Harold Ballard Documentary

[Rants Mulliniks]

I wonder how many people turned them down. Priestley and the producer talked about getting th3 captains on board and they got Sittler, Vaive, and Clark but they didn’t get Keon. Now, Keon’s a pretty shy private guy, so it’s not surprising, but I wonder how many people felt like some people in this thread and just didn‘t see a point to it.

Keon doesn't surprise me. As much as he likes privacy, to me Ballard represents EXACTLY why he stayed away from the club so long. I hear lots of people talk about Keon as someone who "needs to get over it" etc. He's a guy who held the organization in high regard and not surprisingly held his stance until they finally seemed to be putting organizational standards and respect back in place. Win or lose, it is one of the things I as well most like about at least the majority of what the current management is doing and has done. You can at least have some sense of pride through association. I think the only question marks I can think of over the past several years is Babcock's actions with Marner/Spezza and whatever stock you put into Keefe's background.

Anyhoo, I can certainly imagine Keon's absence having more to do with Ballard being exactly what he dislikes.

 

[rojac]

This never actually happened. Though apparently it almost did.

Yeah. Ballard wanted Nielsen to wear a paper bag over his head when he came out to coach that Saturday night after there were reports that he had been fired and fans had no idea who was going to coach. This was reported right after it happened and the documentary has a clip of Ballard talking about how thought it would be a fun thing for the fans.

 

[Rude Dog]

Ew Eagleson is in this too...

I agree on this. How can anyone take what that guy has to say seriously? He is a bigger scumbag than Ballard. At least Ballard was open about bending people over.

 

[egd27]

Agree on the narration, it was extremely weak. (as were the graphics)

Also missed out on a couple of my "favorites"

1. the time they had 3 first round picks and chose 3 guys from the Belleville Bulls
2. John Brophy
3. Courtnell for Kordic
4. Putting the Ti Cats logo at centre ice of the Gardens

 

[rojac]

Donovan Bennett's in this? I think I will pass. My Dad has told me everything I need to know about Harold Ballard. I don't need Media nobodies and faded Hollywood stars to lecture me.

Bennett is in it for about 30-60 seconds total. He tells a brief anecdote about his grandfather and comments on how Ballard would be thought of today. There’s a lot, lot more from people much more qualified to talk on Ballard.

But to each his own. I lived through the era and for the most part, I enjoyed the documentary and learned a couple of things I didn’t know.

 

[rojac]

Agree on the narration, it was extremely weak. (as were the graphics)

Also missed out on a couple of my "favorites"

1. the time they had 3 first round picks and chose 3 guys from the Belleville Bulls
2. John Brophy
3. Courtnell for Kordic
4. Putting the Ti Cats logo at centre ice of the Gardens

1 and 3 strike me more as Stellick stories than Ballard stories. Maybe you can tie 1 to Ballard’s penny pinching but at best, it’s at best an indirect Ballard story.
2. Not really sure what Ballard -related Brophy story you have in mind.
4. Defnitely.

You have to remember that this a documentary on Harold Ballard not a documentary on the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Ballard era.

 

[rojac]

I agree on this. How can anyone take what that guy has to say seriously? He is a bigger scumbag than Ballard. At least Ballard was open about bending people over.

A chunk of Eagleson’s stuff Is on the Sittler-Imlach dispute that led to Sittler being traded which involved him directly as Sittler’s agent.

And to be honest, I’m not sure who else is still around that had direct business dealings with Ballard.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

1 and 3 strike me more as Stellick stories than Ballard stories. Maybe you can tie 1 to Ballard’s penny pinching but at best, it’s at best an indirect Ballard story.
2. Not really sure what Ballard -related Brophy story you have in mind.
4. Defnitely.

You have to remember that this a documentary on Harold Ballard not a documentary on the Toronto Maples Leafs of the Ballard era.

While I don't intend to watch, just seeing some of this listed brings back memories I would rather not think of. If memory serves I think he threw Foster Hewitt's gondola in the garbage, took down all the banners and used them as paint rags.....blah blah blah.....

 

[Gary Nylund]

1 and 3 strike me more as Stellick stories than Ballard stories. Maybe you can tie 1 to Ballard’s penny pinching but at best, it’s at best an indirect Ballard story.
2. Not really sure what Ballard -related Brophy story you have in mind.
4. Defnitely.

