He competed in several regattas, and won the Toronto-Oakville marathon in 1929. He was not only angry at how the WHA had decimated his roster earlier in the decade, but also wasn't enamored at the prospect of reduced television revenue. Mr. Finkelstein's True North record label and artist management company was taking off, and so he withdrew from the concert promotion game. In addition to sharing the Braves with Buffalo, he had notions of a second CFL franchise and big-league baseball, too. Hough relented, and the broadcast went on as scheduled. [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. David Michael Keon (born March 22, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre.He played professionally from 1960 to 1982, including 15 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1986. Failed to delete memorial. One drunken, hollering student jumped into their front seat looking for a ride, scaring the kids in the back seat. Harold Fred Weber, Jr. Manning, South Carolina March 4, 1945 - April 24, 2020 Tribute Wall Obituary & Events Share a memory Send Flowers Share a memory of Harold Fred Weber, Jr.. Plant a tree in memory of Harold An environmentally friendly option Plant a tree b benny putnam December 23, 2020 I worked with Harold in Cheraw many years ago. 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. obit@globeandmail.comSend us a memory of someone we have recently profiled on the Obituaries page. Some people took him for a boob, but they didn't realize how bright he was. After his parole, he stated that prison life was like staying in a motel, with colour television, golf, and steak dinners. Following the 1930 racing season, the Yacht Club sponsored a senior team in the Ontario Hockey Association called the Toronto National Sea Fleas. This is a carousel with slides. He won Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1967, all as part-owner. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1977) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1987). In August, just weeks before the series began, Ballard was convicted on 47 of the charges. 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. The players who stayed could use the threat of joining the WHA to negotiate better contracts, and Ballard always blamed the WHA for inflating players' salaries. Ballard even claimed to possess photographs of himself drinking beer with corrections officers and wearing one of their uniforms. The executors of Ballard's will were Steve Stavro, Don Giffin and Don Crump. The committee came to be known as the "Silver Seven". This account has been disabled. Bill Ballard, right, with singer Tom Cochrane and music publicist James Monaco at the opening of the musical Tommy in Toronto in 1995. When the Fighting Saints folded, Keon received an offer from the soon-to-be dynasty New York Islanders, but Ballard still owned Keon's NHL rights and effectively blocked that deal, forcing Keon to move to the relatively stable New England Whalers. Growing up in Jordan, he went to St John's Catholic School for 8 years and graduated from Jordan High School in 1952. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. In the Olympic Village, Mr. Ballard stole an Olympic flag and brought it home as a souvenir. For example, he cut the salary of chief scout and former Leafs star Bob Davidson by almost two-thirds, forcing Davidson to resign. At the same time, Ballard continued to work for Ballard Machinery, and took over the business after his father's retirement in 1935. '', Mr. Ballard once called John Ziegler, the president of the National Hockey League, a ''know-nothing shrimp'' and described his own daughter as a ''reptile.''. In the West, CFL teams had come under significant pressure resulting from the introduction of WHA franchises in the four largest Western markets, therefore Western Football Conference teams were generally supportive of Ballard's efforts to become a CFL owner. Ballard. Paul Henderson and Mike Pelyk followed a year later. Make a Memorial Donation . When she didnt travel with the team, she would arrange for suitable food to be sent to Harolds hotel room, ensuring the diabetic would eat well. Anyone can read what you share. These demands made it financially impossible for the Toros to survive in Toronto, and after the 1975-76 season they moved to Birmingham, Alabama. He was a lifetime resident of Gary and attended Wirt High School. Until he acquired control of the team and Maple Leaf Gardens in 1972, Mr. Ballard was little known outside hockey circles. ABBOTT, Harold M; 85; Indianapolis IN; 2007-May-6; Harold Abbott . 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. Loving father of Alan McKee (Beverly) of Calgary, Nancy Buckham (David) of Burlington, Karen Charlebois (Del) of Newcastle and Brian McKee of St. Catharines. What if John Bassett had been able to buy Harold Ballards shares in the Maple Leafs? Though Imlach was gone, Sittler's relationship with the Leafs worsened again in the 198182 season and he was traded that year to the Philadelphia Flyers. SEARCH. A system error has occurred. [30] Even before his death, there had been battles between his children, Bill Ballard, Harold Ballard Jr., and Mary Elizabeth Flynn, and his longtime companion, Yolanda Ballard. That year, they finished with a .325 winning percentage, fourth-worst in franchise history, and were only one point up on the Minnesota North Stars for the league's worst record. Stock shares were blood in the water; lawsuits were fiercely launched. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. He was convicted of fraud and sent to Millhaven Institution. 0 cemeteries found in Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada. The Stellicks and Howard Levitt, a family friend and lawyer, contend Yolanda deserved the settlement. But Mr. Ballard became ill, called off the wedding and entered the hospital. Imlach was as staunchly anti-union as Ballard; during his first stint in Toronto, he had been one of Eagleson's most ardent foes. David Blaine Steele, born in Titusville, PA on February 25, 1963, passed away February 24, 2023 one day before his 60th birthday. This became clear when the arena was dim for the first game. Mr. McDermott, for one, remembers him differently. While touring Europe, the Nationals were involved in several fights, both on the ice and off. Toros owner John F. Bassett (son of the elder John Bassett) had negotiated a lease with the elder Ballard's son, Bill. Harold was born and reared in Canada. In one incident, Ballard was arrested in Paris following a fracas at a hotel. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Ballard was pulled from the water unconscious, but one of his friends died. When you have found an obituary of interest, you have the option of upgrading that obituary with more recent and relevant content unless the obituary is already assigned to another user. Make sure that the file is a photo. While it provided a clearer picture for fans, it caused a very sharp glare that distracted players. Harold Ballard. There is a problem with your email/password. 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). In 1974, when Bassett put the Toronto Argonauts up for sale, Ballard offered to buy the team for $3 million, but his offer was rejected. He had claimed losses in excess of $20 million over 11 seasons with the Tiger-Cats. Ballard pleaded not guilty to all charges. One of them was Bernie Finkelstein, who with partner Bernie Fiedler was a major booker in Toronto in the early 1970s. Keon was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He had worked early on with Neil Young and Joni Mitchell in smaller venues, but by the time CPI came into being he saw the writing on the wall. In those days, the top four teams in each division made the playoffs, regardless of record. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. His parents were Clarence Buchholz and Ruth Preston Buchholz. Their best season in more than a decade has been the current one, during which Mr. Ballard was gravely ill and others assumed control. The Tiger-Cats made the playoffs every year under Ballard's ownership and played in four Grey Cup championship games, losing in 1980, 1984 and 1985 before finally winning the Cup in 1986. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? he asked. The foothold was Maple Leaf Gardens, which was Toronto's lone venue for large winter events. Luckily, the singer's slightly wounded father made to his seat in time for his spotlight moment. Ballard was elected to the Yacht Club's executive committee in January 1930. Neilson did return, without the paper bag. [33] The purchase was the subject of a securities commission review and a lawsuit from Ballard's son Bill, but the deal stood and Stavro and his partners in MLG Ventures became the new owner of the Leafs and Maple Leaf Gardens. Hockey Hall of Fame Team Owner. I thought you might like to see a memorial for Harold Ballard I found on Findagrave.com. Yolanda was born Jan. 3, 1933 in Fort William, Ont. His last months were filled with court fights involving his children. Learn . Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. 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. Concert Productions International would become a hugely profitable enterprise and a game-changing innovator in full-service touring in North America. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harold Ballard (10477)? A year later, they staged a proxy war to regain control of the board. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. 