harold ballard obituary

When the group's manager objected, Mr. Ballard told him the fans would tear down the building with the Beatles in it if they didn't do two shows. 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". But unbeknownst to the crooner, the elder McDermott had slipped and fallen right before the show and was taken to the hospital for stitches. Thank you for fulfilling this photo request. Harold Ballard. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. 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. "It's the same," he said, "as human beings in business.". William Tyndall Sr. 1964 - 2023 William Paul Tyndall Sr., of Enid, died Monday afternoon, February 27, 2023, after an extended series of illnesses related to diabetes. Mr. Ballard never remarried, although he kept close company in recent years with Yolanda Ballard, who changed her name from MacMillan to Ballard in 1987. In 1965, he sold tickets for two Beatles concerts on the same day, although the contract called for only one. Although she and Harold never married, Yolanda had her name legally changed. Angered that the WHA was literally in his backyard, the elder Ballard made the Toros' lease terms as onerous as possible. It's probably also true that few managers would have gone to the lengths that Mr. Ballard did to serve a client. Even though the Leafs were barely competitive for much of the latter part of Ballard's tenure, every game at Maple Leaf Gardens was sold out. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. 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. 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. Within three years under the new owners, profits at the Gardens had tripled to just under $1 million. Drag images here or select from your computer for Harold Ballard memorial. Diamond Dreams: 20 Years of Blue Jays Baseball, Stephen Brunt, p.33, Penguin Books. He would coach one more game, for the senior Marlies, during the 1950 Allan Cup final, after head coach Joe Primeau's father died. After his parole, he stated that prison life was like staying in a motel, with colour television, golf, and steak dinners. 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. But they were taken down (on the premise that they were obstructing some customers' views). And I had Billy on my side.". While touring Europe, the Nationals were involved in several fights, both on the ice and off. Stock shares were blood in the water; lawsuits were fiercely launched. New York, U.S., State Census, 1905. Review. Mr. Ballard invested in Maple Leaf Gardens when it was built in 1931 and worked there as he worked his way through the organization in various positions. His father had been in the Coast Guard at the time. [15] Ballard told the press that the real battle had been between Imlach and Eagleson, and Sittler just got caught in the crossfire. In 1991, Stavro paid off a $20 million loan that had been made to Ballard in 1980 by Molson. ''Harold is going aboard and get that gold.''. Featured Obituary. 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. Harold Ballard, hockey executive (born 30 July 1903 in Toronto, ON; died 11 April 1990 in To-ronto, ON). Obituary Harold B. However, Bassett didn't force Smythe and Ballard to sell their shares, and both men remained on the board. 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. Steve Stavro, who would succeed Ballard as Leafs owner 30 years later, was co-owner of the Toronto City team. rights reserved. It didn't take long for one fish to devour the other, as is their nature. Please try again later. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. You saw the seeds of a great promoter. Besides, what the hell position can a queen play? ''She never gave me anything. Cremation services have been . The storied arena fell into disrepair during Ballard's tenure. 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. No animated GIFs, photos with additional graphics (borders, embellishments. In 1934, Ballard became manager of the West Toronto Nationals OHA junior team and hired Leaf captain Hap Day as coach. Yolanda was born Jan. 3, 1933 in Fort William, Ont. [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. In 1990, Harold Ballard died, irascible and overripe at 86. Ballard became a fan of speed skating and would attend skating events and hockey games, helping to promote the Ballard skates. On November 15, 2019, . That deal closed in 1994, and shortly after Stavro bought Ballard's shares from the estate for $34 a share or $75 million. To do that, Ballard bought 24% of son Harold Jr.'s shares for $25 million. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Lone Eagle Entertainment, Sam Lim The tournament would become known as the Summit Series. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame (1977) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1987). The two men appeared together at a news conference described as "all smiles and buddy-buddy"[15] to announce that Sittler would not only be at training camp, but had reassumed his captaincy. 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. Latest Obituaries. They married in 1957 and had two children before he filed for divorce. In the Olympic Village, Mr. Ballard stole an Olympic flag and brought it home as a souvenir. 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. Kingfisher County District Court prosecutors charged Ballard in March with two misdemeanor charges - carrying a firearm while under the influence of alcohol and public intoxication. I think there was a genuineness (to her caring) about his welfare, Stellick said. 00:02:34 Harold Ballard is very self-deprecating, but that doesn't mean he isn't astute or insightful. Many years ago, a young Bill Ballard and his brother, Harold Ballard Jr., presented their father with a pair of piranhas in an aquarium for Christmas. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Try again later. 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. 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. 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. Toros owner John F. Bassett (son of the elder John Bassett) had negotiated a lease with the elder Ballard's son, Bill. 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. Failed to remove flower. 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. [13] Ballard would liken Sittler's actions to burning the Canadian flag. Harold Delk Jr. (2/22/23) BERTRAND, Mo. . In fact, for a short while, he stood in for him. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. Born to Fred and Merleen Steele, David grew up in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Ballard had once called Sittler "the son I never had", but relations between the two took a turn for the worse with Sittler's increasing prominence in the NHLPA. Or, as The Globe and Mail's Stephen Brunt once put it, "a silver-spoon kid with survival instincts." Weve updated the security on the site. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. 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. Mary Heuring (2/21/23) He was "Billy" to his friends, and he had many of those. Cool as a cucumber she says, Youre going to get you blankety blank a-- out of this car or youre going to have a hole that I can put a football through from here to East Lansing., She just knew what to do at the right time.. 