after his father's death and ran the track until it closed.