Philip Dansken Ross was a Canadian journalist, newspaper publisher, sportsman and an Ice Hockey pioneer.

He was the son of Christina Chalmers Dansken from Ireland and Scottish accountant Philip Simpson Ross (1827-1907). His father was the founder of the Order of Chartered Accountants of Quebec and a member of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

Philip attended McGill University and played for the McGill University football and rowing clubs including captaining the McGill football club to victory against Harvard University in the first Canada-U.S. international football game in 1878. He was provincial single sculling champion twice and he played lacrosse and founded several golf clubs. He also studied at Queens's University.

He joined the staff at the Montreal Star in 1880, worked as a journalist in Toronto. At the time he was in Toronto, he met his future wife, Mary Beasley Littlejohn and they married in 1891.

He was managing editor of the Montreal Star from 1885 to 1886 and then Ross became co-owner of the near-bankrupt Ottawa Evening Journal newspaper. In 1891 he bought out his partner. He served as the newspaper president for 60 years during which time he helped found the Canadian Press newspaper association.

He had an interest in and was a sometimes player of the Ottawa Hockey Club, later known as the Ottawa Senators. After he befriended the sons of Lord Stanley, the Governor-General of Canada, Lord Stanley appointed him to be a trustee for his championship Ice Hockey trophy, known today as the Stanley Cup. He helped found the Ontario Hockey Association in 1890. He played in the first Ontario championship game in 1891 at the Rideau Rink in Ottawa, helping Ottawa win 5-0 over Toronto St. George's.

Mr. Ross served as trustee for the Stanley Cup until his death in 1949. He also served as trustee for the Minto Cup of lacrosse. He turned down the trusteeship for the Grey Cup of Canadian football. He was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1974 and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1976.

In politics, he won election as alderman in Ottawa, serving from 1902 to 1923, but lost in 1914 in election for Ottawa
mayor and was also defeated in a run for provincial politics in 1904.

A historical plaque commemorating Ross was erected by the Ontario Heritage Foundation on Kent Street in downtown Ottawa. His obituary was prominently featured in the Toronto Star.