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. To order copies of [25] After the Tiger Cats beat the Toronto Argonauts in the 1986 Eastern Final, Ballard said "You guys may still be overpaid, but after today, no one can call you losers. Obituary. Bill Ballard, right, with singer Tom Cochrane and music publicist James Monaco at the opening of the musical Tommy in Toronto in 1995. HAROLD BALLARD OBITUARY HAROLD BALLARD III "Bo" Gary, Indiana Age 19 passed away Monday, December 4, 2006. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. A member of the Leafs organization from 1940 and a senior executive from 1957, he became part-owner of the team in 1961 and was majority owner from February 1972 until his death. Until he acquired control of the team and Maple Leaf Gardens in 1972, Mr. Ballard was little known outside hockey circles. Hockey Hall of Fame Team Owner. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. To use this feature, use a newer browser. As a young man, he loved working with horses on his aunt and uncles farm. Under coach Harry Watson, the team won the Allan Cup in 1932. In 1969, painters doing over the Gardens' television booth used (perhaps unknowingly) a dozen or more of these banners to catch paint drips. 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. In those days, the top four teams in each division made the playoffs, regardless of record. Some information may no longer be current. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. He wasn't just talk. As manager of this memorial you can add or update the memorial using the Edit button below. In return, he was given an option to buy Maple Leaf Gardens shares from Ballard's estate. 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. Ballard was elected to the Yacht Club's executive committee in January 1930. Obituary James Harold Ballard, of Sharpsburg, passed away Wednesday, December 23, 2020. At the time, Mr. Finkelstein lived in apartment building directly behind Maple Leaf Gardens, as did musicians Murray McLauchlan and Gordon Lightfoot. Ballard refused, citing it as a threat to program sales. A year later, they staged a proxy war to regain control of the board. It's true that few men other than Mr. Ballard could have placed a relative novice such as Mr. McDermott on a national tour with the world's premier Celtic group, the Chieftains. "He had an amazing ability to put away bowls and bowls of food," Mr. Finkelstein recounts. 03/28/1925 - 11/15/2019 . If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Toronto became a laughingstock of the. 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. 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. But he did more than work for his father. Harold was born and reared in Canada. [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. 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 Never paid any taxes for me. 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. Ballard remained as de facto general manager even when Imlach recovered. 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. "He was a lovely person, and I enjoyed his company," says Mr. Finkelstein, a recipient of Mr. Ballard's largesse. We have set your language to In 1985-86, they finished with a .356 winning percentage, the fourth-worst record in the league and fourth worst in franchise history. 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. 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. Harold left Yolanda $50,000 a year in his will, but she also wanted a lump sum, part ownership of the family cottage and $12,000 for their dog, TC Puck. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Neilson did return, without the paper bag. He finished his sentence at a halfway house in Toronto, and was paroled in October 1973 after serving a third of his sentence. 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. Ballard pleaded not guilty to all charges. On the second tour, in 1965, Ballard sold tickets for two shows, even though the agreement had been for only one. But Mr. Ballard became ill, called off the wedding and entered the hospital. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. Soon, they were a couple. 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. Keon never forgave Ballard for how he had been treated, and it was more than 20 years before he was reconciled with the Leafs. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Harold Ballard (10477)? During the hockey off-season in 1961, Ballard became founding president of the four-team Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League, which operated in Toronto, Hamilton, and Montreal. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. The Leafs defeated the Red Wings in the final game of the season, and backed into the playoffs when the Stars lost their final game hours later. Davidson had served in the Leafs organization for almost 40 years in various capacities. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Ballard to Ottawa writer Earl McRae in the 1980s. ", (Indeed, Mr. Ballard was an enthusiastic chaser of properties to bring into Toronto. In 1944, Ballard formed Harold E. Ballard Ltd., the personal holding company he would later use to purchase shares in Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. Forward to Family & Friends; Print; Contact Support; Upgrade; Death Certificates; Share This Obituary. . They nearly duplicated that dubious achievement in 198788. 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. Veteran. The committee came to be known as the "Silver Seven". 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.". After Ballard took control during the 197172 season, one of the first challenges he faced was the creation of the World Hockey Association (WHA) as a competitor to the NHL. Canada, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Conn Smythe later claimed that he believed he was only selling his shares to his son, but it is very unlikely that Stafford could have acquired the millions he needed to buy the Leafs on his own. For example, when the roof leaked, he did little more than order plastic sheets to catch the rainwater. However, hostility to Ballard's overture from the Toronto Argonauts (then owned by Ballard's former partner John Bassett) ensured it never went anywhere. '', Mr. Ballard never let high position inhibit his tongue or his behavior. Harold Edwin Ballard (born Edwin Harold Ballard, July 30, 1903 - April 11, 1990) was a Canadian businessman and sportsman. Caught between a great inheritance in the sports world and an artistic career, he chose to lay bricks and paint. Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. Please include I Remember in the subject field. Ballard's three children had all previously received shares in Maple Leaf Gardens that they sold for more than $15 million each. At the time of this fight, both Mr. Ballard and Mr. Clancy were in their 70's. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? SEARCH. Ballard left his personal belongings to his children and grandchildren. BALLARD, Bura (WOOD); 88; Greenfield IN; 2006-Dec-27; Bura Ballard BALLARD, Dorothy L (CROWELL); ; Indianapolis IN; 2007-Jan-3; Dorothy Ballard Facing an untenable situation, Bassett resigned as chairman and sold his shares to Ballard and Stafford Smythe in September 1971. Often he was the guest of Mr. Ballard at the arena's private Hot Stove Lounge, where Mr. Ballard awed all with his epic bouts of dining. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Please. According to Globe columnist Dick Beddoes, the young Mr. Ballard played a "static but well-meaning game" as an undersized lineman. 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.

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