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Harold Ballard - by the Fifth Estate (1980)


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Adrienne Clarkson profiles Harold Ballard, the then controversial co-owner of Maple Leaf Gardens and the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team. In 1972 Ballard was convicted on charges of theft and fraud related to misappropriation of Maple Leafs Gardens funds, and was sentenced to 9 years in prison, ultimately serving one year in jail. Ballard owned the Leafs until his death at the age of 86 in 1990.

 

 

 

 

 

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11 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

In a world of lousy pro sports team owners, he's certainly near the top of the list.

 

I was always surprised no Leaf fan murdered him.

 

The Leafs period of ineptitude coincides directly with his ownership of the team. They got bad immediately after he took over, and they didn't get good again until (surprise surprise) ~1992-93 after he died.  The Leafs were one of hockey's most successful franchises on the ice during the period from Ballard's death until the salary cap was instituted in 2005.

 

The documentary gives some good insight into what kind of person Ballard was.  

 

 

 

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