Inside the Palace: A History of Maple Leaf Gardens 

Harold Ballard never cared about the Leafs, fans and the game of hockey in general. His favorite thing was the Carlton Street Cashbox.

I lived in Toronto in the 1960's, it was a great time to be a Leafs fan. Watched some games at the Gardens and even got the chance to play a city championship game there. What a thrill!

"Knowing Harold, I'm more surprised he didn't find a way to sell tickets to it."

As a young boy growing up in Toronto's west side, me and my buddies would take the college street car from High Park to the Gardens to watch the Jr A Marlies on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. It was the best way to get into the Palace, since it was impossible to get a ticket for a Leaf game.

When Johnny said saerdinight he brought a tear to my eye. My mom's generation said Saturday the same way John did . Thanx for the memory JB

I was fortunate enough to go to games in every original six building before they were abandoned by their teams...all of them with their particular quirks...Chicago Stadium where the players had to walk up steps to the ice level. Boston Garden where the teams shared the same tunnel access...the visiting team had to basically go through the Bruins bench to get to their locker room...many others. These buildings had character and now there they have corporate names and advertising all over the boards and ice...and PA announcers that sound like Tractor pull announcers...the organ replaced by blaring music and give away announcements. Truck Horns blasting to celebrate a goal. So much has been lost with not a great deal gained.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were not only "Canada's team" (outside of Quebec), but thanks to Foster Hewitt's radio broadcasts on powerful CBC Radio stations whose signals penetrated well south into the United States, they were also "America's hockey team" (outside of Boston, New York, Detroit, and Chicago).

I’m just scratching my head at the lack of foresight for NOT perfectly preserving a prestigious Canadian cultural and historical building for hockey ( as is) and not turning it into a supermarket. . Why wouldn’t they have just turned maple leaf gardens into a special event venue for the Leafs or for playoff games or something like feature games during the season . Have the scotia bank Center still but Why not have just upgraded and modernized the utilities at MLG and preserve the history . Such a shame ., to mankind in general .. could u imagine the chance we would have all had to maybe go see a game at the gardens as we did as children or say the Montreal forum . Or Chicago stadium how enlightening it would have been . . . What’s wrong with city planners and people in general don’t u see that their lack of future vision is affecting our culture ? Wake up people change starts now . Let’s learn from this and keep stadiums alive .. same goes for the exhibition stadium . How cool would it have been to go see a game there that the jays play in 3-4 times a year . Canada day or something ... don’t even get me started about things like old Yankee stadium ! Let’s wake up a bit people !

I miss going to the Maple leaf gardens my first time ever in Maple leaf gardens I was 11 years old I went to a Preseason game against the Edmonton Oilers and Wayne Gretzky was in the lineup and Mark Messier Glenn Anderson Dave semenko Grant fuhr in net... damn I miss the grand old lady on Carlton

Thanks for uploading this video.

At least they continued their tradition of choking in the playoffs when Herr Ballard was kicked off this mortal plain.

what a great building that sadly now has become a fucking loblaws....toronto should have turned this historic building into a theatre/opera house or a museum but NO IT HAS TO BECOME A FUCKING LOBLAWS...disgraceful.

I miss my childhood growing up in the 80's-90's on saturday nights with cbc on.....

I was just a kid in the 90s, but I have still seen more games at MLG than I have at the ACC/Scotiabank Arena.

“Harold Ballard has been called many things but one thing everyone has agreed to call him is ‘a terrible man’ “

The closing of Maple Leaf Gardens really affected the socio-economic environment of Carlton Street. Empty storefronts, lack of cleanliness, and just crazy people roaming Carlton has made the front of MLG a scary place. The conversation of the lower level to a Loblaws at least is okay. The work done by Ryerson is outstanding. I worry, however, about the safety of the Ryerson kids. I hope that the university provides ample security for them, for Ryerson is a fine University.

Great doc!

Man I saw some HORRIBLE games in the early-mid 80's LOL Almost left me scarred for life!

They should have made the Gardens into the Hockey Hall of Fame in my opinion.

Damn that reporter was a real depressing dude .

From 1:06 to 1:12 is a shot from Canada's hockey Cathedral...the Montreal Forum.

Loved those MLG tickets. Once had a keychain that was a replica of a green ducat.

Cool upload

Probert scored the final goal in MLG unless I'm mistaken.

And then they turned it into a God Damn Loblaws.

The reporter (if you can call him that) is just there to do a hatchet piece.

Wow I’m glad I found this cool video!! A lot of rich hockey history made here with 13 Stanley Cups hoisted here, I know it says 11 but the Toronto Maple Leafs won 11 Cups under the Maple Leafs name & 2 under the green/white St.Pats name. Montreal has 24 Cups then Toronto with 13 then Detroit with 11 & so on. Edmonton has 6 & Calgary 1 when it comes to other Canadian teams. Ottawa won a few Stanley Cups before it was called the NHL.

1:57 Unless it's an inside joke, I don't understand your labeling of Smythe as "feckless".

when did harold ballard become a hockey legend?

Cool video sadly never got to watch a game there when I use to be a leafs fan

i wonder if ballads apartment is still there locked up like a time capsule

Why is the news lady on an intergalactic spaceship? 0:02

"and of course Harold Ballard..." BOY DO WE KNOW.,

The mens bathrooms were so disgusting in this sacred old hall . It was literally a troft in the cement floor with the wreak of mothballs that kicked u in the face as you entered lol They wont show us that tho

From 1991 !!!

So when players signed contracts they had to literally walk through Harold Ballard's stinky old man apartment?

The grand old lady on cartlon Street

Ballard was the poster boy for terrible team ownership.

1:02 Can you make a phone call with that thing?

2:58 - 3:02 - the guy in back looks out of place. Like a time traveller.

nice piece but not one mention of the man who built MLG, the great Conn Smythe - Conn is the true Father of the Maple Leafs

MLG a simple history of losing since 1967 when you needed to win more than 8 games in the playoffs and where a predator stalked young boys for decades

Palace 😅

In earnest this video is a CBC anti-Ballard diatribe. Albeit, Ballard was a joke in his day for castrating a legendary hockey franchise. Fast forward to the 21st century and all we have what has become known as 'the spring-choke' by the Leafs. So what has changed???

🍁🌲🦫

1:06 definitely not Maple Leaf Gardens haha

Harrold Ballard was/is the worst thing to ever happen to hockey. He was a terrible person who made horrible choices. His existence has cursed The Toronto Maple Leafs forever.

How about about no Stanley Cups the Leafs will never win

What about the sexual assaults

Ballard was a tyrant, but dumping on him in this commentary just after his death was cowardly and tacky.

The Montreal Forum is Canada's hockey cathedral. Far greater history than MLG.

ah ah ah ,,,, the Canada Hockey Shrine is the Montreal forum .... not Dead Leafs Gardens . Honest mistake by Englais what significance does the year 1967 mean to Dead Leafs fans ....Les Canadien have won 7 cups since then. The most famous hockey building in the world is ... The Montreal Forum >>> end of story ......