Hilarious! The guy is like 76 years old here. Still feisty & mad as an 18 year old. Lousy for the Leafs? Yeah... but the Leafs are still a money making machine, so?
After it was announced that Roger Neilson was elected to the hall of fame, Neilson did a press conference in Ottawa and was talking about Ballard....he first looked up, then looked down and said yeah, he's probably down there.....
Definitely true as well, want to say it was during a Stones concert. This is sadly a pretty common tactic at a lot of outdoor venues; where they may have 1 or 2 fountains working just to cover their asses. Worked at a Jeremy Jacobs concert venue in high school.
He did it while the Beatles were touring in '64, he turned the heat on in the arena and shut off all the water fountains, and at least doubled the prices on all soft drinks, what a dick 😠
@Eilliw Nodrog that is also true lol he also neglected and alienated countless players and staff who he didn't like, agree with or who didn't like him. And refused to respect and retire many players' jersey numbers to the rafters. I can understand Dave Keon being wounded from ballard all those years 😔
I had a run in with Ballard in the summer of 1983 while waiting to try and meet Roger Waters. He called me a freak because of the way I was dressed and I called him an escapee from the old folks home. Then he banned me for life. Of course I was in the building 2 hours later watching the concert.
I saw a comment from UrinatingTree’s video on the “Half-Century of Failure” of the Maple Leafs that said “Harold Ballard makes Eugene Melnyk look like Mike Illitch.”
Lol yea i never heard of ballard im new to watching nhl but am a fan of UrinatingTree when i watched trees video i learned of harold ballard…….yea what a character of a sports owner smh i pity the leafs fanbase
Jim Gregory, the Leafs' GM immediately before Punch Imlach, was never informed by Ballard that he had been fired. He only found out when a league executive called him and offered him another job.
@Clutch28, and for everything you said, you're right and it's true for the young generation. for myself as a non-leafs fan, i loved harold ballard and how he treated the leafs organization correct. personally i wish that modern medicine could have kept him alive today. the 1980's imo was the golden years of leafs hockey LMFAOO 🤣🤣🤣
@@carparthero You do realize that Ballard's ownership also hampered the NHL in efforts for expansion and other things, right? Well, no I don't think you do with how absolutely moronic your "statement" was.
@@Clutch28 it's unfortunate you feel the way you do. you must be a salty curmudgeon leafs fan. that would be understandable to rationalize why you feel the animus you feel LMFAOO 💩 the nhl with or without ballard till his death was a backwater league. str8 up the nhl didn't improve as a business till bettman came around in 1993 with a vison. even then the finances took time to turn around. today the league has never been better. obviously covid has taken a bite into the game but once that rides out, the nhl will be fine as the 4th major sport in the usa. in solidarity 🍁
Eugene Melnyk is a child angel comparing to Ballard. It's not even comparable. Bettman would have a heart attack if current NHL owners were like Ballard
Ballard had one of the best GM's in the early '70's; Jim Gregory. Gregory put the team together that had Turnbull, Salming, Sittler and McDonald. Ballard fired him. Yes, I also lived through that travesty. Twenty lost years.
Ballard didn't fire Gregory. He left the Leafs to become director of Central Scouting for the NHL. Ballard then tried unsuccessfully to hire both Don Cherry and Scotty Bowman to replace both Gregory and Roger Neilson. When he couldn't get either of them, he brought Punch Imlach back, but it was clear he was no longer the same Punch that had built a dynasty in the sixties....
@@johnpat3622 According to Gord Stellick's book, Ballard fired Gregory after the 1979 season, but didn't have the courtesy to tell him to his face. Gregory found out when the NHL called him at his cottage and offered him a job. When Gregory said he was still with the Leafs, the NHL rep said Ballard told NHL head office Imlach was the new GM, and Gregory had been fired, So Gregory took the new job.
With all due respect, you may be too young to know the Ernie Moser story of yore. In 1969, Ballard may have not been the de facto owner, but he was the financial muscle of the organization. He inherited jim Gregory, who as you say was an extremely intelligent hockey man. At the time of the 1969 draft, a certain player was still on the board. Jim Gregory and the staff implored ballrd to take this individual at 9. No ... ballard doesn't want him. Draft someone else and they drafted ernie Moser who never played a game in Toronto. Who did Jim Gregory want that ballard did not?... hall of fame centre for the Philadelphia flyers bobby Clarke. Those Philadelphia flyer cups of the 70s are leafs could have been cups because of our lousy owner..
I need more info on this... I think my dad may have been part of this (when he was like 13-15). One time he got busted at a Rush concert for scalping, and Ballard got him off the hook and brought him and his scalper buddy backstage... Not glorifying scalping at all, but I'm curious if he was unwillingly part of a scalping crew run by Ballard
My first boss was kinda like that too. Very emotional and you never knew what's coming. Hard to work for for a longer period, but I could write a book with really strange stories.
My dad who was Leafs fan up until both Sittler and McDonald were both gone, told me that he when he lived in Etobicoke, ON over 20 years ago he lived in the same apartment building that Ballard lived in prior.
I think Chicagoans are more willing to forgive the Wirtz family after the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013. Fans will never forgive Harold Ballard for what he did to the Maple Leafs.
@@Sacto1654 You're 100% correct. As a lifelong Leafs fan and Torontonian the Leafs could win the Cup every year and I wouldn't forgive Ballard. I was a fan when he was the owner and the lack of success the team has had over the years I call "the curse of Harold Ballard". I hope they can purge it someday.
