Tom Lockhart's name has been synonymous with amateur hockey in the United States since the early 1930s when he took over the organization and promotion of the game in New York City.

Long interested and active as a cyclist, boxer and track competitor, he organized the Eastern Amateur Hockey League in 1933 and in the fall of 1937 founded the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (AHAUS). The latter, without a doubt, was Lockhart's greatest hockey achievement. Lockhart and other hockey enthusiasts in the United States realized hockey people were required to run the game efficiently on a nationwide basis. Heretofore, the sport had been under the direction of varying time periods. AHAUS continued to grow and prosper over the years. The first national youth hockey tournaments for boys under high school age were held in 1949. National tournaments in seven different classes were held annually. Back then, youth hockey had displayed a tremendous growth in the country and was then played in 44 of the ‘then’ 50 states. It was estimated that there was over 200,000 players and 11,000 teams competing in formal programs in this country. All a tribute to Tom Lockhart's vision.

Lockhart's other hockey endeavors involved supervising the New York Metropolitan Amateur League, coaching and managing the New York Rovers of the Eastern Amateur League, and serving as business manager of the New York Rangers. He also served on the United States Olympic Ice Hockey Committee and the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Lockhart was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in 1965.