The Life and Times of Tim Horton
...feet of snow in forty below zero.” However, even without his parents’ encouragement, Tim played hockey persistently. Growing Up and Playing Hockey Tim Horton began playing hockey at the age of 5, when his family moved to Duparquet, Quebec. Since he was born during the Great Depression, hockey was not only his way of having fun, but an escape from his family’s extreme poverty. His family returned to Cochrane in 1938. He continued playing hockey there until he was about 15 years old. In 1945, his family moved again--this time to Sudbury. It was that year, at the age of 15, that Tim earned a position on the Copper Cliff Redmen team of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association (1946-47). In 1947, Tim enrolled in the St. Michael’s Majors junior hockey team. By 1949, at the age of 19, Tim began playing hockey professionally. Tim’s Hockey Career Tim Horton’s professional career began when Conn Smythe, the boss of the Leafs, offered him a three-year contract to play with the Pittsburgh Hornets. Horton played three seasons with the Hornets (1949-52). In 1952 Tim began his rookie season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was recognized as one of the greatest defencemen in NHL history. During the 18 years he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, he gained a huge amount of recognition for his flawless defenceman skills. He also proved himself to be strong and persistent throughout his hockey career. In 1955 Tim Horton was a victim of one of the most brutal hits in NHL history. During a game, he collided with New York Rangers’ Bill Gadsby; as a result, he fractured his right leg and jaw. Dr. Hugh Smythe, who examined Horton before he was sent to the hospital, told the press, “He must have been suffering terrible pain but there wasn’t a complaint out of him.” Unfortunately, he did not play again until the partway through the following season. Horton also contributed greatly towards the four winnings of the Stanley Cup during his time with the Leafs. He was considered the anchor of the Leafs’ defence for all four Stanley Cups (1962-1964, 1967). Halfway through his last season with the Maple Leafs, Horton was traded for Guy Trottier and Denis Dupere to play for the New York Rangers. In 1968 and 1969 he won the Bicknell Cup as the Most Valuable Player. He was also an All-Star Player six times. He continued playing for the Rangers for one and a half seasons, until he later switched to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1971. Shortly after, Tim accepted an offer made to him by Punch Imlach--the Buffalo Sabres general manager-coach. Tim was offered a powerful Ford Pantera sports car, and didn’t refuse to accept the deal. He played two successful seasons with the Buffalo Sabres (72/73,73/74). During those seasons, he played a major role in helping improve the skills of the team’s younger players. Family Life Tim Horton first met his wife Lori Michalek in 1949, while playing for the Hornets in Pittsburgh. They got married on April 17th 1954, in Pittsburgh. They had four girls, and remained a happy family throughout the years. Starting Up the Donut Chain Although Tim Horton was very engaged in his hockey career, he decided to start up a donut chain called Tim Hortons. He started up the franchise with Ron Joyce, a former police officer and a good friend of his. Together, they opened their first coffee shop on Ottawa Street in Hamilton, Ontario; it was a great success. By 1967, they had opened up two more stores, which were also a great success. There were 33 locations made by 1973, and presently there are over 1700 Tim Hortons locations across Canada. Tim Hortons has earned Canada recognition for having more donut shops per capita than any other country (followed by Japan). An Unexpected and Tragic Death While Tim was playing a successful season with the Buffalo Sabres, he hit his sudden death while driving home from a Sabres game in Toronto. On February 21st, 1974, he was driving h...