@@Sacto1654 - Re: "I think Chicagoans are more willing to forgive the Wirtz family after the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013." Hey, am I missing something? What about the 2015 Cup? Doesn't that one count, too? I am old-enough to remember Ballard. Generally-speaking, it's wrong to speak ill of the dead, but there's always an exception - and Ballard is one. He was a mean old man and a real b*stard! If my beloved Blackhawks can't win the 'cup, I'd love to see Leafs Nation win one and go nuts. They've been waiting a long time. As have the Buffalo Sabres - who've now been a half-century in the league, more or less, and have no cups to show for it. Two finals appearances, but that's as close as they have come. I'll never forget watching the famous SC Final game in 1975 when the Flyers and Sabres played game three in the fog at Memorial Colosseum. Buffalo won 3-2 in OT, but the Flyers won the series and the cup. Getting back to the Wirtz family, Rocky - the old man's son - is everything his dad wasn't. A real breath of fresh air. It was a stroke of genius to mend things with all of the former Blackhawks players - all-time greats - who'd been cast out by the old man, namely Bobby & Dennis Hull, Stan Mikita, Dennis Savard, Tony Esposito, etc. Sure am glad 'Stosh and the Golden Jet got to see the new generation win those cups.... you could tell it meant a great deal to them. I've been a hockey fan for a long time, maybe fifty-years or even fifty-five (yeah, I'm that old).... and I will always remember reading about the exploits of those great 1950s and 1960s Leafs teams. Dave Keon, Frank Mahovlich, Bobby Baun, Tim Horton, Johnny Bower & Terry Sawchuk, George Armstrong, Bob Pulford, you name it.... This year's Leafs team looks scary. They're loaded. That's the good news for Leafs fans; the bad news is that so are some other teams. It should be another amazing post-season. Can't wait!
One of my best friends is Dave Keons cousin on his fathers side, though he stopped talking to his father 30 years ago (for good reason), so has not seen Dave since - but I have learned that without a doubt, the Ballard resentment for them is/was incredibly intense lol.
First year I played hockey when they ask what number do you want I asked for 14 even though I played defence. He was my favourite player but always heard how bitter he was and would never come back to the Gardens. In those days no one wore 17 so I was disappointed to end up with that number. Wendel would not arrive for years to come.
I've been telling Steve to do a video on this for years and he never did. Thank you for finally making a video on all the bullshit that this man caused to the leafs.
He was part owner in the 1960's, and handled a lot of the business side of things. I read in a reliable article that when The Beatles played two shows at Maple Leafs Gardens in the summer of 1964, he actually had the heat put on in the building, and had the water fountains turned off in order to force people to go to the concession stands more often.
You did an excellent job Shannon. I was looking forward to this video and you knock it out of the park. Glad he is gone and not an owner anymore. Thank goodness we don't have anyone like him in the league now.
LMAO! Classic!...one of the best videos you've ever posted!...Gold!... Can't wait for Part 2...and...I was around when Ballard owned the Leafs, there's enough material for even a Part 3!!!
My Great Grandfather was Harold's 1st cousin and was the only person besides Harold who had a key to his private box. When I was young I remember going for Christmas at one of his farms. He was never there and I never ever met him. No other family members were ever invited to see a Leaf game.
Harold Ballard is one of the best people in hockey lore!! I Canadian icon.... If only another just like him would buy the Leafs again.. I owe my childhood and teen happiness to Mr. Harold Ballard!!!! Well, him and Guy Lafleur
Holy wow! Just wow. I think the Nuttings (owners of the Pittsburgh Pirates) should never see this video,otherwise they'll see it as a "hold my beer" moment.
That was hard to sit through, having watched it live all those years ago. Ballard had to be the star, that's why Keon, Sitler, the Banners and Hewitt had to be attacked. How some like Williams and Salming escaped that I don't know. The Leafs weren't supposed to win in '67, they were heading into a rebuild. And rebuild they did. I remember them getting competitive again just as the WHA arrived, and of course that was the end of that. And, they had a good team with Sitler, MacDonald, Salming etc., but Ballard blew that up too. As I said on your Rick Vaive video, I stopped watching the Leafs after MacDonald was traded. It was just too insane. I actually just listened to the news for Ballard's name, hoping that it was about him dying.
Ballard is almost a caricature of what an evil businessman is. It's unbelievable such a person could exist. Question out of curiosity Shannon: would you consider doing a video of Conn Smythe and/or Stafford Smythe?
especially since Conn Smythe is the reason Willie O'Rie broke the color barrier in hockey instead of Herb Carnegie. and Carnegie was way more talented than O'Rie
Of course, in spite of whoever was occupying the General Manager's office at the time, you know who the real General Manager was ! None other than the guy in the Owner's box at Maple Leaf Gardens.
I miss the good ole days. I grow up in the 80’s and about One and a half Hours from Toronto. My Dad was a huge Maple Leafs Fan. I’ll always remember my Dad grumbling every Saturday Night about that old damn cheap Ballard.
However Jacques Lemaire is the reason why we are The L Word. For 56 years, we've been talking, laughing, loving, breathing, fighting, fucking, crying, drinking, writing, winning, losing, cheating, kissing, thinking and dreaming.
Roger Neilson DID wear the bag on his head, he walked out to the bench at the beginning of the game with it on then took it off for a big reveal. There is 100% video of this out there. Edit: I remembered incorrectly, what happened is they delayed him coming out to the bench until almost puck drop for dramatic effect.
@Dr. Andrew M. Goodman You and above commenter are correct, you saying that jogged my memory. Instead of the bag on his head they delayed his walking out to the bench almost right up until puck drop for a dramatic reveal.
@@cudaus1 he didn't - I watched it too on CBC HNIC - they really played it up -- Roger Neilson was not going to embarrass the league and the game by doing that. He knew he would get another coaching job in no time. Of course he wanted to coach the Leafs but he was a young guy and was not going to torpedo his entire career over some carnival act. Remember a lot of these people who were involved in this circus all grew up around Toronto and the Leafs were an institution - they were all of English speaking Canada's team and considered a model of success until this insane criminal became owner.
really makes me be thankful i grew up a pens fan our organization has been run by the best guys on and off the ice eddie johnston craig patrick , mario ...many other classy guys
As a younger Leaf fan, i'm so thankful that I wasn't around during the Ballard Era. However, just hearing what he did to the Leafs made me start seething with anger because of this man. Also, it pisses me off when I see older generation Leaf fans that still sing his praises. For what!? Driving this team down for two decades!? (You could argue even longer) For being notoriously cheap and not paying his players!? For not giving a damn about the teams' history!? For focusing on awful gimmicks to distract us from the team being absolutely atrocious!? And yes, I know there were a few good years, but only a few good years in 20 doesn't cut it. This is why Leaf fans and the franchise get such a bad reputation. It's not the 1967 curse, it's the Harold Ballard curse.
