Lionel Conacher Half Century sports hero
On my walk with puck in hand through the peaceful, sloping grounds of St. John’s York Mills Churchyard, I came upon the grave of one of Canada’s most remarkable figures—Lionel “Big Train” Conacher, the greatest all-around athlete this country produced in the first half of the 20th century.
Born in Toronto to a working-class family, the son of a teamster, Lionel Conacher grew up near Jesse Ketchum Public School—where he first tasted sport. (Fittingly, the same school educated Edmund Burke, whom I profiled recently). Lionel excelled in football, lacrosse, baseball, boxing, wrestling, hockey, and track & field—a generational, multi-sport phenom the likes of which we may never see again.
His first love was football. As a backfielder and kicker with the Toronto Argonauts in the 1930s, he earned the nickname “Big Train” for his powerful, bruising running style. Standing 6’2”, he towered over most men of the era—the average Canadian male in the early 20th century stood around 5’7”. Conacher was, quite literally, a human locomotive on the field.
Amazingly, he didn’t even lace up skates until age 16, while most kids started skating by age 7. But true to form, he defied every norm. Soon, he was anchoring the blue line in the NHL, suiting up for the:
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Pittsburgh Pirates
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New York Americans
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Montreal Maroons
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And finally, the Chicago Black Hawks, with whom he won the 1934 Stanley Cup and finished second in Hart Trophy voting that same year.
Not done yet—Conacher also played professional baseball with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League, winning the Little World Series against the Louisville Colonels.
After conquering the world of sport, Lionel turned to public service, entering both provincial and federal politics under the Liberal banner. He represented Toronto-Trinity in Ottawa, continuing to serve the public with the same passion and integrity he brought to the field and rink.
Tragically, on May 26, 1954, during a friendly baseball game on the front lawn of Parliament Hill—between sitting MPs and members of the parliamentary press gallery—Conacher collapsed and died rounding the bases. He was only 54.
1900-1954
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