Osmows OReilly
Registered User
- Jun 26, 2022
- 188
- 547
Harold Ballard Documentary
- Thread starter Osmows OReilly
- Start date
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Rude Dog
Registered User
- Dec 22, 2008
- 4,375
- 3,498
when there was no cap the Leafs had one of the cheapest owners in sports. Now they have lots of money but there is a cap It’s not easy….
crump
~ ~ (ړײ) ~ ~
Just what I need, to relive that nightmare era. A lot of good talent wasted and treated like crap. I saw him coming out from City Hall underground parking once, threw him my middle finger. F you Harold.
Apex Predator
Registered User
- Jun 21, 2019
- 4,495
- 4,797
Can’t wait to see this. I was born in the 90’s so I never lived through this. I’ve heard of the nightmare stories.
I know most of the stories as I lived through that time period, but I'm still going to watch it to see all those stories put together in one chunk.
Jimmy Firecracker
Backcheck, Forecheck, Paycheque.
It’s no coincidence that the Leafs most successful stretch post ‘67 was that period of time in the ‘90s and early 2000s when Ballard was six feet under and the hard cap didn’t exist.
Granted, the Leafs could have had success if they were managed better in the cap era, but alas.
TheGreatOne11
Registered User
The greatest F you we could do, is to not show up for this documentary....but alas we are Leaf fans lmao. The irony.
Arthur Morgan
Registered User
Notsince67
Papi and the Lamplighters
- Apr 27, 2018
- 16,376
- 11,467
Widely acknowledged as an asshole who couldn't see past a dollar and was spiteful. Interestingly, if he were a fan today, he would fit in this forum quite well.
The last of the line of PT Barnums of Leaf ownership.
Saturday night sitting in the bunker over looking his peons. Incredible story.
Yolanda and Peter Puck. Everyone always blamed him for poor seasons, failure to bring in a superstar because of money, cheap beyond believe, lived in MLG on Carleton....and yet he has been gone decades and we still lose.
What a character in our history, like Imlach, Smythe, King Clancy, Gerry (don't see many crows these days)MacNamara...and we still lose...
Saturday night sitting in the bunker over looking his peons. Incredible story.
Yolanda and Peter Puck. Everyone always blamed him for poor seasons, failure to bring in a superstar because of money, cheap beyond believe, lived in MLG on Carleton....and yet he has been gone decades and we still lose.
What a character in our history, like Imlach, Smythe, King Clancy, Gerry (don't see many crows these days)MacNamara...and we still lose...
Must see viewing, especially for younger fans that thought the JFJ and Burke eras were bad. 
Gary Nylund
Registered User
- Oct 10, 2013
- 31,696
- 25,540
Not really, his story is a lot more interesting than is the case for most assholes. A friend of mine is playing Ballard in this, I think he's absolutely perfect for the role too so I can't wait.
I lived through it all but there are so many stories that I've heard and since forgotten that it's still entertaining to be reminded of them now and then. Of course it's a movie so who knows which stories will be told and how well it will be done, if done well though, this could be really good. Lord knows the subject material is there for grade A entertainment.
Larcos_Unal
Registered Nurse
Yeah I don't think I can stomach this in one sitting, maybe if I break it up into 10 minute segments I can finish it in the span of a couple of months.
Darcy Tucker
My Name is Bob
Same. Anyone who attended a Leafs game at the Gardens during the Dougie and Clark era would feel the hate rise up in them at the mention of this clown owner's legacy. I'll save this for a dark winter day when I'm not busy. So likely never.
ACC1224
Super Elite, Passing ALL Tests since 2002
- Aug 19, 2002
- 78,300
- 45,513
Mess
Global Moderator
The front page picture of a 1973 Toronto Star. It was a black and white photo of the Toronto Maple Leafs newest acquisitions. Two players from Sweden, Inge Hammarstrom and Borje Salming, were pictured with Leaf General Manager Jim Gregory, walking through the Toronto Airport.
Harold Ballard disliked Europeans with a passion but he loved Borje Salming..
No one could believe it.
Overnight he became a fan favorite with the Gardens faithful and also of then owner, Harold Ballard. Salming quickly became Ballard’s only untouchable player; declaring "he would be a Leaf for life".
Although Ballard did not have much praise for the other Swede Inge, his now famous quote still resonates with Leaf fans from that era to this very day, when he proclaimed that "Hammerstrom could go into a corner with six eggs in his pocket and come out with none broken.” That one hurt, but the nickname “chicken Swede" seemed to apply to the timid number eleven only.