If I was a Leafs fan and met someone that defended Ballard, I would serious question his fandom. The Leafs are still paying for his sheananingans today
I came here after watching Urinatingtree's Legacy of Failure video, and yeah, the more I learn of Ballard, the more I think of him as some grotesque combo of Dan Snyder, Jerry Jones and Art Modell combined.
Quite the story. I've been a Leafs fan all my life of 60 years. This video gives great context to the ups and downs...and the reality of life as a Leafs fan. I just couldn't bear to watch the Leafs any longer throughout the 80s...once Ballard forced all the great players to leave the team. Took me a long while to actually come back and think about supporting the team again.
Lifelong leafs fan here, born 1998 so I missed this. Thank you so much for the exposé, what a creep!! Love you Shannon, regards to the fam and cats and bunnny
The stories of Ballard's time as the major owner of the Leafs are legendary. His battles with the NHL executives over how he ran the team goes way beyond some of current team owners such as Meruelo of the Coyotes or Melnyk of the Sens..Sittler had a no trade clause but said he'd waive it if the Leafs paid him $500k. Instead Ballard traded Lanny McDonald who was one of Sittlers best friends to Colorado which was the worst team in the league. Eventually he waived his NTC and went to Philly. Ballard also created controversy beyond the NHL and CFL. The Beatles were scheduled to play at Maple Leaf Gardens in Aug. 1965. Without telling the band or their management, Ballard sold tickets for a second appearance later the same night. He turned off the air conditioning and the water to the drinking fountains then increased the prices at the concessions. I'd recommend looking at some videos of him on RUclips or Google. Btw I watched the Leafs win in '67.
@@mr.kramer5435 that is ... just incredible. what an example of a terrible person with too much power wow. I'm really happy for you that you got to see them win. God bless u
I had forgotten that I watched this over a year ago. Probably why THG started showing up during training camp this season. Glad I subscribed :) I read a book about the 70s/80s leafs and Ballard, while I was in high school, I didnt know anythihng about him before that. Book came out I think shortly after Ballard died. Took some searching around, i'm 99% sure it was "Maple Leaf Blues: Harold Ballard and the Life and Times of the Toronto Maple Leafs", by William Houston, published in 1990
@@cudaus1Don Cherry has just recently said it - that he had already said yes to coach Colorado - when Ballard called him - he said he would have loved to coach the leafs but he wouldn't go back on his word
Tom Wilson Curse. Plus Leafs fan pays for garbage every time. Ballard proved that. Keep bringing back Wendell Clark proved that. Not having a defense proved that. Maybe Shanahan can break it but not kicking Nylander to the curb doesn’t bode well.
The show that you mentioned with was called Overtime. It was on after Wednesday Leaf games. Dave Hodge was the host and they would talk about the game and Leafs news. Very good show especially when Harold would come on.
Thank you for making this video. I am relatively new to hockey and never heard of ballard before. But this is so hilarious, I am really glad I know of him now.
People like Harold Ballard live so long because Heaven didn't want him and neither did Hell. Contrary to what the Bible says, even Hell has entry standards. 🤣
Great video! Enjoyed and laughed at the history and "entertaining" story of Harold Ballard. Would love to see more about other owners. Kings fan here and throwing the name Bruce McNall for consideration. Thank you, HG!
Question out of curiosity Shannon: how does Harold Ballard compare to the likes of other historically bad owners like Donald Sterling, George Preston Marshall, PK Wrigley, Jeffrey Loria, the Maloof Brothers, the McCaskey Family, Dan Gilbert, Bill Wirtz, the aforementioned Eugene Melnyk, Bob Irsay, Jerry Jones, Art Modell, Fred Wilpon, Marge Schott and the like?
If you looked you could probably find enough for 100 videos. I can still remember him trading Macdonald, worst thing to ever happen to the Leafs. I was and still am a huge Macdonald, Sitler, Salming, Palmeter and Tiger fan. My favourite hockey players of all time.
ROFLOL Ballard makes both Jerry Jones AND Daniel Snyder look completely normal. The guy who used to own the NBA's Clippers up until recently when he embarrassed the NBA reminds me of Ballard.
He was a character!!! He did hated spending money!!! Too say the very least he was interesting!!!! Glad you started forming the beak of your hats!! LOL There are so many stories that you can say about that man!!!
The replica jersey that the Hockey Guy is wearing is incorrect, as Ballard wouldn't authorise the correct Leaf logo to be used on the shoulder patches. Ballard stole my childhood and every other fan of that era's as well, and yes more than 30 years later, I'm still bitter. The only words I ever said to Ballard, was at a Leafs preseason game in Kitchener Ontario, I noticed he and King Clancy high up in the stands. I made my way up to them, pulled a pen and piece of paper out of my jacket and asked: " Excuse me King, could I please have your autograph?" He smiled and wrote his name and gave the pen and paper back to me. Ballard reached for the pen, to which I replied: "Not for all the money in the world." I treasure King's autograph and that moment where I refused Ballard.
Great video, brings back memories .Growing up in Detroit in the seventies I remember a lot of this stuff from watching CBC out of Windsor.Ballard must have loved the attention he got since he seemed to stir the pot on what seemed like a weekly basis.It's no secret he viewed most athletes as spoiled bratty children and treated them as such.He was Hockeys equivalent to George Steinbrenner with the exception that the Yankees were a championship power house in the late seventies.It was Steinbrenner fighting with Billy Martin in the summer and Ballard fighting with Rodger Neilson in the winter.You defiantly should do a part two.Harold Ballard was just too colorful a character for only one video.
@@justinsolomita9283 IIRC, the police officer from Bensenville didn't recognize Ruutu (because no one knew Hawks players back then) and pulled him over. Not sure if it actually had much to do with Wirtz.
How could the man have a Tiger-Cats logo in Toronto!? Christ! The Argos and Ti-Cats are blood rivals and you have the balls to put the logo of a city’s rival team on the ice? Was he high?!
