Conn Smythe

Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe, MC (/ˈsmaɪθ/; February 1, 1895 – November 18, 1980) was a Canadian businessman, soldier and sportsman in ice hockey and horse racing. He is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1927 to 1961 and as the builder of Maple Leaf Gardens. As owner of the Leafs during numerous championship years, his name appears on the Stanley Cup eight times: 1932, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1962.\n', '

Smythe is also known for having served in both World Wars, organizing his own artillery battery in the Second World War. The horses of Smythe\'s racing stable won the Queen\'s Plate twice among 145 stakes race wins during his lifetime. Smythe started and ran a successful sand and gravel business. He was a big supporter of the Ontario Society for Crippled Children and the Variety Club and founded the C…