All the skepticism Leaf fans had concerning Swedes playing in North America was proven right by Inge, but proven totally false by Salming.
Harold Ballard disliked Europeans with a passion but he loved Borje Salming..
No one could believe it.
Overnight he became a fan favorite with the Gardens faithful and also of then owner, Harold Ballard. Salming quickly became Ballard’s only untouchable player; declaring "he would be a Leaf for life".
Although Ballard did not have much praise for the other Swede Inge, his now famous quote still resonates with Leaf fans from that era to this very day, when he proclaimed that "Hammerstrom could go into a corner with six eggs in his pocket and come out with none broken.” That one hurt, but the nickname “chicken Swede" seemed to apply to the timid number eleven only.
All the skepticism Leaf fans had concerning Swedes playing in North America was proven right by Inge, but proven totally false by Salming.
The Iceman
Registered User
- Sep 22, 2007
- 5,346
- 4,067
Ballard reminded me of Scrooge but he never came around like Scrooge did.
I can't defend Ballard as everyone, even at the time, knew he knew nothing about hockey.
For those 60- who never lived in Toronto during that time there are a few things you need to understand. I can almost guarantee it won't come out in documentary but I hope I am wrong. But perspective from back in those days you kids will never truly understand. In a lot of ways it is completely 180 degrees backwards to TODAYS culture in almost every way possible. I saw it in my grandpa who was a little older than Ballard. These were days where white anglo saxon sexist racist people owned and ran most of businesses in TO (except for a few Jews) and my grandpa was one of those guys who owned a car dealer and 3 repair shops in city and lived on Montgomery a few homes north of Ballard near Bloor. He never gave a red cent to his sons or daughter. These guys all believed you had to make your own way in world by yourself like they did. Those days kids were kicked out of house by 17 or 18 and fending for themselves. Completely unlike today where we are giving to our kids like crazy. These were days when women did not work. It was 1 income families. And tickets at Gardens for golds were 15 and reds 10. It was never a family friendly place from time I was a boy. But it was a place where grandads, dads and their sons went to games. It was not a corporate event like TODAY.
Hockey back then was survival of da fittest in every sense of da words. It was an old boys club of owners who were cheaper than cheap and abused da players on fair wages. All of them and I mean every owner both at junior and pro levels, every single owner with no exceptions, looked at hockey as a way to profit for themselves. It was a fight between players and owners for extra compensation. Like $200 a win, $100 a draw and nothing is you lost kind pay structures in minor pro. Even when I played it was a fight to get beer money on bus after a loss. It was a completely different world in terms of making da show too. It was mostly who you knew and who supported you on how draft worked. Nothing like TODAY where hockey deweebs have all da stats and details. And drafting is more of a science.
Back to Ballard as I was a Marlboro and played for him as owner of da team. He had some good things he did. He gave up Gardens ice for us kids to skate before big club and we got to talk, get sticks and autographs from Leafs like my Henderson stick and jersey signed which i still have today. He lived 2 blocks from my grandpa/Ballard on lyngrove. We lived in Mimico.
Ballard gave away most of his money to charity. He was da original Marlie sponsor. He sponsored boys and girls clubs including YMCA. He was biggest funder of original Etobicoke food bank. He helped out quite a few Marlie families who lost a father by funding their incomes. He was a huge donor to Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals.
Again I can't condone da language and behavior as I saw/heard it myself at hot stove where i was told little boys are to be seen but never heard. these guys were foul mouthed dirty old b*stards. Ballard thought he was funny but it was truly disgusting watching them grab waitresses *sses and telling them to get under table and do their thing and then serve them quickly with more beer. But what I saw as a boy was NO ONE STOOD UP to these guys. and my dad was a cop and he did not say anything either. It was accepted by society back then. And it was not hidden away in a corner. It was every Saturday night after almost every game. These guys got drunk as skunks. No wonder so many bad sexual things happened at old Gardens. Da carlton street money box as Ballard called it. And then all these guys got in their Caddies and drive home intoxicated.