Always love your informative nhl history posts. I’d love to hear from old MLG workers though(there’s a FB group also) on their take on things because there’s a lot of love for old Harold there(guess you don’t bad mouth the boss right? Ha) But there’s also some genuine love there.. as some personality types just got along with Harold more and would defend whatever he did/or say.
my harold ballard story. the time...late 70's, just before christmas. the place.....canucks office at the coliseum on renfrew. the situation....I was spending a few days in the office installing some office equipment and was there long enough to know the clerical staff names, at that time they numbered about a dozen. game day and the canucks are playing the leafs that night. middle of the day office door swings open and harold ballard walks in. I look at him, he looks past me and with a big smile wishes everyone a merry christmas. ballard carried two big shopping bags with him and he starts pulling christmas gifts out of them, each one individually wrapped and addressed to each staff member. he went person to person through the office and presented each of them with their personalized gift and wished them a merry christmas. I stood there shocked because that ran counter to everything I had heard about ballard.
This video is, without a doubt, Hockey Guy's funniest ever video. Shannon was spot on talking about Harold Ballard in this video, and what a disgraceful owner Ballard was. And as it turns out, Shannon's got a wickedly clever sense of humor! 😉😆
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
"women are best in one position on their backs"
Bold comment from a man who looked like he had to pay for it
so did robert kraft
IT SICK IT PISS
IT REVOLTING IT INSULTING
Sickening crossover m'lord. Tis both sick & piss.
Research in the field
Hilarious!
The guy is like 76 years old here. Still feisty & mad as an 18 year old.
Lousy for the Leafs? Yeah... but the Leafs are still a money making machine, so?
After it was announced that Roger Neilson was elected to the hall of fame, Neilson did a press conference in Ottawa and was talking about Ballard....he first looked up, then looked down and said yeah, he's probably down there.....
Where is that video my guy? No keyword are working.
Person Of Interest buff sad GLG
Nuff sad GLG
where
Who's here after UrinatingTree's video about the Maple Leafs.
Me was a great video
Me. Holy bleep. What the heck was the NHL thinking!?
Ditto.
OMG, the wire coming in with perennial bad news 🤣
" Roger get the fu#* out of here!!"
"Tremendously inspiring. A true saint." - Eugene Melnyk
Melnyk ,big pharma demon.
For real, Melnyk is a saint when put side by side with Ballard, and he done some diabolical things
Melnyk fucking Melnyk
Ottawa gave him a liver, in return he screws them over
Forgot James Dolan.
I heard that Ballard once shut off the fountains during a massive heatwave in order to sell more pop
Definitely true as well, want to say it was during a Stones concert. This is sadly a pretty common tactic at a lot of outdoor venues; where they may have 1 or 2 fountains working just to cover their asses. Worked at a Jeremy Jacobs concert venue in high school.
He did it while the Beatles were touring in '64, he turned the heat on in the arena and shut off all the water fountains, and at least doubled the prices on all soft drinks, what a dick 😠
@@tissuebox7817 And only sold it in large size
@@tissuebox7817 he also double-booked the Beatles for the Gardens and didn't bother telling them.
@Eilliw Nodrog that is also true lol he also neglected and alienated countless players and staff who he didn't like, agree with or who didn't like him. And refused to respect and retire many players' jersey numbers to the rafters. I can understand Dave Keon being wounded from ballard all those years 😔
I had a run in with Ballard in the summer of 1983 while waiting to try and meet Roger Waters. He called me a freak because of the way I was dressed and I called him an escapee from the old folks home. Then he banned me for life. Of course I was in the building 2 hours later watching the concert.
Tell the Leafs to f themselves and enjoy the concert.
Why would he even talk to you?
Wait, that was The Wall tour, right? Damn, that's my favorite of theirs
How did it even happen that he talked to you? That alone is pretty weird
@@dusk6159 We were waiting for Roger Waters and Ballard pillée up in his caddy and he had to make a comment on my attire
I saw a comment from UrinatingTree’s video on the “Half-Century of Failure” of the Maple Leafs that said “Harold Ballard makes Eugene Melnyk look like Mike Illitch.”
Melnyk ,big pharma profiteer devil.
I saw Tree himself tweet that
i will forever love UTree's celebration in his video of Harold Ballard dying, a true gift to hockey
Lol yea i never heard of ballard im new to watching nhl but am a fan of UrinatingTree when i watched trees video i learned of harold ballard…….yea what a character of a sports owner smh i pity the leafs fanbase
Jim Gregory, the Leafs' GM immediately before Punch Imlach, was never informed by Ballard that he had been fired. He only found out when a league executive called him and offered him another job.
Yeah, Gregory was such a good man that Lamoriello won two awards after he died.
Jim Gregory was a fantastic GM - he was great at drafting - but the circus that Ballard was ended up with those running players out of town.
We all knew this video was coming.
The Leafs during the Harold Ballard era: too good right now.
Was that supposed to be a UrinatingTree reference?
Yup
A man of culture, then.
Ol Harold!!!! My dad told bad stories about him. Thanks for sharing!
Ballard was bad alright, but Lemaire is the official death of this team.
I lived through this nightmare...what a horrible man.
I feel for you... The Leafs are still paying the price of his ownership
@Far North As a Flyers Fan I Feel Bad For U Guys In Toronto!
He controls you beyond the grave
For those of you that weren't born and a hockey fan during the Ballard era....you have no idea how bad Ballard really was
And I'm grateful for that, even though I can imagine.
Lake of fore for him.
@Clutch28, and for everything you said, you're right and it's true for the young generation. for myself as a non-leafs fan, i loved harold ballard and how he treated the leafs organization correct. personally i wish that modern medicine could have kept him alive today. the 1980's imo was the golden years of leafs hockey LMFAOO 🤣🤣🤣
@@carparthero You do realize that Ballard's ownership also hampered the NHL in efforts for expansion and other things, right? Well, no I don't think you do with how absolutely moronic your "statement" was.
@@Clutch28 it's unfortunate you feel the way you do. you must be a salty curmudgeon leafs fan. that would be understandable to rationalize why you feel the animus you feel LMFAOO 💩
the nhl with or without ballard till his death was a backwater league. str8 up the nhl didn't improve as a business till bettman came around in 1993 with a vison. even then the finances took time to turn around. today the league has never been better. obviously covid has taken a bite into the game but once that rides out, the nhl will be fine as the 4th major sport in the usa.
in solidarity 🍁
11:46 Eugene Melnyk - Challenge Accepted!
