Jack and Lynne Dominico owners of baseball Toronto Maple Leafs

The Heart of Christie Pits: Remembering Jack and Lynne Dominico

On my walk through Park Lawn Cemetery in Toronto, I discovered the grave of Jack Dominico and his beloved wife, Lynne — the longtime owners of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club.

In 1969, Jack and Lynne purchased the team just a year after the demise of Toronto’s only Triple-A franchise, once owned by the colourful Jack Kent Cooke. Though the league changed, the team kept its name — the Toronto Maple Leafs — and joined the Ontario-based Intercounty Baseball League (IBL), calling Christie Pits their new home. That field is now fittingly named Dominico Field.

Remarkably, the Leafs had just one losing season — in that inaugural 1969 campaign — but quickly rebounded, winning their first IBL championship three years later. Under Jack and Lynne’s leadership, the Leafs would go on to capture seven more titles, building a local dynasty and a loyal fanbase along the way.

Jack with Lynne and the dynasty they both managed since they purchased The Leafs in 1969.

Former Leafs manager described Jack best:

“He was the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club. Sunday at two o’clock at Christie Pits was a show. It was like church. That was his thing, and he loved doing it.”

The club also served as a springboard for future Major Leaguers, including Peter Orr, Paul Spoljaric, and brothers Rob and Rich Butler — all of whom proudly wore the blue and white.

Lynne Dominico passed away in 2008. And on January 11, 2022, Toronto lost Jack Dominico — a former North Bay Nugget and Etobicoke Guardian ad man, tireless promoter, and the eternal 50/50 ticket seller. He was 82.

1937-2008 (Lynne)

1940-2022 (Jack)

Return visit with Jack’s dates inscribed.