You have to remember that this a documentary on Harold Ballard not a documentary on the Toronto Maples Leafs of the Ballard era.

Perhaps hiring him?

One of my favorite quotes was after Ballard had fired the coach and was asked what qualities he was looking for in his next coach. His answer - "someone who's willing to work for 50 grand a year" - warming the hearts of Leaf fans everywhere. Then he hired dinosaur Brophy for exactly that amount.

 

[MilkofthePoppy]

Bennett is in it for about 30-60 seconds total. He tells a brief anecdote about his grandfather and comments on how Ballard would be thought of today. There’s a lot, lot more from people much more qualified to talk on Ballard.

But to each his own. I lived through the era and for the most part, I enjoyed the documentary and learned a couple of things I didn’t know.

30-60 seconds too long. Can't wait for the mass layoffs at Sportsnet and TSN.

 

[Niagara Bill]

While the poster you were replying to was being a bit over dramatic, it was certainly frustrating to be a teenage Leafs fan in the 1970s. To watch Ballard refuse to spend money to keep players from jumping to the WHA; to see him fire good hockey men like like Jim Gregory and Roger Nielson and replace them with an out-of-touch Punch Imlach; and to view constant reports of his boorish behaviour including humiliating coaches and staff was very deflating.

And to be honest, there was a definite “Ding dong, the witch is dead” reaction to his death from a lot of Leafs fans. I’m not quite sure I’d call it a celebration of his death but more a celebration of the Leafs being free of his tyranny.

I think living through the 70s and 80s made the 2005-2016 era seem not so bad.

Awe yes, certainly was difficult, but in a certain entertaining way no more frustrating than seeing teams controlled by Tanebaum, MLSE with bags of $, with same results. At least HB was entertaining jerk.
Never forgot the TV interview by Gerry McNamara when he was with Dick Bettows and said the press was wrong and "there were no crows in the sky these days", hinting that Bettows had to eat crow...
You had to laugh to keep from crying and breaking your TV.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

One very positive thing about our current landscape is that the league would never allow a clown like Ballard to own a team and run it the way he used to run it. It's actually embarrassing.

 

[BayStBullies]

One very positive thing about our current landscape is that the league would never allow a clown like Ballard to own a team and run it the way he used to run it. It's actually embarrassing.

They would if the building is sold out

 

[ACC1224]

They would if the building is sold out

Yep, Leagues history is full of sketchy Owners.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

One very positive thing about our current landscape is that the league would never allow a clown like Ballard to own a team and run it the way he used to run it. It's actually embarrassing.

Jacobs is no better .. just a silent racist elite who is cheaper than Ballard ever was .. but of course he is NHL chairman of board .. or da clown in Chicago Wirtz ,, da NHL is still controlled by clowns

 

[BallardEra]

 

[ClarkSittler]

I thought it was good documentary. I liked the Leafs of 70s. Lot of character. Sittler 10 point night. On a Saturday night dead of long cold winter. Turnbull 5 goals, Isles upset in playoffs, Keon and Shack. Loved watching games from Maple Leaf Gardens. The mono style of their public address announcer. The Hewitt's, Darryl, Lanny and them. Tiger Williams. Those mid-70s playoff battles with Flyers were some of best playoff series I ever saw. I remember Flyers defending Cup champs and those first two games in Philly. Arguably biggest wins in last 50 years of Leafs hockey. Palmater came up big when needed. That defense was best ever I seen in Toronto. Salming and Turnbull. Carlyle, Hutchinson was a heavy playoff defenseman. The guy who gave those hip checks. Forget his name now. Alexander he was outstanding in Flyer series. I thought he was going to be good one then never heard tell of him again. Trevor Johanson same thing. He started good, played well in playoffs then vanished.

That was Brian Glennie. He gave me my first autograph when I was 8 at the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Leafs used give out promotional cards of the players that looked like postcards (see below) and he signed his for me.

Awe yes, certainly was difficult, but in a certain entertaining way no more frustrating than seeing teams controlled by Tanebaum, MLSE with bags of $, with same results. At least HB was entertaining jerk.
Never forgot the TV interview by Gerry McNamara when he was with Dick Bettows and said the press was wrong and "there were no crows in the sky these days", hinting that Bettows had to eat crow...
You had to laugh to keep from crying and breaking your TV.

*Dick Beddoes

 

[sxvnert]

Ruined part of your life?
Celebrating his death!
You are sick. You need help.

