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Karl Keffer Wins 1914 Canadian Open
His first victory was in 1909, Canadian golfer Karl Keffer won his second Canadian Open championship at the Toronto Golf Club in 1914. Keffer is well-known for his accuracy on the course, and his performance was highly praised by many, who praised his "machine-like accuracy," which was a reflection of his cool head under pressure. But this victory was particularly significant in golf history because it was the final Canadian Open Championship held before the start of World War I. -
Babe Ruth's first home run
A rookie pitcher for the Providence Greys named George Herman Ruth, later known as Babe Ruth, hit his first home run in an official game on September 5, 1914, at Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island. Surprisingly, no one knows for sure where the home run ball went, it must have been lost to time and ended up in a landfill because at the time Ruth's accomplishments were not as well known. In Toronto are a few plaques close to the Hanlan's Point ferry terminal. -
National Hockey League Formed
The National Hockey League, formed on November 26, 1917, in Montréal, saw the attendance of prominent teams such as the Montréal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, and Quebec Bulldogs at its inaugural meeting. Subsequently, the Toronto Arenas joined as a fifth team, while Quebec opted not to participate in the league's first season. The NHL's inaugural games took place on December 19, 1917, marking the beginning of a storied history in professional hockey. -
Lacrosse Decline
Due to lacrosse's inherent violence, it discourages many young adults from playing and reduces the sport's spectator base, participation and viewership. This dislike of lacrosse's rough style discouraged schools from incorporating the sport into their athletic programmes in addition to turning off potential players. Journalist Vince Leah noticed that lacrosse's participation in minor league programmes decreased at once with its elimination from school sports programmes. -
CFL East vs West Grey cup
The first east-west Grey Cup was held in Toronto on December 3, 1921, and the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Edmonton Eskimos by a score of 23-0 The Argonauts made history by becoming the first team in the Grey Cup to shut out a team. This accomplishment demonstrated their dominance throughout the season as they won nine games in the regular season and playoffs, outscoring their opponents 226 to 55. -
Famous “He shoots, He Scores”
Foster Hewitt, a Canadian sports broadcasting historian, with his iconic phrase "He shoots, he scores". Hewitt embarked on his broadcasting journey at the tender age of 21. His legacy extends beyond hockey, as he used his voice to sports including football, sailing, sculling, lacrosse, motorboat and motorcycle races, and baseball. His role as the play-by-play announcer during the historic Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union in 1972 solidified his status as a legend. -
The 1923 Edmonton Grads
In 1923, Canadian and American women's basketball champion teams played for the first international Underwood Trophy. The Edmonton Grads played the Cleveland Favorite-Knits and defeated them with a two-game score of 53–33, becoming Underwood Trophy winners. Over time, from 1915 to 1940, the Edmonton Grads were a true sporting dynasty, tallying 502 wins against just 20 losses.The Grads recognition includes four appearances at the Olympic Games, before women’s basketball became an official sport. -
Johnny Miles Boston Marathon
The 30th Boston marathon was won by Canadian Johnny Miles with a time of 2:25:04.4 on April 19th, 1926. 20-year-old johnny did it in a record time despite the fact that he had never run in a marathon before. Johnny had set the best record time for many years. He ran the marathon three more times and won again in 1929. -
St Pats to Maple Leafs
In February 1927, Conn Smythe and investors purchased the St. Patrick's and changed the name to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Conn Smythe, who bought the St. Patricks and renamed them the Toronto Maple Leafs, is honoured with the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the MVP. The Maple Leafs have had this name since 1927, which makes it iconic. Despite being called the Maple Leafs, they occasionally use St. Patrick's or T - Arenas jerseys. -
Canada's First Double Gold Medallist
At Amsterdam 1928, Percy Williams became Olympic champion in both the 100m and 200m. Prior to Williams, the only other Canadian athlete to accomplish such a feat was swimmer George Hodgson. Williams joined Hodgson as one of Canada's few double gold medalists at a single Olympic Games. This achievement marked him as the first Canadian to secure two gold medals in sprints at an Olympic Games.