Post by Big Tee© on Jul 15, 2007 9:37:15 GMT -5
July 15, 2007
Larger than life hockey player and harness racing figure John Ferguson died last night after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. He was 68.
Ferguson was a rough-and-tumble forward who went on to become a successful executive. He is survived by his wife, Joan, with whom he lived in Windsor. Their son, John Ferguson Jr., is GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2005. He thought he had it beat at one point.
"My father battled cancer with the same spirit in which he played the game of hockey," said Ferguson Jr., in a release. "He showed courage, strength, class and tremendous character. He had deep appreciation for the support he'd received from so many people beginning with his initial diagnosis.''
His spirited play helped the Montreal Canadiens win five Stanley Cups.
He took his post as president and chief executive officer of Windsor Raceway in April 1989 after his career in the NHL. He was 50 years old at the time, and had simultaneously been involved with harness racing for the previous 30 years, during his hockey career.
John Burns, a long-time friend to Ferguson, and John Hayes Sr. set up meetings between Tom Joy, who was at the time the new owner of the racetrack, and Ferguson. His tenure at Windsor Raceway ended in the Summer of 1990.
Ferguson grew up in Vancouver, and his father trained thoroughbreds at Exhibition Park.
Ferguson's involvement in standardbred racing began in 1970 with the purchase of a trotter named Harlan Marv, which he purchased with Del MacTavish Sr. and Roger White. For over 25 years he bought into yearlings, from as little as one to as many as 10 a year.
As an owner, his best horse was Hardie Hanover, who earned $718,437. She won the Fan Hanover Stakes, Breeders Crown and year-end title as three-year-old pacing filly of the year.
Other standouts owned by Ferguson include Stand And Deliver ($490,675), this year's good three-year-old trotting filly Caught My Eye ($353,401), Armbro Income ($338,637) and Carlys Table ($293,481).
Ferguson also bred the 1982 Little Brown Jug winner, Merger.
He once told a reporter for the Canadian Press that his fantasy of all fantasies would be to drive in the Hambletonian. He also once said, "You get a lot of free time in the afternoons when you play pro hockey and people make use of it in a lot of different ways. I chose to collect racetracks.
"Some people collect stamps, some people collect coins. When I was a hockey player I collected racetracks. I've been to tracks in every state but New Mexico and I've still got the tickets to prove it."
Additional details will be posted as they are made available.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering our condolences to the family and friends of John Ferguson.
(with files from CP)
From Standardbred Canada Insider News
Larger than life hockey player and harness racing figure John Ferguson died last night after a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. He was 68.
Ferguson was a rough-and-tumble forward who went on to become a successful executive. He is survived by his wife, Joan, with whom he lived in Windsor. Their son, John Ferguson Jr., is GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2005. He thought he had it beat at one point.
"My father battled cancer with the same spirit in which he played the game of hockey," said Ferguson Jr., in a release. "He showed courage, strength, class and tremendous character. He had deep appreciation for the support he'd received from so many people beginning with his initial diagnosis.''
His spirited play helped the Montreal Canadiens win five Stanley Cups.
He took his post as president and chief executive officer of Windsor Raceway in April 1989 after his career in the NHL. He was 50 years old at the time, and had simultaneously been involved with harness racing for the previous 30 years, during his hockey career.
John Burns, a long-time friend to Ferguson, and John Hayes Sr. set up meetings between Tom Joy, who was at the time the new owner of the racetrack, and Ferguson. His tenure at Windsor Raceway ended in the Summer of 1990.
Ferguson grew up in Vancouver, and his father trained thoroughbreds at Exhibition Park.
Ferguson's involvement in standardbred racing began in 1970 with the purchase of a trotter named Harlan Marv, which he purchased with Del MacTavish Sr. and Roger White. For over 25 years he bought into yearlings, from as little as one to as many as 10 a year.
As an owner, his best horse was Hardie Hanover, who earned $718,437. She won the Fan Hanover Stakes, Breeders Crown and year-end title as three-year-old pacing filly of the year.
Other standouts owned by Ferguson include Stand And Deliver ($490,675), this year's good three-year-old trotting filly Caught My Eye ($353,401), Armbro Income ($338,637) and Carlys Table ($293,481).
Ferguson also bred the 1982 Little Brown Jug winner, Merger.
He once told a reporter for the Canadian Press that his fantasy of all fantasies would be to drive in the Hambletonian. He also once said, "You get a lot of free time in the afternoons when you play pro hockey and people make use of it in a lot of different ways. I chose to collect racetracks.
"Some people collect stamps, some people collect coins. When I was a hockey player I collected racetracks. I've been to tracks in every state but New Mexico and I've still got the tickets to prove it."
Additional details will be posted as they are made available.
Please join Standardbred Canada in offering our condolences to the family and friends of John Ferguson.
(with files from CP)
From Standardbred Canada Insider News
