Mr. Finkelstein's True North record label and artist management company was taking off, and so he withdrew from the concert promotion game. 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. He installed himself as president and chairman of Maple Leaf Gardens and governor of the Maple Leafs. Failed to delete memorial. [2] Just after the advent of colour television in Canada, the Maple Leafs installed a new lighting system. Try again later. 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. 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. James Harold Ballard Obituary - Tribute Archive Harold George Ballard - age 68 of Kodak passed away Sunday, December 3, 2017. permissions/licensing, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? The singer was nearing 40 years old and working at The Toronto Sun when he embarked on a performing career. 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. It is with heavy hearts that the family of William Joseph "Bill" Ballard announce his passing, after a brief illness, at the Saint John Regional Hospital on Sunday, July 10th, 2022. I can see a lot of lawsuits flying around here. 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. Please reset your password. In an obituary published in the Star and Globe and Mail, the family wrote: Mother always referred to Harold as the love of her life and sadly never seemed to be able to get past his passing. Under coach Harry Watson, the team won the Allan Cup in 1932. He trained at OCAD in fine arts. Neilson did return, without the paper bag. 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. 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. Harold Ballard (1903-1990) - Find a Grave Memorial They would not post a winning record again in Ballard's lifetime, going a franchise-record 13 consecutive seasons without a winning record. Maple Leafs' owners through the ages | National Post 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. Ballard also signed Brje Salming to a new contract with terms that Imlach had refused to offer. View Harold Edwin Ballard's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more. Resend Activation Email. Harold Ballard. His disregard for his father's companion, the convicted fraud artist Yolanda MacMillan, made headlines when he was found guilty of assaulting her during an incident at Maple Leaf Gardens and fined $500. "[4], He also expanded the number of concerts, entertainment acts, and conventions booked in the building. Dave "Tiger" Williams who played with the Leafs from 1973 to 1980 had a close relationship with Ballard. HAROLD G BALLARD. Dorothy Beatrice Higgs Ballard (1907-1969) - Find a Grave ). Ballard used the opportunity to name himself acting general manager and hold talks with Sittler, and the two agreed that Sittler would return to the team for the 198081 season. Most of the money was left to a charitable foundation. 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. Harold Ballard, 86, Feisty Owner Of Toronto Maple Leafs, Is Dead This copy is for your personal non-commercial use only. 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.". 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. 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 This browser does not support getting your location. "It's the same," he said, "as human beings in business.". 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. Harold McKee Obituary - Peterborough, ON - Dignity Memorial His last months were filled with court fights involving his children. Failed to report flower. There is a problem with your email/password. In 1990, Harold Ballard died, irascible and overripe at 86. In regard to spotlights, Mr. Ballard didn't seek them himself. 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. . Quickly see who the memorial is for and when they lived and died and where they are buried. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. There was an error deleting this problem. Phone: (828) 428-2460 Fax: (828) 428-4154 1101 East Maiden Road, P.O. He could not get enough of his grandma's cooking. "Leafs' owner Ballard spends $1.3 million to buy the Tiger-Cats," Rick Matsumoto. Obituary. California Obituaries - Latest Obituaries in Grass Valley California Harold Ballard Sheriff Obituary Ballard booked The Beatles on each of their three North American tours from 19641966. Ballard was an owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) as well as their home arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. 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. During his tenure, he repeatedly threatened to move the franchise to Toronto (70 km north). Learn . He tried to micromanage the team, interfering with coaches and players. In 1965, he sold tickets for two Beatles concerts on the same day, although the contract called for only one. But unbeknownst to the crooner, the elder McDermott had slipped and fallen right before the show and was taken to the hospital for stitches. Learn more about managing a memorial . Many fans consider the Ballard era to be the darkest period in team history, even after winning four Stanley Cups in the 1960s. Ballard was an owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) as well as their home arena, Maple Leaf Gardens. The family requests donations to the Alzheimer Society in lieu of flowers. [1] The younger Ballard became a director and vice-president of Maple Leaf Gardens in 1972 when his father was sentenced to prison for fraud. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the. A year later, they staged a proxy war to regain control of the board. Face masks are required. [15] Ballard told the press that the real battle had been between Imlach and Eagleson, and Sittler just got caught in the crossfire. This led to renewed criticism of Ballard's unwillingness to spend what it took to get the Leafs to the next level. A celebration of life is planned for the Granite Club when pandemic restrictions are lifted. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. A memorial service for Henry will be held Saturday, March 11, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at The Chandelier Room of Singing Hills, 6221 University Hills Blvd., Dallas, TX 75241. Ballard's three children had all previously received shares in Maple Leaf Gardens that they sold for more than $15 million each. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. 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. 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. The Leafs, historically one of hockey's best franchises, gradually became one of its worst teams through the 1980's. Harold Quinten Ingram, 78, of Hickory, passed away peacefully at home with his family by his side on Thursday . [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. 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. Ballard never forgave the WHA for this, and became the leader of the hardline faction of NHL owners who opposed any merger with the upstart league. I was afraid. She claimed to have been with Ballard for eight years at the time of his death. Ballard is buried at Park Lawn Cemetery in Toronto with his wife Dorothy. 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. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. He said it served the guy right, that it would do him some good.''. '', See the article in its original context from. [6] During the time Harold was in prison, his son Bill managed the Maple Leaf Gardens. Fed up with being what he described as the "vice-president in charge of being the boss's son," he moved on to CPI , along with a $5-million loan from his father that helped found the company. Canadian businessman and sportsman (19031990). According to Ballard's lawyer, his estate was worth less than $50 million. The court awarded her $91,000.[32]. Some people took him for a boob, but they didn't realize how bright he was. Try again later. Although she and Harold never married, Yolanda had her name legally changed. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Bassett, who had by this time become chairman of the board, received the support of the board of directors in an 87 vote to fire Smythe and Ballard. CPI had an exclusive arrangement with the arena, which left most rival promoters out in the cold. She was. YOLANDA BALLARD Obituary (1933 - 2020) - Toronto, ON - Legacy [24] Federal Labour Minister John Munrofrom Hamiltonled an unsuccessful campaign against the deal, while Bassett, having sold the Argos to William R. Hodgson by this time, was also unable to intervene. Harold Ballard | The Canadian Encyclopedia You need a Find a Grave account to continue. At the time of this fight, both Mr. Ballard and Mr. Clancy were in their 70's. He participated in the 133-mile Albany, New York-New York City marathon in April 1930, finishing second in his class. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Please try again later. [9], During the 197879 season, with the Leafs struggling to make the playoffs, Ballard fired the team's popular head coach, Roger Neilson, against the wishes of the players. [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. Mr. McDermott was a pet project of Mr. Ballard's. Yolanda Ballard, 87, played central role in Maple Leafs soap opera But they were taken down (on the premise that they were obstructing some customers' views). In 1977, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and into the Canadian Football hall of Fame in 1987. In 1944, Ballard formed Harold E. Ballard Ltd., the personal holding company he would later use to purchase shares in Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. Follow Brad Wheeler on Twitter: @BWheelerglobeOpens in a new window. In 1934, Ballard became manager of the West Toronto Nationals OHA junior team and hired Leaf captain Hap Day as coach. 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. The low point came in 198485, when the Leafs finished the season with the worst record in the league, 32 games below .500. In addition to sharing the Braves with Buffalo, he had notions of a second CFL franchise and big-league baseball, too. Obituary Index - Whiteside and Bureau County, Illinois 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. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Bill Ballard, right, with singer Tom Cochrane and music publicist James Monaco at the opening of the musical Tommy in Toronto in 1995. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. In the end, they reportedly settled on somewhere between $2 million and $5 million in total, plus two seats at the Gardens. In 1991, Stavro paid off a $20 million loan that had been made to Ballard in 1980 by Molson. After a brief stay at Kingston Penitentiary, he was moved to a minimum-security facility that was part of Millhaven Institution. Born in Drain, Ore., she was a visitor to Spring Hill. He was 86. I know the family and friends were totally aghast and Oh my god, shes a gold digger but he figured out she could take his s--- and she, as time evolved, became his caregiver..