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. "Leafs' owner Ballard spends $1.3 million to buy the Tiger-Cats," Rick Matsumoto. They returned to Toronto where his father, English-born Sidney Eustace Ballard, founded Ballard Machinery Supplies Co., a sewing machine manufacturer, which at one point was one of Canada's leading manufacturers of ice skates (it went out of the business in the early 1930s, when the Canadian skate market was dominated by CCM). Many fans consider the Ballard era to be the darkest period in team history, even after winning four Stanley Cups in the 1960s. cemeteries found in Toronto, Toronto Municipality, Ontario, Canada will be saved to your photo volunteer list. After Day became coach of the Leafs in 1940, he recommended Ballard to the Leaf organization to run the Toronto Marlboros, the senior and junior teams owned by the Leafs. "He fought for the underdog," Mr. McDermott says. Harold Ballard and Yolanda Ballard took out a marriage license last January in the Cayman Islands. He was 86. Benjamin Harold Ballard, 42, was shot and killed in a traffic altercation at SW 59 and Mustang Road about 6:45 p.m. Friday, June 5, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation reported. However, many players were unwilling to sign with Toronto in any event because of Ballard's reputation. You can search by first or last name, state and publication date. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Ballard refused, citing it as a threat to program sales. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. Besides, what the hell position can a queen play? As Imlach was preparing to trade Sittler to the Quebec Nordiques, he had a heart attack in August and was hospitalized. 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. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. 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. 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. 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. Harold Ballard, hockey executive (born 30 July 1903 in Toronto, ON; died 11 April 1990 in To-ronto, ON). 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. "[25] A few days later, the Tiger Cats won the 1986 Grey Cup by beating the Edmonton Eskimos 3915 and Ballard said it was worth every penny. 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. . Soon after taking over as majority owner, he forced out several longtime front-office personnel and replaced them with his own men. Harold Otto Hallberg, age 89, of Jordan, MN, formerly of St. Paul, MN, passed peacefully on Friday, July 31, 2020, at Oak Terrace Senior Living, in Jordan. Off the ice, the Maple Leafs under Ballard were one of the league's most financially successful teams. Sittler will stay put at least this season," Ken McKee. That triggered a mutiny among some of the team's top players, who resigned from the squad in November. There is only one Mrs. Ballard and that was my mother (Dorothy, who died in 1969), said Bill Ballard, who was found of guilty of assaulting Yolanda in 1989 and fined $500. 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. During his tenure, he repeatedly threatened to move the franchise to Toronto (70 km north). "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. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Angered that the WHA was literally in his backyard, the elder Ballard made the Toros' lease terms as onerous as possible. Ballard fronted Stafford Smythe most of the $2.3 million purchase price. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. In one instance, some time in the 1970s, the family of three along with sister Ana travelled regularly to Ann Arbor in a gold Cadillac to watch the University of Michigan football team. Harold Edwin Ballard (born Edwin Harold Ballard, July 30, 1903 - April 11, 1990) was a Canadian businessman and sportsman. His death set off a feeding frenzy that had already been begun over the iconic properties he controlled: the Toronto Maple Leafs and. Well, you added Yolanda to the mix and it actually did get more colourful, recalled Bob Stellick, who worked for the Leafs on the business side in the late 80s and compared the relationship to Archie and Edith Bunker from the old sitcom All In The Family.. However, due to playing in a division where no team cracked the 90-point barrier, they still made the playoffs. Ballard famously had his hand and footprints etched onto a concrete slab and placed it at centre ice of Maple Leaf Gardens, which deteriorated the quality of the Gardens ice. Yolanda Ballard, the former companion of crusty Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard who became a central figure in the circus surrounding the franchise in the 1980s and 90s, has died. As a member of the National Yacht Club, Ballard became an avid racer of Sea Fleas, small outboard hydroplanes. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Ballard died from various health complications on April 11, 1990 at the age of 86. He installed himself as president and chairman of Maple Leaf Gardens and governor of the Maple Leafs. Harold Ballard, 86, Feisty Owner Of Toronto Maple Leafs, Is Dead, https://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/12/obituaries/harold-ballard-86-feisty-owner-of-toronto-maple-leafs-is-dead.html. 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. "[4], He also expanded the number of concerts, entertainment acts, and conventions booked in the building. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about Canadian businessman and sportsman (19031990). expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Ballard died of a combination of factors, including diabetes, heart problems and kidney and respiratory failure, doctors at Wellesley Hospital said in a release.