😂😂😂
...cant breathe 🤣
Eugene Melnyk is a child angel comparing to Ballard. It's not even comparable. Bettman would have a heart attack if current NHL owners were like Ballard
Melnyk ,big pharma demon.
Ballard had one of the best GM's in the early '70's; Jim Gregory. Gregory put the team together that had Turnbull, Salming, Sittler and McDonald. Ballard fired him. Yes, I also lived through that travesty. Twenty lost years.
Consider this: the only reason that Salming ever played for the Leafs is the fact that Ballard was in jail when they brought him
Ballard didn't fire Gregory. He left the Leafs to become director of Central Scouting for the NHL. Ballard then tried unsuccessfully to hire both Don Cherry and Scotty Bowman to replace both Gregory and Roger Neilson. When he couldn't get either of them, he brought Punch Imlach back, but it was clear he was no longer the same Punch that had built a dynasty in the sixties....
@@johnpat3622 According to Gord Stellick's book, Ballard fired Gregory after the 1979 season, but didn't have the courtesy to tell him to his face. Gregory found out when the NHL called him at his cottage and offered him a job. When Gregory said he was still with the Leafs, the NHL rep said Ballard told NHL head office Imlach was the new GM, and Gregory had been fired, So Gregory took the new job.
I stand corrected. What a hell of a way to find out you're fired. Vintage Ballard.
With all due respect, you may be too young to know the Ernie Moser story of yore. In 1969, Ballard may have not been the de facto owner, but he was the financial muscle of the organization. He inherited jim Gregory, who as you say was an extremely intelligent hockey man. At the time of the 1969 draft, a certain player was still on the board. Jim Gregory and the staff implored ballrd to take this individual at 9. No ... ballard doesn't want him. Draft someone else and they drafted ernie Moser who never played a game in Toronto. Who did Jim Gregory want that ballard did not?... hall of fame centre for the Philadelphia flyers bobby Clarke. Those Philadelphia flyer cups of the 70s are leafs could have been cups because of our lousy owner..
He had his own army of scalper and would send them out to sell tickets on the street a well over double face value.
I need more info on this... I think my dad may have been part of this (when he was like 13-15).
One time he got busted at a Rush concert for scalping, and Ballard got him off the hook and brought him and his scalper buddy backstage...
Not glorifying scalping at all, but I'm curious if he was unwillingly part of a scalping crew run by Ballard
My first boss was kinda like that too. Very emotional and you never knew what's coming.
Hard to work for for a longer period, but I could write a book with really strange stories.
My dad who was Leafs fan up until both Sittler and McDonald were both gone, told me that he when he lived in Etobicoke, ON over 20 years ago he lived in the same apartment building that Ballard lived in prior.
Ioik
didn't Ballard live in an apartment in the gardens -i am pretty sure - he did during the 70s and 80s
When the Beatles played at Maple Leaf Gardens, Ballard raised turned off the a/c so the kids would be sweating and thirsty and buy drinks.
Thought over salted popcorn was Ballard's idea until the Blue Beer Jays started.
and shut off all the water fountains.
You should do Bill Wirtz and his tenure with the Hawks. Very infamous by many Chicago fans to this day
That one will hit home
I think Chicagoans are more willing to forgive the Wirtz family after the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013. Fans will never forgive Harold Ballard for what he did to the Maple Leafs.
@@Sacto1654 You're 100% correct. As a lifelong Leafs fan and Torontonian the Leafs could win the Cup every year and I wouldn't forgive Ballard. I was a fan when he was the owner and the lack of success the team has had over the years I call "the curse of Harold Ballard". I hope they can purge it someday.
@@Sacto1654 - Re: "I think Chicagoans are more willing to forgive the Wirtz family after the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2010 and 2013."
Hey, am I missing something? What about the 2015 Cup? Doesn't that one count, too?
I am old-enough to remember Ballard. Generally-speaking, it's wrong to speak ill of the dead, but there's always an exception - and Ballard is one. He was a mean old man and a real b*stard! If my beloved Blackhawks can't win the 'cup, I'd love to see Leafs Nation win one and go nuts. They've been waiting a long time. As have the Buffalo Sabres - who've now been a half-century in the league, more or less, and have no cups to show for it. Two finals appearances, but that's as close as they have come. I'll never forget watching the famous SC Final game in 1975 when the Flyers and Sabres played game three in the fog at Memorial Colosseum. Buffalo won 3-2 in OT, but the Flyers won the series and the cup.
Getting back to the Wirtz family, Rocky - the old man's son - is everything his dad wasn't. A real breath of fresh air. It was a stroke of genius to mend things with all of the former Blackhawks players - all-time greats - who'd been cast out by the old man, namely Bobby & Dennis Hull, Stan Mikita, Dennis Savard, Tony Esposito, etc. Sure am glad 'Stosh and the Golden Jet got to see the new generation win those cups.... you could tell it meant a great deal to them.
I've been a hockey fan for a long time, maybe fifty-years or even fifty-five (yeah, I'm that old).... and I will always remember reading about the exploits of those great 1950s and 1960s Leafs teams. Dave Keon, Frank Mahovlich, Bobby Baun, Tim Horton, Johnny Bower & Terry Sawchuk, George Armstrong, Bob Pulford, you name it....
This year's Leafs team looks scary. They're loaded. That's the good news for Leafs fans; the bad news is that so are some other teams. It should be another amazing post-season. Can't wait!
@Cold Snap Rocky Wirtz-the rare son who does better than Dad. Now THAT is an owner who cares.
This is one I’ve been waiting for. Thank you Shannon
The Daily Life Of Jay my dad told me stories about how legendarily awful Ballard was. I’m a Red Wings fan btw
One of my best friends is Dave Keons cousin on his fathers side, though he stopped talking to his father 30 years ago (for good reason), so has not seen Dave since - but I have learned that without a doubt, the Ballard resentment for them is/was incredibly intense lol.
First year I played hockey when they ask what number do you want I asked for 14 even though I played defence. He was my favourite player but always heard how bitter he was and would never come back to the Gardens. In those days no one wore 17 so I was disappointed to end up with that number. Wendel would not arrive for years to come.
I've been telling Steve to do a video on this for years and he never did. Thank you for finally making a video on all the bullshit that this man caused to the leafs.
