From the Toronto Star, December 3, 1969: FUNERAL SERVICES FOR MRS. DOROTHY BALLARD Funeral services will be Friday morning at 11am at Kingsway-Lambton United Church for Mrs. Dorothy Ballard, wife of Maple Leaf Hockey Club vice president Harold Ballard. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. He later reversed the names and referred to himself as Harold E. Ballard. Bill Ballard's relationship with his father was undeniably stormy, but there was a bond. ''I thought we were both going to get arrested. Beloved husband of the late Joan McKee (nee Buss). Ballard died from various health complications on April 11, 1990 at the age of 86. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1977) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1987). He negotiated lucrative deals to place advertising throughout the building, and greatly increased the number of seats in the Gardens. The WHA had insisted on bringing in all three of its surviving Canadian teams, meaning revenue from CBC telecasts now had to be split six ways rather than three. Just as Ballard's trial was beginning, he told Hockey Canada that they were welcome to use any member of the Leafs on the Canadian team, could use Maple Leaf Gardens for their training camp, and could use the building for any or all of the games in the series, with the Gardens' share of the gate receipts being donated to the NHL players' pension fund. Investigators said Ballard allegedly pulled out a firearm; shots were fired, and the 42-year-old died at the scene. Failed to report flower. Learn . Growing up in Jordan, he went to St John's Catholic School for 8 years and graduated from Jordan High School in 1952. She fought with Ballard's family and partners over Ballard's estate following his death. Family and friends can send flowers and/or light a candle as a loving gesture for their loved one. The Marlboros lost the game but won the series and the championship. he asked. [14] Eagleson called the trade "a classless act."[12]. Featured Obituary. [2] Imlach was never officially fired, but when he tried to return to his office in November, he found that his parking spot at Maple Leaf Gardens had been reassigned and Gerry McNamara had been made acting general manager. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Mrs. Ballard died suddenly yesterday morning in Wellesley. This became clear when the arena was dim for the first game. "Any time we were in trouble, and we were in trouble far more often than I'd like to remember, Harold was there for us.". Ballard remained as de facto general manager even when Imlach recovered. But Mr. Ballard became ill, called off the wedding and entered the hospital. His death set off a feeding frenzy that had already been begun over the iconic properties he controlled: the Toronto Maple Leafs and the building the team played in, Maple Leaf Gardens. Harold Ballard and Yolanda Ballard took out a marriage license last January in the Cayman Islands. Keon never forgave Ballard for how he had been treated, and it was more than 20 years before he was reconciled with the Leafs. In his will, Ballard had left Yolanda $50,000 a year for the rest of her life, but she considered this inadequate and sued for $192,600 and later $381,000 a year. Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.21, Penguin Books. After his playing days were over, Mr. Ballard quipped, "You didn't have to think too much to be the [football] centre. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. The McDonald trade sent the Leafs into a downward spiral. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In 1985-86, they finished with a .356 winning percentage, the fourth-worst record in the league and fourth worst in franchise history. His acquisition of the Leafs, one of Canada's most revered properties, came shortly before Mr. Ballard served a year in jail on a fraud conviction for diverting money from the Gardens' accounts to his own. Showcase your loved one's life story with a featured obituary. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He was a big fish in a big pond, his appetite was the stuff of legend and he knew all about "eat or be eaten.". They nearly duplicated that dubious achievement in 198788. A system error has occurred. Priestley, the narrator and director of "Offside: the Harold Ballard Story, wants Canadians to draw their own conclusions on the irascible sports magnate who also owned the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Ballard was an owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) as well as their home arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. Try again later. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harold Ballard (10477)? Yolanda was born Jan. 3, 1933 in Fort William, Ont. Until he acquired control of the team and Maple Leaf Gardens in 1972, Mr. Ballard was little known outside hockey circles. Ballard was made business manager. New York, U.S., State Census, 1905. Review. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. A visitation will be held on Friday, August 7, from 5-7 pm, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation, 833 S. Marschall Road, Shakopee. McKee, Harold Alexander (Reverend) Passed away peacefully at Henley House, St. Catharines, on Monday February 18, 2019 at the age of 86. During his tenure, he repeatedly threatened to move the franchise to Toronto (70 km north). His father was the foreman of a machinery company and his mother took in boarders. The court awarded her $91,000.