For those 60- who never lived in Toronto during that time there are a few things you need to understand. I can almost guarantee it won't come out in documentary but I hope I am wrong. But perspective from back in those days you kids will never truly understand. In a lot of ways it is completely 180 degrees backwards to TODAYS culture in almost every way possible. I saw it in my grandpa who was a little older than Ballard. These were days where white anglo saxon sexist racist people owned and ran most of businesses in TO (except for a few Jews) and my grandpa was one of those guys who owned a car dealer and 3 repair shops in city and lived on Montgomery a few homes north of Ballard near Bloor. He never gave a red cent to his sons or daughter. These guys all believed you had to make your own way in world by yourself like they did. Those days kids were kicked out of house by 17 or 18 and fending for themselves. Completely unlike today where we are giving to our kids like crazy. These were days when women did not work. It was 1 income families. And tickets at Gardens for golds were 15 and reds 10. It was never a family friendly place from time I was a boy. But it was a place where grandads, dads and their sons went to games. It was not a corporate event like TODAY.
Hockey back then was survival of da fittest in every sense of da words. It was an old boys club of owners who were cheaper than cheap and abused da players on fair wages. All of them and I mean every owner both at junior and pro levels, every single owner with no exceptions, looked at hockey as a way to profit for themselves. It was a fight between players and owners for extra compensation. Like $200 a win, $100 a draw and nothing is you lost kind pay structures in minor pro. Even when I played it was a fight to get beer money on bus after a loss. It was a completely different world in terms of making da show too. It was mostly who you knew and who supported you on how draft worked. Nothing like TODAY where hockey deweebs have all da stats and details. And drafting is more of a science.
Back to Ballard as I was a Marlboro and played for him as owner of da team. He had some good things he did. He gave up Gardens ice for us kids to skate before big club and we got to talk, get sticks and autographs from Leafs like my Henderson stick and jersey signed which i still have today. He lived 2 blocks from my grandpa/Ballard on lyngrove. We lived in Mimico.
Ballard gave away most of his money to charity. He was da original Marlie sponsor. He sponsored boys and girls clubs including YMCA. He was biggest funder of original Etobicoke food bank. He helped out quite a few Marlie families who lost a father by funding their incomes. He was a huge donor to Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals.
Again I can't condone da language and behavior as I saw/heard it myself at hot stove where i was told little boys are to be seen but never heard. these guys were foul mouthed dirty old b*stards. Ballard thought he was funny but it was truly disgusting watching them grab waitresses *sses and telling them to get under table and do their thing and then serve them quickly with more beer. But what I saw as a boy was NO ONE STOOD UP to these guys. and my dad was a cop and he did not say anything either. It was accepted by society back then. And it was not hidden away in a corner. It was every Saturday night after almost every game. These guys got drunk as skunks. No wonder so many bad sexual things happened at old Gardens. Da carlton street money box as Ballard called it. And then all these guys got in their Caddies and drive home intoxicated.
Enga Olly
Registered User
- May 26, 2021
- 1,107
- 1,376
Don't think I'll watch this. This man was terrible and ruined a part of my life and aside from the great relief and celebrating I did when he died, I barely give this bastard a thought or mention.
I had to laugh, the day he died my answering machine filled up with congratulations from friends - I kept that cassette for years - it may still be kicking around in a box somewhere. Kept that day's Toronto Star too
I had to laugh, the day he died my answering machine filled up with congratulations from friends - I kept that cassette for years - it may still be kicking around in a box somewhere. Kept that day's Toronto Star too
Bellefour20
Registered User
If CBC had anything more to do with this beyond the use of footage or interviewing HNIC alumni, I can only imagine which angle they will push. That comment about Ballard would be cancelled in 2022 and the times up music doesn't bode well. I hope they can just stick to presenting how shitty he was even for the era.
kevsh
Registered User
- Nov 28, 2018
- 3,889
- 5,507
After he died and people in the media were giving platitudes and trying to re-shape his image as "not such a bad guy", one particular Toronto sports writer had none of that and wrote an article basically calling Ballard out for the ass that he was, reminding people of the more infamous Ballard stories.
I wish I remember who it was or could find a copy of that article (it was obviously pre-Internet, almost certainly in the Toronto Star or Sun, leaning toward the former). The mere fact I remember it after all this time - and I was a young 'un then - speaks to both how hated Ballard was and how rare it was for someone to write such a smearing obituary of a public personality.
I wish I remember who it was or could find a copy of that article (it was obviously pre-Internet, almost certainly in the Toronto Star or Sun, leaning toward the former). The mere fact I remember it after all this time - and I was a young 'un then - speaks to both how hated Ballard was and how rare it was for someone to write such a smearing obituary of a public personality.
Golden_Jet
Registered User
- Sep 21, 2005
- 28,384
- 15,180
I read his book, Pal Hal, I think it was called, so I’ll watch the documentary, even though he was a POS. Spent a year or 2 in jail.