He was part owner in the 1960's, and handled a lot of the business side of things. I read in a reliable article that when The Beatles played two shows at Maple Leafs Gardens in the summer of 1964, he actually had the heat put on in the building, and had the water fountains turned off in order to force people to go to the concession stands more often.
The only time I'm ever excited for a sequel. Shit's gold.
Did anyone notice the adventures of Bear during this video. Good video.
Yes, she stuck right beside the Patrice Bergeron pennant.
Hey, you moved the camera! How can anyone watch me lick myself? Alright, ill move on top of these jerseys...
You did an excellent job Shannon. I was looking forward to this video and you knock it out of the park. Glad he is gone and not an owner anymore. Thank goodness we don't have anyone like him in the league now.
LMAO! Classic!...one of the best videos you've ever posted!...Gold!... Can't wait for Part 2...and...I was around when Ballard owned the Leafs, there's enough material for even a Part 3!!!
Hamilton Tiger cats also.
Dude's an infamous legend.
So are Lou Lamoriello and his friend Jacques Lemaire.
My Great Grandfather was Harold's 1st cousin and was the only person besides Harold who had a key to his private box. When I was young I remember going for Christmas at one of his farms. He was never there and I never ever met him. No other family members were ever invited to see a Leaf game.
Harold Ballard is one of the best people in hockey lore!! I Canadian icon.... If only another just like him would buy the Leafs again.. I owe my childhood and teen happiness to Mr. Harold Ballard!!!! Well, him and Guy Lafleur
Not Jacques Lemaire, though. Not only did he make Lafleur request a trade out, but his debut is what caused Toronto to go through these dark times.
Your joking…..ballard ruined the leafs
@@calebkent6706 i think you are missing the point - that he is a habs fan
Holy wow! Just wow. I think the Nuttings (owners of the Pittsburgh Pirates) should never see this video,otherwise they'll see it as a "hold my beer" moment.
“We’re gonna need a bigger board” ...
That's the thing about a Ballard. It's got dead eyes, lifeless eyes, like a doll's eyes...
That was hard to sit through, having watched it live all those years ago. Ballard had to be the star, that's why Keon, Sitler, the Banners and Hewitt had to be attacked. How some like Williams and Salming escaped that I don't know. The Leafs weren't supposed to win in '67, they were heading into a rebuild. And rebuild they did. I remember them getting competitive again just as the WHA arrived, and of course that was the end of that. And, they had a good team with Sitler, MacDonald, Salming etc., but Ballard blew that up too. As I said on your Rick Vaive video, I stopped watching the Leafs after MacDonald was traded. It was just too insane. I actually just listened to the news for Ballard's name, hoping that it was about him dying.
Haha Haha ( about Ballard)
Salming escaped due to a couple of things: the timing of his arrival (when Ballard was arrested) and the lack of free agency
One of the best days in not just Leafs Nation, but the entire Hockey world, was the day that P.O.S finally kicked the bucket.
@@zjakoanwkqoqldndoo9264 "What's this, a message for us? It says...oh my God, it's a miracle! CONGRATULATIONS, HAROLD BALLARD IS FINALLY DEAD!"
In Börje Salmings self biography there`s a lot to read about Ballard running the Leafs like it was a circus.
Salming is way too kind to Ballard in that biography. Probably because Ballard seemed to have a liking towards Börje, much like with Tiger Williams.
@@brienneoffuckingtarth5362 Really? I thought he hated Europeans?
Read Milos Frycers book. He's actually complimentary about Ballard. Only time I've ever seen such a thing.
Ballard covered up Salming's constant sinus problems which was really a cocaine problem...
@@o.d.flores1219 Yes Salming did have an issue but later became a fitness nut.
Ballard is almost a caricature of what an evil businessman is. It's unbelievable such a person could exist. Question out of curiosity Shannon: would you consider doing a video of Conn Smythe and/or Stafford Smythe?
especially since Conn Smythe is the reason Willie O'Rie broke the color barrier in hockey instead of Herb Carnegie. and Carnegie was way more talented than O'Rie
Part 2, please. I love being a Leaf fan.
Only make it about Jacques Lemaire. When he joined the league in the '67 offseason, everything turned to shit.
There was also a revolving door of head coaches and general managers during the Ballard Era
Of course, in spite of whoever was occupying the General Manager's office at the time, you know who the real General Manager was ! None other than the guy in the Owner's box at Maple Leaf Gardens.
I miss the good ole days. I grow up in the 80’s and about One and a half Hours from Toronto. My Dad was a huge Maple Leafs Fan. I’ll always remember my Dad grumbling every Saturday Night about that old damn cheap Ballard.
However Jacques Lemaire is the reason why we are The L Word. For 56 years, we've been talking, laughing, loving, breathing, fighting, fucking, crying, drinking, writing, winning, losing, cheating, kissing, thinking and dreaming.
Roger Neilson DID wear the bag on his head, he walked out to the bench at the beginning of the game with it on then took it off for a big reveal. There is 100% video of this out there.
Edit: I remembered incorrectly, what happened is they delayed him coming out to the bench until almost puck drop for dramatic effect.
I watched that game on CBC, and I don't believe he wore it. I think Roger mentioned later that he decided not to do it. I could be wrong though.
@Dr. Andrew M. Goodman You and above commenter are correct, you saying that jogged my memory. Instead of the bag on his head they delayed his walking out to the bench almost right up until puck drop for a dramatic reveal.
@@cudaus1 You are correct, thank you for calling me on my bullshit.
No he didn’t wear it. There’s a video of him returning the next game and his curly locks are fully visible.
@@cudaus1 he didn't - I watched it too on CBC HNIC - they really played it up -- Roger Neilson was not going to embarrass the league and the game by doing that. He knew he would get another coaching job in no time. Of course he wanted to coach the Leafs but he was a young guy and was not going to torpedo his entire career over some carnival act. Remember a lot of these people who were involved in this circus all grew up around Toronto and the Leafs were an institution - they were all of English speaking Canada's team and considered a model of success until this insane criminal became owner.
really makes me be thankful i grew up a pens fan our organization has been run by the best guys on and off the ice eddie johnston craig patrick , mario ...many other classy guys
And one of the best coaches in history, "Badger" Bob Johnson
what about when the Pens went bankrupt and nearly moved??
