Thomas Francis Ryan

Thomas F. Ryan was born on January 1, 1872, in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Irish immigrants who ran a hotel and a livery stable. He left school at 14 and worked as a clerk, a telegraph operator, and a salesman. He moved to Toronto in 1892 and became a successful businessman in various fields, such as real estate, insurance, and finance. He was also a sports enthusiast and a promoter of various sports events and teams. He introduced the first 10-pin bowling alley in Canada in 1905 and attracted many prominent businessmen and professionals to his downtown Toronto facility. He also owned and operated several other bowling alleys, billiard halls, and amusement parks. He was involved in the development of professional hockey in Canada and was one of the founders of the National Hockey Association, the predecessor of the National Hockey League. He also owned and managed the Toronto Blueshirts, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Toronto St. Patricks hockey teams. He was also a supporter of baseball, lacrosse, boxing, and horse racing. He built and owned the Maple Leaf Stadium, the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team. He also owned and bred several racehorses, including the Canadian Derby winner Bunty Lawless. He was a philanthropist who donated to various causes and organizations, such as the Hospital for Sick Children, the Salvation Army, and the Boy Scouts. He wrote an autobiography in 1950, titled The Story of My Life. He died on November 19, 1961, in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 89. He was buried at the Mount Hope Cemetery. He was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1975. He is regarded as one of the most influential Canadian businessmen and sports promoters of the 20th century.