The inspiration and innovations of trailblazing Black Canadian athletes
This exhibit honours 14 of the most talented players in the history of field and box lacrosse.
Terrance Stanley (Terry) Fox, CC, athlete, humanitarian, cancer research activist (born 28 July 1958 in Winnipeg, Manitoba; died 28 June 1981 in New Westminster, British Columbia).
This exhibit traces the development of women’s sports in Canada.
The game is six degrees of Canadian history. Take two seemingly unrelated pieces of Canadian culture and connect the dots through various people, places and events to discover how they’re distantly — or maybe not so distantly — related. Along the way we visit the quizzical and curious, the tragic and comic, and everything in between.
All impressive, all inspiring — these Olympians were, and are, among the best in the world.
Canadians have a long and proud history in elite parasport as athletes, coaches, scientists, and advocates.
This collection explores Canadian athletes through articles, photo galleries, Heritage Minutes and more. (See also Sports Collection.)
Mary Spencer, boxer, model, humanitarian (born 12 December 1984 in Wiarton, ON). Mary Spencer is one of Canada's premier boxing champions, holding eight national titles, five Pan-American titles, and three world titles.
When the new heavyweight champion, Riddick Bowe, whom Lewis had beaten in the Olympic gold medal bout, refused to defend his title against Lewis, the World Boxing Council stripped Bowe of the title and awarded it to Lewis.
Julius Gustav Albert Schneider, "Bert," boxer (b at Cleveland, Ohio 1 July 1897). Schneider's family moved to Montréal when he was 9 and he took up boxing in high school. He later joined the Montreal Amateur Athletic Assn and became its welterweight champion.
Dave Castilloux, boxer (b at Paspébiac, Qué 4 Jun 1916; d at Montréal 8 Mar 1994). When Dave Castilloux was only three years old, his parents moved to the United States, and in 1936, when the young fighter settled permanently in Montréal, he was already a seasoned BOXER.
Karen Diane Magnussen (Magnussen-Cella), OC, figure skater, skating coach (born 4 April 1952 in Vancouver, BC).
Kevin Martin, curler (born at Killam, Alta, 31 Jul 1966). Kevin Martin took up curling early in life, playing in Edmonton, Alta, and won the Canadian Junior Championship in 1985 at the age of 19.
Three successive victories over the local champion Thomas Loudon led a group of Torontonians in 1876 to form the Hanlan Club to back Hanlan as a professional. The club bought him an English-made shell and equipped it with a sliding seat and swivel oarlocks.
This text is from the free Toronto in Time app, which was created by The Canadian Encyclopedia and is available from the App Store and the Google Play store. Visit its companion website, which is linked below, to explore all the features of the app online.
Timothy (Tim) McIsaac, swimmer, public servant (born 10 January 1959 in Winnipeg, MB).
Dwayne Lyle Congdon, mountaineer and guide (b at Lethbridge, Alta 7 Aug 1956). From a love fostered by his parents on camping trips in the Rockies, Congdon decided in his early 20s to become an Alpine guide.
Patrick John Joseph Burns, police officer, hockey coach (born 4 April 1952 in Saint-Henri, QC; died 19 November 2010 in Sherbrooke, QC).
His record over eight NHL seasons to his retirement in 1978-79 (he sat out 1973-74 in a contract dispute) was the most consistent of any modern goalie. He recorded a 2.24 goals-against average and 46 shutouts in regular season play and a 2.40 average and 10 shutouts in 112 playoff games.
Philip Anthony Esposito, hockey player (b at Sault Ste Marie, Ont 20 Feb 1942). He began his NHL career as a centre in 1963 with the Chicago Black Hawks and was traded to the Boston Bruins in 1967.
Donald Stewart (Don) Cherry, hockey broadcaster, coach, player and team owner (b at Kingston, Ont 5 Feb 1934 ). Hockey coach Don Cherry, whose personality and passion for the game have made Cherry a household name across Canada, is known for his colourful attire and equally colourful commentary.
Gilles Villeneuve, auto racer (b at Chambly, Qué 18 Jan 1950; d at Zolder, Belgium 8 May 1982). In his brief career Villeneuve was Canada's finest high-speed racer. When Villeneuve was eight, his family moved to Berthierville to be closer to his father's family.
On 25 June 2014, author Jeremy Freeborn interviewed Donovan Bailey at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary for The Canadian Encyclopedia.
On 6 October 2014, author Jeremy Freeborn interviewed Clara Hughes for The Canadian Encyclopedia. A six-time Olympic medalist in cycling and speed skating, Hughes cycled across Canada in 2014 to raise awareness of mental health issues.
Joseph-Henri-Maurice Richard, "Rocket," PC, CC, OQ, hockey player (born 4 August 1921 in Montréal, QC; died 27 May 2000 in Montréal).
A pioneer in all forms of skiing, Johannsen acted as organizer, instructor, coach and official well into his nineties.
Brian Orser, figure skater (b at Belleville, Ont 18 Dec 1961).
Duff Gibson, skeleton racer (b at Vaughan, Ont, 11 Aug 1966). Duff Gibson is Canada's first Olympic gold medallist in skeleton and, 39 years old at the time of his win, he currently holds the record for being the oldest individual gold medalist in Winter Olympic history.
She won Canada's only 1976 Olympic gold medal - in the giant slalom on 4 Feb - for which she was considered a long shot against gold-medal winning German skier Rosi Mittermaier. In so doing she became the youngest-ever gold medalist in skiing to that date.
Among her many outstanding swims using the butterfly stroke were the circumnavigation of Sydney Harbour in May 1989 (22 km) and the crossings of the English Channel in July 1989 (33.