The late great Red Storey deserves his own video. Hell of a good dude.
Someone please send the link to this video to Steve Dangle.
Why? Do you think he doesn't know about Harold Ballard?
@@rivahkillah He didn't know some of those stories Adam told him on one podcast. I'm sure he hasn't heard them all.
As a younger Leaf fan, i'm so thankful that I wasn't around during the Ballard Era. However, just hearing what he did to the Leafs made me start seething with anger because of this man. Also, it pisses me off when I see older generation Leaf fans that still sing his praises. For what!? Driving this team down for two decades!? (You could argue even longer) For being notoriously cheap and not paying his players!? For not giving a damn about the teams' history!? For focusing on awful gimmicks to distract us from the team being absolutely atrocious!? And yes, I know there were a few good years, but only a few good years in 20 doesn't cut it. This is why Leaf fans and the franchise get such a bad reputation. It's not the 1967 curse, it's the Harold Ballard curse.
JuniorNationFan Thanks Yes Amen
Ballard's stench still haunts the team to this day, and I doubt that it will ever truly fade completely
Who defends him? I've yet to meet anyone!
If I was a Leafs fan and met someone that defended Ballard, I would serious question his fandom.
The Leafs are still paying for his sheananingans today
Going back to my days in the 'Old Days' of hockey. Excellent work as always, talk about doing a little research?
I came here after watching Urinatingtree's Legacy of Failure video, and yeah, the more I learn of Ballard, the more I think of him as some grotesque combo of Dan Snyder, Jerry Jones and Art Modell combined.
Hilarious! Loved the video, thanks THG!
Quite the story. I've been a Leafs fan all my life of 60 years. This video gives great context to the ups and downs...and the reality of life as a Leafs fan. I just couldn't bear to watch the Leafs any longer throughout the 80s...once Ballard forced all the great players to leave the team. Took me a long while to actually come back and think about supporting the team again.
Yes, make a part 2. I Love it. Don't worry about the time, the longer the better.
I genuinely burst into laughter when he said everyone but leaf fans can thank Harold lmfao! true
I used to work down the street from MLG on Carlton. When Ballard died, there was a viewing at the Gardens so I went to make sure it was true.
Lifelong leafs fan here, born 1998 so I missed this. Thank you so much for the exposé, what a creep!! Love you Shannon, regards to the fam and cats and bunnny
The stories of Ballard's time as the major owner of the Leafs are legendary. His battles with the NHL executives over how he ran the team goes way beyond some of current team owners such as Meruelo of the Coyotes or Melnyk of the Sens..Sittler had a no trade clause but said he'd waive it if the Leafs paid him $500k. Instead Ballard traded Lanny McDonald who was one of Sittlers best friends to Colorado which was the worst team in the league. Eventually he waived his NTC and went to Philly. Ballard also created controversy beyond the NHL and CFL. The Beatles were scheduled to play at Maple Leaf Gardens in Aug. 1965. Without telling the band or their management, Ballard sold tickets for a second appearance later the same night. He turned off the air conditioning and the water to the drinking fountains then increased the prices at the concessions. I'd recommend looking at some videos of him on RUclips or Google. Btw I watched the Leafs win in '67.
@@mr.kramer5435 that is ... just incredible. what an example of a terrible person with too much power wow. I'm really happy for you that you got to see them win. God bless u
I had forgotten that I watched this over a year ago. Probably why THG started showing up during training camp this season. Glad I subscribed :) I read a book about the 70s/80s leafs and Ballard, while I was in high school, I didnt know anythihng about him before that. Book came out I think shortly after Ballard died.
Took some searching around, i'm 99% sure it was "Maple Leaf Blues: Harold Ballard and the Life and Times of the Toronto Maple Leafs", by William Houston, published in 1990
Don Cherry and Harold admired each other, kind of naturally.
Harold just missed getting Cherry to coach the Leafs before he went to Colorado.
Of course.
@@cudaus1Don Cherry has just recently said it - that he had already said yes to coach Colorado - when Ballard called him - he said he would have loved to coach the leafs but he wouldn't go back on his word
I grew up during this era. Worst owner ever. He’s why the Leafs never play in June
Well maybe he was then but how do you explain the last 20 years?
Tom Wilson Curse. Plus Leafs fan pays for garbage every time. Ballard proved that. Keep bringing back Wendell Clark proved that. Not having a defense proved that. Maybe Shanahan can break it but not kicking Nylander to the curb doesn’t bode well.
Ricky AZ Shanahan and Dubas already messed everything up for the leafs again.
Old Ballard haunts the team lol
Yup, the Chicago Cubs actually looked respectable by comparison.
Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula are in the NHL on a Harold Ballard Fellowship.....
All the points you have made are correct thank you for this video
The show that you mentioned with was called Overtime. It was on after Wednesday Leaf games. Dave Hodge was the host and they would talk about the game and Leafs news. Very good show especially when Harold would come on.
I think I remember the reporter Dick Bedoes with his fedora coming on that show too. Ballard liked him cause Bedoes was always boosting his ego.
Underrated video, super entertaining
After watching trees video, i get the feeling he saw this.
Thank you for making this video. I am relatively new to hockey and never heard of ballard before. But this is so hilarious, I am really glad I know of him now.
Love the deep dives into NHL history.
And this guy lived over 86 years! Oh my, God does have a sense of humor!
People like Harold Ballard live so long because Heaven didn't want him and neither did Hell. Contrary to what the Bible says, even Hell has entry standards. 🤣
@@davester1970 Be evil enough and you get away with a senseless limbo!
So maybe the Leafs curse will end after 86 years lol
I mean, this guy called Henry Kissinger is 100 and ask anyone who knows history and what he did you know that’s a cruel joke lol
Great video! Enjoyed and laughed at the history and "entertaining" story of Harold Ballard. Would love to see more about other owners. Kings fan here and throwing the name Bruce McNall for consideration. Thank you, HG!
Bruce was a crook but he wasn't mean and cheap
Thanks for memories. Harold was one of a kind. Great video
Omg this was great😂😂😂 one of the best THG videos for sure. Part 2 please.