[32]. Ballard then partnered with long-time rival Alan Eagleson and Eagleson's client Bobby Orr to get the television rights to the series, which would be used to benefit Hockey Canada and the players' union. "Look at what he did in that year he and Peter Larsen ran Maple Leaf Gardens," says Michael Cohl, the legendary concert promoter, who with Mr. Ballard and David Wolinsky formed Concert Productions International in 1973. With Ballard's support, Imlach moved to dismantle the roster and undermine Sittler's influence, despite many analysts viewing the team as having a promising future. I was close with (Harold) and he figured out what she was, said Gord Stellick. Latest Obituaries. [13] Ballard would liken Sittler's actions to burning the Canadian flag. BALLARD, YOLANDA ANNA January 3, 1933 - June 3, 2020 It is with the greatest of sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved Mother, Yolanda Ballard. Mr. Finkelstein's True North record label and artist management company was taking off, and so he withdrew from the concert promotion game. He was 86 years old and had spent most of the last two years in and out of hospitals because of diabetes-related heart problems. Ballard pleaded not guilty to all charges. Under Day and Ballard, the Nationals won the Memorial Cup at the end of the 193536 season. In Ballard's last 13 seasons, they only finished above fourth once and won only two playoff series. Police surround the vehicle, and gunfire is heard on the video. 31. His death set off a feeding frenzy that had already been begun over the iconic properties he controlled: the Toronto Maple Leafs and. Please try again later. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Mr. Ballard disputed the accusation, telling her at one point that if he ever did assault her, "there won't be enough left to put in a hot dog.". Resend Activation Email. During his tenure as owner of the Tiger-Cats, Ballard for a short time had the Tiger-Cats logo painted at centre ice of Maple Leaf Gardens in place of the blue Maple Leaf. Make sure that the file is a photo. By the time Yolanda walked into Harolds life in 1983, she had done jail time for perjury and been married once to a lawyer, then divorced. Family and friends may call at the Amos Carvelli Funeral Home, 201 Edison Street, Nutter Fort on Sunday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, where funeral services will be held on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 11:00 am. She was a canning manager and was a. On the night of the singer's first major concert at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, the plan was to put the spotlight on Mr. McDermott's father in the audience during the show. Add to your scrapbook. Although the Leafs were barely competitive for much Ballard's tenure, every game at Maple Leaf Gardens was sold out and he was well known for his charitable activities. Concert Productions International would become a hugely profitable enterprise and a game-changing innovator in full-service touring in North America. Entombment will be in the Floral Hills Memorial Gardens. After Ballard's release from prison, he had an apartment built at the Gardens facing Church Street where he would live through most of the year, while spending summers at his cottage near Lafontaine, Ontario in the Thunder Beach community. I mean, he didn't get his law degree from a Cheerios box. The team had a poor year with Ballard coaching, but Ballard arranged a European tour for the Nationals which included competing in the 1933 Ice Hockey World Championships in Prague. Robert A. Ballard, 82, of Mount Joy and formerly of Landisville, passed away on Thanksgiving, November 24, 2016, at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, VA. Robert was the loving husband. A love so deep only silence is fit to describ Ballard was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as Edwin Harold Ballard. In 1934, Ballard became manager of the West Toronto Nationals OHA junior team and hired Leaf captain Hap Day as coach. There were differences of opinion on how good a businessman Harold Ballard was "He couldn't promote the Second Coming with the original cast," cracked Toronto Star columnist Frank Orr but his son's reputation was solid in that respect. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. At the end of the 197172 season, the Leafs only had three players signed to contracts for the next season: Rick Kehoe and veterans Jacques Plante and Bobby Baun. Try again later. Search above to list available cemeteries. "He had an amazing ability to put away bowls and bowls of food," Mr. Finkelstein recounts. That deal closed in 1994, and shortly after Stavro bought Ballard's shares from the estate for $34 a share or $75 million. Around that time, the Leafs had made it as far as the Stanley Cup semifinals in 1978, losing to the two-time defending champions Montreal Canadiens. Obituary. GREAT NEWS! Harold met the love of his life, Anne Louise Dufek during his junior year. However, Ballard soon began displaying tendencies that would eventually make him one of the most detested owners in NHL history. Many fans consider the Ballard era to be the darkest period in team history. Ballard left his personal belongings to his children and grandchildren. After being threatened with a large fine, Ballard "complied" by putting the names in blue letters on the Leafs' blue road jerseys, and in white on their white home jerseys, making them unreadable. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Individual Ancestors Maternal line Paternal line Descendants Relationship Connections Timeline Family GEDCOM Suggest Expand all | Collapse all Personal Information | Sources | Event Map | All | PDF Reference Your Name Here. "When you get into the business at age 38, like I did, you're either crazy or you've got a great champion on your side. Paul Henderson and Mike Pelyk followed a year later. Sorry! ''She never gave me anything. The only available refreshments were large soft drinks from the concession stands.[5]. Ballard was elected to the Yacht Club's executive committee in January 1930. When the Leafs traded Sittler's close friend Lanny McDonald to the moribund Colorado Rockies on December 29, 1979, a member of the Leafs anonymously told the Toronto Star that Leafs management would "do anything to get at Sittler"[12] and was bent on undermining the captain's influence on the team. Family and friends must say goodbye to their beloved Harold Ballard Sheriff (Elberton, Georgia), born in Seneca, South Carolina, who passed away at the age of 78, on April 1, 2019. For example, when the roof leaked, he did little more than order plastic sheets to catch the rainwater. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Ballard's application would have required the unanimous consent of the four Eastern Football Conference owners to have been approved under the rules in effect at the time. "It's the same," he said, "as human beings in business.". The biggest loss was goaltender Bernie Parent, a superstar in the making, who was offered a WHA contract with financial terms far beyond what Ballard was prepared to match. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Lone Eagle Entertainment, Sam Lim Things changed when Mr. Ballard became president and governor of the Maple Leafs in 1972. She would often hang around the team office until late at night. At the time, NHL teams relied on the reserve clause to keep players from jumping to other teams in the league, but the clause could not prevent players from leaving the NHL to join a different league. Or, as The Globe and Mail's Stephen Brunt once put it, "a silver-spoon kid with survival instincts." Along with Parent, Rick Ley, Jim Harrison, Brad Selwood, and Guy Trottier all left the Leafs for the WHA before the 197273 season, as did some minor league prospects in the Leafs' system as well as the team's minor league coach, Marcel Pronovost. Harold Virgil Ballard [ 1] + 1929 - 2015 (86 years) Has 18 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree. He also removed the cushions from the home bench for Toros' games (he told an arena worker, "Let 'em buy their own cushions!") He is survived by three children: William, Harold Jr. and Mary. However, Ballard did not object the following year when Hodgson sold his stake in the Argos to Carling O'Keefe notwithstanding the fact the brewer also owned a team in the WHA (the Quebec Nordiques). Ballard thus felt he had little financial incentive to sign better players. Ballard even claimed to possess photographs of himself drinking beer with corrections officers and wearing one of their uniforms. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. We have set your language to Bill Ballard, right, with singer Tom Cochrane and music publicist James Monaco at the opening of the musical Tommy in Toronto in 1995. Subsequent league expansions and format revisions make it impossible for a team so close to the bottom of the league standings to qualify for the playoffs today. Not wanting to unnerve Mr. McDermott with the sight of an empty seat where his dad was supposed to be, Mr. Ballard spent the first half of the concert trying in vain to find a lookalike to pass for the senior McDermott. At age 68, Ballard won a battle with Stafford's family and bought his shares, giving him a 60 percent controlling interest in the Gardens. On October 16, 2016, as part of the Toronto Maple Leafs centennial celebrations, Keon was . Shortly after taking control of the Leafs, Ballard stood trial on 49 counts of fraud, theft and tax evasion involving $205,000. He often fought with league authorities, his employees, the news media, the fans and his children, often chuckling as he moved from battle to battle. After his parole, he stated that prison life was like staying in a motel, with colour television, golf, and steak dinners. "If you can call a Chevrolet a Chev, why can't you call a Japanese a Jap?" As an aide to the Canadian Olympic hockey team in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 1928, he carried the national flag in the opening ceremonies. In November 1961, Conn Smythe sold most of his shares in Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. to a consortium of his son Stafford, Toronto Telegram owner John Bassett, and Ballard. Cremation services have been . She was 87. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? The tour marked the end of Ballard's career as a full-time hockey coach. Commented former Leafs' captain, Ballard had special gold medals made up for the Canadian team, after they were expelled from the, At the same postgame show, Ballard proceeded to get into an on-air argument with Dick Beddoes, which involved Beddoes saying Ballard would be better suited to guessing weights at the, For his 85th birthday party, Ballard invited Hunt, who was then with the, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 17:05. expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto ''I just booted her out,'' Ballard told Dick Beddoes, the author of the biography ''Pal Hal.'' Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Ballard sold the team to businessman David Braley on February 24, 1989. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) has announced that deep-sea explorer and retired U.S. Navy commander Dr. Robert Ballard, best known for his discovery of the R.M.S. If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. David Blaine Steele, born in Titusville, PA on February 25, 1963, passed away February 24, 2023 one day before his 60th birthday. . At the same time, Ballard continued to work for Ballard Machinery, and took over the business after his father's retirement in 1935. [29], Despite his reputation, Ballard was well known for his charitable activities, and even leased out MLG for many functions. Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.47, Penguin Books, Date-by-date story of Gardens takeover fight,", Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League, Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission, 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, "Harold Ballard: Hockey's Miscreant Owner", "37 Year Cup Drought: The Legacy of Harold Ballard", "Harold Ballard, 86, Feisty Owner of Toronto Maple Leafs, Is Dead", CBC Digital Archives Harold Ballard Convicted of Fraud, Hockey Trade Rumors NHL Rumors from around the league 37 Year Cup Drought The Legacy of Harold Ballard, CBC Digital Archives Canada's Favourite BROAD-caster, "Black Aces: The Gutter Bin Presents More Classic Quotes", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harold_Ballard&oldid=1140958443, Canada men's national ice hockey team coaches, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, In August 1979, to make room for private boxes, he had.