However, this was largely because Ballard was unwilling to increase the payroll in order to improve the on-ice product, despite playing in the fourth-largest market. Within three years under the new owners, profits at the Gardens had tripled to just under $1 million. He was also the owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) for 10 years from 1978 to 1988, winning a Grey Cup championship in 1986. Mary Heuring (2/21/23) It trained me to work for my dad.". You thought it couldnt get any more colourful under Harold Ballard. According to Ballard's lawyer, his estate was worth less than $50 million. Ballard died from various health complications on April 11, 1990 at the age of 86. However, as Ken Dryden put it in his book The Game, he seemed "like [a] wrestling villain who touches the audience to make his next villainy seem worse.". Although she and Harold never married, Yolanda had her name legally changed. Drag images here or select from your computer for Harold Ballard memorial. Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). He would coach one more game, for the senior Marlies, during the 1950 Allan Cup final, after head coach Joe Primeau's father died. 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. In 1969, Ballard and Stafford Smythe were charged with tax evasion and accused of using Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. to pay for their personal expenses. Two months later, he was sentenced to nine years in a federal penitentiary. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Even after the NHL-WHA merger was finalized over Ballard's objections, it was only the intervention of NHL President John Ziegler that finally persuaded Ballard to not reclaim Keon's rights (which would have effectively ended his career) and allow him to play three more seasons with the mediocre Hartford Whalers. In September 1981, after Imlach had another heart attack during training camp, Ballard told the media that Imlach's poor health meant that "he's through as general manager". ''She never gave me anything. As a young man-about-town in Toronto's version of the Roaring Twenties, Mr. Ballard participated in speed-skating competitions, raced motorboats and drove a Pierce-Arrow. Phone: (828) 428-2460 Fax: (828) 428-4154 1101 East Maiden Road, P.O. For example, he cut the salary of chief scout and former Leafs star Bob Davidson by almost two-thirds, forcing Davidson to resign. I was afraid. Ballard fronted Stafford Smythe most of the $2.3 million purchase price. Ballard's children - Harold Jr., William and Mary Elizabeth Flynn - and his longtime companion, Yolanda Ballard, had visited him earlier Wednesday. Ballard left his personal belongings to his children and grandchildren. Harold Ballard Jr., son of the late owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, is very self-deprecating, but that doesn't mean he isn't astute or insightful. Harold met the love of his life, Anne Louise Dufek during his junior year. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Some information may no longer be current. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Ballard refused, citing it as a threat to program sales. However, the Maple Leafs under Ballard were one of the league's most financially successful teams. He told friends that on a visit to the Soviet Union he had put a Maple Leaf sticker on Lenin's tomb. Make a life-giving gesture Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? What if John Bassett had been able to buy Harold Ballards shares in the Maple Leafs? 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. Harold was born in Seneca, SC on September 15, 1940, son of the late John Malcom and Eunice Tucker Sheriff. But he did more than work for his father. For six years before World War I, Ballard and his family lived in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He won Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967, all as part-owner. This article was published more than 8 years ago. 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. He was an 83 year old born in Menifee County to the union of the late Claude and Pearlie Golden White, and member of the Baptist Church. ''He was an original, colorful and challenging individual,'' Mr. Ziegler said yesterday. Harold never gave it another thought. He was accused by the Crown attorney of using funds from Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. to pay for renovations to his home on Montgomery Rd., in Etobicoke. 30. About a month later, Ballard and two friends from the Yacht club were hurled from a boat into a frigid Lake Ontario. Oops, we were unable to send the 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. This proved to be a serious strategic blunder, as Smythe and Ballard controlled almost half the company's shares between them. One of them was Bernie Finkelstein, who with partner Bernie Fiedler was a major booker in Toronto in the early 1970s. At the time, the CFL still consisted of two autonomous conferences. However, he insisted on receiving compensation for Keon, and set the price so high that potential suitors shied away, in effect preventing Keon from joining another NHL team. Once you find the obituary you are looking for, you can get important information about upcoming services, share a favorite photo or memory, and send flowers or gifts to the family. The only available refreshments were large soft drinks from the concession stands.[5]. After his playing days were over, Mr. Ballard quipped, "You didn't have to think too much to be the [football] centre. But Ballard did not take the unproven WHA seriously as a competitor and so was outbid on the services of several players in the Leafs organization. This account has been disabled. 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. October 12, 1925 - November 25, 2016 Salem, Virginia Set a Reminder for the Anniversary of Harold's Passing. 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. Republication or distribution of this content is "Leafs' owner Ballard spends $1.3 million to buy the Tiger-Cats," Rick Matsumoto. 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. Their best season in more than a decade has been the current one, during which Mr. Ballard was gravely ill and others assumed control. He also removed the cushions from the home bench for Toros' games (he told an arena worker, "Let 'em buy their own cushions!") Make sure that the file is a photo. 