Question out of curiosity Shannon: how does Harold Ballard compare to the likes of other historically bad owners like Donald Sterling, George Preston Marshall, PK Wrigley, Jeffrey Loria, the Maloof Brothers, the McCaskey Family, Dan Gilbert, Bill Wirtz, the aforementioned Eugene Melnyk, Bob Irsay, Jerry Jones, Art Modell, Fred Wilpon, Marge Schott and the like?
Thumbs up for Quorthon.
The worst North American sports owner of all time. Not even Snyder and Dolan have the balls to outdo them.
Waiting for that part two on Harold Ballard with anticipation.
If you looked you could probably find enough for 100 videos. I can still remember him trading Macdonald, worst thing to ever happen to the Leafs. I was and still am a huge Macdonald, Sitler, Salming, Palmeter and Tiger fan. My favourite hockey players of all time.
Great job. As a young Buffalo native, I always looked up to the Leafs. Just thought he was the old guy sitting in the corner
Watched that Fifth Estate on Ballard. That guy was a huge prick. Great video Shannon.
ROFLOL Ballard makes both Jerry Jones AND Daniel Snyder look completely normal. The guy who used to own the NBA's Clippers up until recently when he embarrassed the NBA reminds me of Ballard.
Harold Ballard: the personification of a stereotypical rich old white man
"White man"?!?!
He said racist comments
no point in putting a good product on the ice when every home game was a sellout
Hamilton Tiger-Cats logo at Toronto Maple Leafs centre ice in Maple Leaf Gardens sounds like a Harold Ballard move for sure!
He was a character!!! He did hated spending money!!! Too say the very least he was interesting!!!! Glad you started forming the beak of your hats!! LOL There are so many stories that you can say about that man!!!
The curse of Harold "Scrooge" Ballard is a real thing!!
Jacques Lemaire is the real Scrooge.
As in Scrooge McDuck?
Another video would be great!!!
Gee I'm glad I found this video, I saw Ballard the old jerk in his hey day, you brought back many memories of that old fool.
The replica jersey that the Hockey Guy is wearing is incorrect, as Ballard wouldn't authorise the correct Leaf logo to be used on the shoulder patches. Ballard stole my childhood and every other fan of that era's as well, and yes more than 30 years later, I'm still bitter.
The only words I ever said to Ballard, was at a Leafs preseason game in Kitchener Ontario, I noticed he and King Clancy high up in the stands. I made my way up to them, pulled a pen and piece of paper out of my jacket and asked: " Excuse me King, could I please have your autograph?" He smiled and wrote his name and gave the pen and paper back to me. Ballard reached for the pen, to which I replied: "Not for all the money in the world." I treasure King's autograph and that moment where I refused Ballard.
Great video, brings back memories .Growing up in Detroit in the seventies I remember a lot of this stuff from watching CBC out of Windsor.Ballard must have loved the attention he got since he seemed to stir the pot on what seemed like a weekly basis.It's no secret he viewed most athletes as spoiled bratty children and treated them as such.He was Hockeys equivalent to George Steinbrenner with the exception that the Yankees were a championship power house in the late seventies.It was Steinbrenner fighting with Billy Martin in the summer and Ballard fighting with Rodger Neilson in the winter.You defiantly should do a part two.Harold Ballard was just too colorful a character for only one video.
shanon thank you very much for this video if you make a part 2 i'm ready XD
Harold "Bah Humbug" Ballard
More like *Henry F. Potter* 🤑 At least *Ebenezer Scrooge* learned the error of his ways
The cat LOL
Bill Wirtz video next please!
@@justinsolomita9283 IIRC, the police officer from Bensenville didn't recognize Ruutu (because no one knew Hawks players back then) and pulled him over. Not sure if it actually had much to do with Wirtz.
How about a petition to the Hall of Fame to remove Ballard?
sdgakatbk Thanks Yes Amen
Yes, the irony that he is in there as a builder is not lost on me.
@@richardfewer9348 reeeeee !
Really! Why is he in the HHOF? It would be like the NBA putting Donald Sterling in their hall of fame.
If he was still the owner and the Leafs won the Cup (bear with me here) the Stanley Cup would end up on ebay. Bettman would be furious.
Thanks for doing this. Go Leafs Go!
He even took a picture with the Tiger-Cats logo on the ice XD
He had a jacket that was half Leafs color and half Ti-Cats color.
Don't forget his footprints cast into the concrete at centre ice at Maple Leaf Gardens.
How could the man have a Tiger-Cats logo in Toronto!? Christ! The Argos and Ti-Cats are blood rivals and you have the balls to put the logo of a city’s rival team on the ice? Was he high?!
I just googled and there are several books on the man. You should pick one up used, cause that’s what Harold would do!
Great vid, it made me laugh multiple times
Always love your informative nhl history posts. I’d love to hear from old MLG workers though(there’s a FB group also) on their take on things because there’s a lot of love for old Harold there(guess you don’t bad mouth the boss right? Ha) But there’s also some genuine love there.. as some personality types just got along with Harold more and would defend whatever he did/or say.
Your sigh at 0:01 could honestly have been the entire video.
Were the original banners ever bought back or returned by the buyers? Is it known where they are today?
my harold ballard story. the time...late 70's, just before christmas. the place.....canucks office at the coliseum on renfrew. the situation....I was spending a few days in the office installing some office equipment and was there long enough to know the clerical staff names, at that time they numbered about a dozen. game day and the canucks are playing the leafs that night. middle of the day office door swings open and harold ballard walks in. I look at him, he looks past me and with a big smile wishes everyone a merry christmas. ballard carried two big shopping bags with him and he starts pulling christmas gifts out of them, each one individually wrapped and addressed to each staff member. he went person to person through the office and presented each of them with their personalized gift and wished them a merry christmas. I stood there shocked because that ran counter to everything I had heard about ballard.
Harold Ballard makes Jerry Jones look like a saint.
Good video! You should do more like this. Entertaining history!
Also this gives me a new found respect and love for Kroenke
This video is, without a doubt, Hockey Guy's funniest ever video. Shannon was spot on talking about Harold Ballard in this video, and what a disgraceful owner Ballard was. And as it turns out, Shannon's got a wickedly clever sense of humor! 😉😆