Conn Smythe
Conn Smythe was a notable Canadian figure born on February 1, 1895, in Toronto, Ontario. He initially pursued an education in engineering at the University of Toronto, where he also excelled in various sports, including hockey. After enlisting in the army during World War I, Smythe demonstrated bravery on the battlefield and was awarded a Military Cross. Following the war, he transitioned into a successful career in hockey, coaching the University of Toronto's team and eventually the Canadian men's ice hockey team that won a gold medal at the 1928 Winter Olympics.
Smythe is most renowned for his influential role with the Toronto Maple Leafs, a team he transformed from the Toronto St. Patricks, leading them to seven Stanley Cup championships. He was instrumental in building Maple Leaf Gardens and promoting the nationwide broadcasting of games. His legacy includes the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded annually to the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Beyond hockey, Smythe was also a successful thoroughbred breeder and was involved in charitable work. He passed away on November 18, 1980, leaving behind a lasting impact on Canadian sports and culture.
Subject Terms
Conn Smythe
Hockey executive
- Born: February 1, 1895
- Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
- Died: November 18, 1980
- Place of death: Caledon, Ontario
Contribution: Conn Smythe was a legendary figure in Canadian ice hockey, best known as the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the storied franchise that he led to seven Stanley Cup victories, and builder of Maple Leaf Gardens. To honor his contributions to professional hockey, the coveted Conn Smythe Trophy is given annually to the National Hockey League player considered the most valuable to his team in the postseason. Smythe is also remembered for his military service in the two world wars and for his philanthropic work.
Early Life and Education
Constantine Falkland Cary Smythe was born on February 1, 1895, in Toronto, Ontario. He was one of two children born to Albert Smythe and Mary Adelaide Constantine. Smythe was educated at the Jarvis Collegiate Institute, where he played rugby, football, and basketball as well as ice hockey. Beginning in 1912, Smythe studied engineering at the University of Toronto. As center and captain, Smythe took the university’s varsity hockey squad to the 1914 Ontario Hockey Association junior championships.
After enlisting in the army in 1915, Smythe continued to play until his artillery unit was sent overseas in 1916. Smythe fought near the Somme in France, earning a Military Cross for his bravery. In 1917, after having transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, Smythe was shot down and captured by German troops. He was held as a prisoner of war for the remainder of World War I.
After the war, Smythe received a degree in civil engineering from the University of Toronto in 1920 and started a sand and gravel business.
Hockey Career
Smythe began coaching varsity hockey at the University of Toronto, which led him to be hired by the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League, though he was fired before the team played a single game. Smythe continued coaching for the University of Toronto and even coached a senior-level team of university graduates that won the Allan Cup, the trophy annually awarded to the country’s champion senior-level amateur men’s hockey team. Smythe also coached the gold medal–winning Canadian men’s ice hockey team at the 1928 Winter Olympics.
Although Smythe was instrumental in establishing the New York Rangers franchise in 1926, he is most renowned for his roles as coach and owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, which had been the Toronto St. Patricks until Smythe acquired the team. Under his guidance, the Maple Leafs won seven Stanley Cup championships, taking home the cup in 1932, 1942, 1945, 1947–49, and 1951.
Smythe was responsible for building the arena Maple Leaf Gardens in 1931 and introduced nationwide broadcasting of Maple Leafs games. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and served as its chair for a decade. In 1964, the Conn Smythe Trophy was established as an award given each year to the best player throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.
At the beginning of World War II, when he was forty-five, Smythe returned to the Canadian army, overseeing an antiaircraft battalion. He was made an officer and served in England and France, where he was seriously wounded.
In 1958, Smythe was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A renowned breeder of thoroughbreds—as an owner, he won 131 stakes races—Smythe was also inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1977.
Personal Life
Smythe married Irene Sands in 1920; the couple had two sons and two daughters. He was involved in charity work, particularly with the Ontario Society for Crippled Children. Smythe also wrote an autobiography, Conn Smythe: If You Can’t Beat ’Em in the Alley, which was published posthumously. He died on November 18, 1980, in Caledon, Ontario.
Bibliography
Hornby, Lance. The Story of Maple Leaf Gardens. Champaign: Sports, 1998. Print.
McKinley, Michael. Hockey: A People’s History. New York: Random, 2009. Print.
McParland, Kelly. The Lives of Conn Smythe: From the Battlefield to Maple Leaf Gardens. New York: Random, 2012. Print.
Shoalts, David. Tales from the Toronto Maple Leafs Locker Room. New York: Skyhorse, 2012. Print.
Smythe, Conn. Conn Smythe: If You Can’t Beat ’Em in the Alley. Toronto: McClelland, 1981. Print.