Normally I would agree but for those who lived through that decades long sadistic nightmare, its completely justified. Harold Ballard actually took pleasure terrorizing the fan base. Unfortunately there were many parts left out of the documentary (the pedo scandal, his wife to name a few) which could have painted a much more accurate picture of how disgusting that era really was.

The best possible modern day description I can come up with is the drama this past year with the Canucks + the Hawks scandal with the Coyotes roster for more than two decades and no end in sight.

Year after miserable year, with the drama always ramped up to 11, finally the hockey gods ended his miserable existence and Stavro took over in 91. In less than two years the leafs went from decades long laughing stock to one game away from the cup finals. Thats why 1993 will always hold a special place in our hearts for those who lived through that nightmare. Only a cup win could match the glory run of 1993 imo.

 

[sxvnert]

Jacobs is no better .. just a silent racist elite

No different than any other billionarie, past or modern.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Year after miserable year, with the drama always ramped up to 11, finally the hockey gods ended his miserable existence and Stavro took over in 91. In less than two years the leafs went from decades long laughing stock to one game away from the cup finals. Thats why 1993 will always hold a special place in our hearts for those who lived through that nightmare. Only a cup win could match the glory run of 1993 imo.

+1

 

[the squared circle]

+1

+ 2 ---- nothing has lived up to the 93 run ever since. It was truly a magical couple months.

I thought the Ballard doc was good, could have been better, but good nonetheless. Very surprised Eagleson was on it, since he is just as much as a scumbag as Ballard was, maybe even worse. I had forgotten about Suneel Joshi! I had never heard of Donovan Bennet before watching this, and have only seen Faisul (sp) a couple times on SN. Their "he would have been cancelled" parts were unnecessary, but in todays world, expected. Loved seeing Dick Beddoes if only briefly. Wish there were more videos as part of the doc. I enjoyed the videos the most, seeing the players and reporters of the past, with all the highlights. Yes, lots of bad memories, but also some awesome memories. You really hung on to the good, when it happened (undeserved playoff runs, Vaive scoring 50, etc)
I think it could have been a two part, four hour total documentary. I taped it and will watch it again, maybe before the playoffs. I usually watch The Passion Returns before every playoff haha.

 

[HuGort]

That was Brian Glennie. He gave me my first autograph when I was 8 at the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Leafs used give out promotional cards of the players that looked like postcards (see below) and he signed his for me.

View attachment 641516


*Dick Beddoes

Can you remember the Eddie Shack Donuts? Caledon, corner of 10 and 24.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

I thought it was good documentary. I liked the Leafs of 70s. Lot of character. Sittler 10 point night. On a Saturday night dead of long cold winter. Turnbull 5 goals, Isles upset in playoffs, Keon and Shack. Loved watching games from Maple Leaf Gardens. The mono style of their public address announcer. The Hewitt's, Darryl, Lanny and them. Tiger Williams. Those mid-70s playoff battles with Flyers were some of best playoff series I ever saw. I remember Flyers defending Cup champs and those first two games in Philly. Arguably biggest wins in last 50 years of Leafs hockey. Palmater came up big when needed. That defense was best ever I seen in Toronto. Salming and Turnbull. Carlyle, Hutchinson was a heavy playoff defenseman. The guy who gave those hip checks. Forget his name now. Alexander he was outstanding in Flyer series. I thought he was going to be good one then never heard tell of him again. Trevor Johanson same thing. He started good, played well in playoffs then vanished.

I love this post! Trip down memory lane and very accurate. The '70s was a great decade to be a Leaf fan. I suspect the hip checker you're thinking of was Brian Glennie and the Alexander was Claire, the Milkman. Great decade despite Ballard. It came undone with his boneheaded decision to bring back Punch Imlach, who nobody liked in the much more conformist '60s, nevermind the changed landscape of the late '70s. The trading of Mcdonald was vindictive and the bringing back of Carl Brewer to be a mole in the dressing room was surreptitious. It lead to the dark era of the '80s.

 

[tmlms13]

Ballard was the owner for the 60's dynasty to be fair

 

[kevsh]

One very positive thing about our current landscape is that the league would never allow a clown like Ballard to own a team and run it the way he used to run it. It's actually embarrassing.

I don't know about that, the NHL let Disney call their team "The Mighty Ducks". Speaking more to the embarrassing part then how the team was run of course.