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They were thus able to stage a proxy war and regain control of the board in 1970. Smythe was once again appointed president. Facing an untenable situation, Bassett sold his shares in the
Gardens to Smythe and Ballard for $ 6 million in 1971. Ballard would be convicted of tax evasion, but Smythe died of a bleeding ulcer at age 50 just before his trial was scheduled to begin. Ballard took control of the Leafs in 1972, winning a battle with members of Smythe's family for ownership of Smythe's shares.
322:, won the trophy four times in their first six seasons under the new owners. Profitability was increased through expanded seating capacity at Maple Leaf Gardens and the sale of advertising to sponsors throughout the building. Stafford Smythe name appears on the Stanley Cup 5 times - 1932 (as Mascot), 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967 (as President) all with Toronto. In 1932 Smythe became youngest person engraved on the Stanley Cup at age 11.
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310:—both members of the Silver Seven—Stafford Smythe bought control of the Maple Leafs from his father, paying $ 2.3 million for 45,000 of his father's 50,000 shares. Conn later claimed that he believed he was only selling the team to his son, but it is not likely that Stafford would have been able to raise the money on his own. Stafford succeeded his father as president of
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Just before the charges were laid, Bassett, who had succeeded Conn Smythe as chairman of the board in 1962, argued to the board that Smythe and
Ballard should be removed from their posts. Following an 8–7 vote of the board of directors on June 26, 1969; Smythe and Ballard were both fired, and Bassett
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However, Bassett did not force Smythe and
Ballard to sell their shares, and both men remained on the board. This proved to be a serious strategic blunder; Smythe was the largest single shareholder in Maple Leaf Gardens, and he and Ballard controlled almost half the company's stock between them.
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raid at the
Gardens in 1968, Smythe was charged with income tax evasion and accused, along with Ballard, of illegally taking money from Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. to pay for renovations of their houses and other personal expenses.
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and governor of the Maple Leafs. Ballard, who had fronted most of the purchase money, became executive vice-president and alternate governor. Bassett became vice-chairman of the
Gardens board of directors.
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In March 1957, Smythe became chairman of a seven-person committee appointed by his father to run hockey operations for the Leafs. He had been a critic of assistant
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was appointed president of the
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Stafford frequently clashed with his father over the next few years. However, in
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where he graduated with an engineering degree. He played one season with the
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hockey team from 1961–1969 and from 1970 until his death.
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318:The Leafs, who had gone 11 years without winning a
210:(March 15, 1921 – October 13, 1971) was the son of
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494:until 1970 and with Harold Ballard until 1972)
366:Conn Smythe: If you can't beat 'em in the alley
528:Royal Canadian Navy personnel of World War II
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368:. Toronto, Ontario: McClelland and Stewart.
538:Canadian people of Northern Ireland descent
452:General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs
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109:Learn how and when to remove this message
16:Canadian ice hockey executive (1921–1971)
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422:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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548:Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
350:, awarded annually to the MVP of the
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583:20th-century American businesspeople
354:tournament, is named in his honour.
47:adding citations to reliable sources
364:Smythe, Conn; Young, Scott (1981).
248:Varsity Blues men's ice hockey team
533:Canadian people of English descent
242:in the 1930s and then went to the
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553:National Hockey League executives
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348:Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy
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482:Toronto Maple Leafs
263:Royal Canadian Navy
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543:Deaths from ulcers
492:John W. H. Bassett
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312:Maple Leaf Gardens
308:John W. H. Bassett
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523:1971 deaths
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474:Conn Smythe
440:Conn Smythe
320:Stanley Cup
226:Early years
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358:References
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