Joseph's father was a Croatian sailor. Cattarinich was originally spelt Katarinic, and other immediate surnames in the family tree included Bradicic and Nikolic. He went to sea with fellow Croats Zaninovich, Soussich and Lukinovilch. He visited Greenland and Russian islands with them and others. Cattarinich grew up in Quebec City and played ice hockey and lacrosse as a young man. Later, he lived in Levis near Quebec City. He is best known as the first goaltender of the professional Montreal Canadiens, then known as 'Les Canadiens'. He retired after Georges Vézinashut out Cattarinich's club in a game with Vézina's amateur Chicoutimi team. He was so impressed, that he recommended the Canadiens sign Vézina; and voluntarily stepped down, from his place on the team. With longtime business partnerLeo Dandurand, Cattarinich became prominent in the Montreal tobacco wholesaling business, but it was their popularization of the Parimutuel betting system at local tracks that provided their greatest commercial success. With the re-introduction of race track betting in the United States after World War I, the pair, known popularly as "Catta-Léo", extended their activities to racetracks in Chicago, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, New Orleans, and others in St. Louis and further afield. In 1921, along with Dandurand and Louis Létourneau, Cattarinich purchased the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League from the estate of George Kennedy for $11,000. Although Dandurand was the active partner during their tenure, the Canadiens won three Stanley Cups with players such as Howie Morenz, Aurel Joliat, and Georges Vezina. After a series of losses, Cattarinich and Dandurand sold the club to a syndicate comprising J. Ernest Savard, Maurice Forget, and Louis Gélinas in 1935 for $165,000. In 1932, Cattarinich, Dandurand, and Letourneau purchased Blue Bonnets Raceway. A shareholder with Robert S. Eddy, Jr. and others in Arlington Park racetrack in Chicago and Jefferson Park Racetrack in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, in 1934 their group purchased the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans from prominent horseman Edward R. Bradley. Cattarinich and Dandurand continued their betting business throughout the challenging economic environment of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Despite several attempts, they did not succeed in acquiring another NHL club. While recovering from an eye operation, he suffered a heart attack and died on December 7, 1938 in New Orleans. Catarinich is buried in Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery in Montreal, Quebec. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, inducted 1977 as a builder.
