James Dooley (judge)

Judge James E. Dooley was a leading sports figure in Rhode Island. He was a graduate of Georgetown Law School and became part owner of the Providence Steam Roller of the National Football League from 1916 until 1933 when the team folded. He was also a founder of the Providence Reds of the Canadian-American Hockey League (CAHL) and also the one time President 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. He served in that post for a year before resigning. However, the title "Judge" stuck to him for the rest of his life.

"Judge" Dooley also fought to win approval for pari-mutual horse race gambling in Rhode Island. On May 18 of 1934, his bill passed by a 4-1 margin and horse race gambling became legal in the state. He then bought the What Cheer Airport,130 acres (0.53 km²) on the Pawtucket/ East Providence, Rhode Island line, for $150,000. On August 1 of 1934, 74 days after the state referendum,^[1] the famed Narragansett Park opened for horse racing with his help. A month prior he had become the first Vice President of the Narragansett Racing Association. He later became President of the association in 1941, succeeding Walter E. O'Hara, 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 1975 when his son took over until it closed in 1978.