Charles Querrie & J.P. Bickell Owners of the Toronto St. Pats which became the Toronto Maple Leafs

On my walk through Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto, I discovered the grave of Charles Querrie — Markham-born athlete, businessman, and majority owner of the Toronto St. Patricks.

Before hockey made him a notable figure, Charles Querrie was an outstanding lacrosse player, widely regarded as one of the best of his era. But it’s through hockey history that his name truly endures.

As majority owner and manager of the Toronto St. Patricks, Querrie helped the team capture several Stanley Cups in the early days of the NHL. But by 1927, financial pressures mounted, and a sale was inevitable.

Enter Conn Smythe, who, along with a group of investors — including J.P. Bickell, a wealthy stockbroker and minority owner — purchased the team. That historic sale marked the birth of a new era:
The Toronto Maple Leafs were born.

Charles Querrie died in Toronto on April 5, 1950, at the age of 72.
J.P. Bickell, millionaire by age 30 and a quiet powerhouse behind the Leafs’ early success, died in New York City on August 22, 1951. He was 66.