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. . "Lanny McDonald trade has Sittler in tears," Jim Kernaghan. The Leafs and North Stars both played in the Norris Division, which was extremely weak that year; the Red Wings were the only team with a winning record. In the early 1950s, Ballard hired his long-time friend Stafford Smythe, son of Leafs owner Conn Smythe, as managing director of the Marlboros. Harold Edwin Ballard (born Edwin Harold Ballard, July 30, 1903 - April 11, 1990) was a Canadian businessman and sportsman. Harold Ballard, the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League and a man described by his team's fact book as ''one of the most loved and hated men in Canada,'' died yesterday in Toronto. HAROLD BALLARD Years 1972-1990 Leafs record 596-736-207 Stanley Cups The skinny Sole ownership under Ballard proved disastrous both on and off the ice. Veteran. Burial Date: March 6, 2023. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. BALLARD, JEAN LORENA Jean Lorena Ballard, age 90, passed away Sunday, July 28, 2013 at Rose Haven Assisted Living Center in Menahga, MN. Please enter your email and password to sign in. I can see a lot of lawsuits flying around here. She was born June 22, 1937, in Versailles, Missouri, daughter of the late Juanita . Harold Douglas Buchholz passed away on October 12, 2021 at his home on Heart Mountain. She was born November 5, 1922, in Cedar Springs MI to Harold and Cora (Miller) Ballard. ). Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. The McDonald trade sent the Leafs into a downward spiral. '', See the article in its original context from. Ballard was a legendary personality who was known for alienating many of the most popular Leafs stars of the day, including Dave Keon, the team captain, and Darryl Sittler, another captain, whom. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. At the same time, Ballard continued to work for Ballard Machinery, and took over the business after his father's retirement in 1935. Ballard was made business manager. Pennants proclaiming National Hockey League championships, Stanley Cup victories and other triumphs used to hang from the rafters of Maple Leaf Gardens. 00:02:34 Harold Ballard is very self-deprecating, but that doesn't mean he isn't astute or insightful. She thought it was horrible, the way she was treated by certain members of the family, and she found it unfortunate they wouldnt recognize the status she had, Levitt said. 3 talking about this. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. When Hockey Night in Canadas president, Ted Hough, balked at Ballard's demands just before a broadcast, Ballard grabbed a fireman's ax and threatened to cut the TV cable unless Hough agreed to pay. When asked recently about the process of succession, Paul McNamara, chairman of the board of Maple Leaf Gardens, said: ''We just don't know it. In 1972, Harold Ballard's idiosyncratic bookkeeping and whimsical ideas on what money was his and what money belonged to Maple Leaf Gardens got him into severe trouble. Slapshots: The Best and Worst of 100 Years of Hockey. And so, at the age of 25, armed with a law degree from Osgoode, son Bill stepped in and became director and vice-president of Maple Leaf Gardens. ''I thought we were both going to get arrested. As an aide to the Canadian Olympic hockey team in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in 1928, he carried the national flag in the opening ceremonies. Ballard was an owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) as well as their home arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. Watson chose not to return the following season, and Ballard took over the coaching duties. [25] In 1986, Ballard publicly called the Tiger Cats a bunch of overpaid losers. Harold Edwin Ballard (born Edwin Harold Ballard, July 30, 1903 April 11, 1990) was a Canadian businessman and sportsman. "It's the same," he said, "as human beings in business.". Ballard was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as Edwin Harold Ballard. Shortly after, Ballard tried to buy the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from owner Michael DeGroote, but that offer was also rejected. Many fans consider the Ballard era to be the darkest period in team history, even after winning four Stanley Cups in the 1960s. Ballard to Ottawa writer Earl McRae in the 1980s. "He would eat enough fried calamari for four people, and then order something else.". 0 cemeteries found in Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Weve both been to jail.. TAMPICO AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY - MUSEUM - FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY/RESEARCH CENTER 119 Main St., P. O. 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. His last months were filled with court fights involving his children. 1910 United States Federal Census. Try again later. For the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Ballard was appointed assistant manager of the Varsity Grads team that won the hockey gold medal. In 1991, Stavro paid off a $20 million loan that had been made to Ballard in 1980 by Molson. She claimed to have been with Ballard for eight years at the time of his death. In Ballard's last 13 seasons, they only finished above fourth once and won only two playoff series. Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.21, Penguin Books. Harold would pretend to be angry, then make sure she had a ticket. As a reward for his role in the purchase, Ballard was named executive vice president of Maple Leaf Gardens, alternate governor of the Maple Leafs and chairman of the team's hockey committee. There was a problem getting your location. He negotiated lucrative deals to place advertising throughout the building, and greatly increased the number of seats in the Gardens. ''If there's gold on that ship, it doesn't matter what flag you fly,'' Mr. Smythe said. Failed to report flower. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. At the same time, Hockey Canada and the NHL Players Association had negotiated an agreement to hold an eight-game tournament between Canadian professional hockey players and the top players from the Soviet Union. Ballard thus felt he had little financial incentive to sign better players. All told, the Leafs only had six winning seasons in Ballard's 18-plus seasons as majority owner, and never finished higher than third in their division in any format. [1] For the 1962 season, Ballard tried to introduce a hockey-style penalty box to soccer, but the rule change was not allowed by FIFA. In his graduating year, Mr. Ballard was a student union president who helped convince the school's governors to build an athletic facility. Resend Activation Email. DEARBORN, Mo. Sittler will stay put at least this season," Ken McKee. He had already consolidated his position by buying out his daughter, Mary-Elizabeth, for $15.5 million. In August, just weeks before the series began, Ballard was convicted on 47 of the charges. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Edwin Harold Ballard was born on July 30, 1903, the only child of Sidney Eustace Ballard and the former Mary Garner. They married in 1957 and had two children before he filed for divorce. Ex-Leaf Doug Gilmour looks back at the Wayne Gretzky high stick in 1993 and sees the worst officiated game you can imagine, Inside the trade of Blue Jays batting champion John Olerud, a deal former GM Gord Ash would like to have back, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star Face masks are required. Stock shares were blood in the water; lawsuits were fiercely launched. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 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. As this year's Maple Leaf press guide put it, ''He continues to defy his critics and dumbfound his detractors by basically just doing whatever he pleases, regardless of what anyone else thinks. A visitation will be held on Friday, August 7, from 5-7 pm, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation, 833 S. Marschall Road, Shakopee. All results for Harrold Ballard Edit SearchNew SearchJump to Filters To get better results, add more information such as Birth Info, Death Info and Locationeven a guess will help. Ballard booked The Beatles on each of their three North American tours from 19641966. [10] After the season, where the Maple Leafs were swept in the quarterfinals by the Canadiens, Ballard fired general manager Jim Gregory, replacing him with his predecessor, Punch Imlach. Show your support Send Flowers However, by the time the Toros played their first game at the Gardens, Ballard had been released from prison. Dave "Tiger" Williams who played with the Leafs from 1973 to 1980 had a close relationship with Ballard. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1977) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1987). As owner of the Tiger Cats, Ballard claimed to be losing a million dollars a year. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. That deal closed in 1994, and shortly after Stavro bought Ballard's shares from the estate for $34 a share or $75 million. Paul Henderson and Mike Pelyk followed a year later. Failed to delete memorial. In 1965, he sold tickets for two Beatles concerts on the same day, although the contract called for only one. This became clear when the arena was dim for the first game. When asked about it, Ballard replied "She doesn't pay me, I pay her. "He was a bit of a silent runner," Mr. Cohl says. Canadian businessman and sportsman (19031990). Explore All. He would entertain at his Thunder Beach cottage on Georgian Bay, where annually he would lead a trail of boats to Killarney, Ont. The singer was nearing 40 years old and working at The Toronto Sun when he embarked on a performing career. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. The elder Ballard, shrewd and unshockable, approved of the slaughter, seeing it as allegorical. Along with his wife Noreen (nee Meahan . On the hot summer day of one of the concerts, Ballard ordered the building's heat turned up, shut off the water fountains, and also delayed both of the concerts for over an hour. In return, he was given an option to buy Maple Leaf Gardens shares from Ballard's estate. . Most of the money was left to a charitable foundation. A year later, they staged a proxy war to regain control of the board. The storied arena fell into disrepair during Ballard's tenure. In 1973, the WHA moved the Ottawa Nationals to Toronto as the Toronto Toros. HAROLD BALLARD OBITUARY Harold G. Ballard, born November 20, 1932 in New Orleans and a resident of the Central Community since 1960, died Sunday July 1, 2018. Other notable incidents and anecdotes during Ballard's time as majority owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens include:[1]. He moved to the United States to be with his future wife in 2002. Following the 1930 racing season, the Yacht Club sponsored a senior team in the Ontario Hockey Association called the Toronto National Sea Fleas. Add to your scrapbook. "He fought for the underdog," Mr. McDermott says. Ballard's solution was to make the CBC pay for the upgrade. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 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. Ballard also signed Brje Salming to a new contract with terms that Imlach had refused to offer. His death set off a feeding frenzy that had already been begun over the iconic properties he controlled: the Toronto Maple Leafs and. However, many players were unwilling to sign with Toronto in any event because of Ballard's reputation. His father had been in the Coast Guard at the time. At the conclusion of the series, Ballard sent a bill to Hockey Canada for use of the building. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. He removed the Queen's picture to make room for more seats. The committee came to be known as the "Silver Seven". presentation-ready copies of Toronto Star content for distribution Ballard remained as de facto general manager even when Imlach recovered. Luckily, the singer's slightly wounded father made to his seat in time for his spotlight moment. Thanks for your help! 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. He was a lifetime resident of Gary and attended Wirt High School. In gratitude, Williams shot a bear during a winter hunt and skinned it for Ballard's office. The Stellicks and Howard Levitt, a family friend and lawyer, contend Yolanda deserved the settlement. Search above to list available cemeteries. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. CPI had an exclusive arrangement with the arena, which left most rival promoters out in the cold. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. However, due to playing in a division where no team cracked the 90-point barrier, they still made the playoffs. Born Yolanda Babic, the daughter of Czech immigrants changed her name to Ballard in 1988, five years after first meeting the owner at the NHL clubs former home, Maple Leaf Gardens on Carlton Street, where he had an apartment. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab.