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We did it, we made it to 2020, and this entrance into a new decade has got me thinking about the last time Toronto entered the 20’s. This month I’ll be taking a look back at some of the most interesting Toronto events between 1920-1930.
The Opening of Maple Leaf Stadium
If I’m honest, I could not give two figs about sports, at most I’d give one and a half. That being said, sports occupy a large part of Toronto’s history so I guess we have to talk about them. Just in case any readers are also clueless about sports, it is worth noting that Maple Leaf Stadium was originally the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, a minor league baseball team.
Construction for Maple Leaf Stadium (not to be confused with Maple Leaf Gardens) started in Fall of 1925. Using the estimated 300,00$ budget, that later turned into a 750,000$ budget, the stadium planned to open on April 28, 1925. About 4,000 fans showed up for opening day, but due to poor weather conditions and a very damp field, the first game was cancelled. The opening was rescheduled for the next day.
That first game was a real nail-biter. In a turn of events, the bottom of the ninth inning saw a series of hits that tied the game 5 to 5. This sent the game into extra innings that resulted in a 6 to 5 victory for the Maple Leafs. This was a good omen for the rest of the season as the Maple Leafs won the title of that Fall’s Little World Series and finished with 109 wins and 57 losses. Today this stadium is no more as the site was demolished in 1968, the same year the the Maple Leafs moved to Kentucky and became the Louisville Colonels.
On August 6th, 1927, Edward, the Prince of Wales got off his royal throne to come and open Union Station by cutting a ribbon with his gold scissors. British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie Kind also attended the ceremony. Following the opening ceremony, His Royal Highness entered the station to receive the first ticket sold at Union Station. The ticket was to Alberta and cost 71.20$ which today would be around 1,184.49$. Five days later on August 11th, the station was opened to the public.
The term “Union Station” actually refers to a station where a number of railroads share space, so several Union Stations can be found across North America. The current Toronto Union Station that we all know was actually the city’s third station. Since the station’s opening it has undergone several renovations, but much care has been taken in order to preserve the historical and architectural significance. Toronto Union Station is still a bustling centre of transportation and an architectural icon.
If I’m honest, I could not give two figs about sports, at most I’d give one and a half. That being said, sports occupy a large part of Toronto’s history so I guess we have to talk about them. Just in case any readers are also clueless about sports, it is worth noting that Maple Leaf Stadium was originally the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, a minor league baseball team.
Construction for Maple Leaf Stadium (not to be confused with Maple Leaf Gardens) started in Fall of 1925. Using the estimated 300,00$ budget, that later turned into a 750,000$ budget, the stadium planned to open on April 28, 1925. About 4,000 fans showed up for opening day, but due to poor weather conditions and a very damp field, the first game was cancelled. The opening was rescheduled for the next day.
That first game was a real nail-biter. In a turn of events, the bottom of the ninth inning saw a series of hits that tied the game 5 to 5. This sent the game into extra innings that resulted in a 6 to 5 victory for the Maple Leafs. This was a good omen for the rest of the season as the Maple Leafs won the title of that Fall’s Little World Series and finished with 109 wins and 57 losses. Today this stadium is no more as the site was demolished in 1968, the same year the the Maple Leafs moved to Kentucky and became the Louisville Colonels.
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Maple Leaf Stadium. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 465
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Maple Leaf Stadium. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 7650
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The Stanley Cup
The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the six original NHL teams in 1917, and since then, they have won the Stanley Cup 13 times. The team was originally named the Toronto Arenas before renaming themselves as the St. Patricks in 1919. The Toronto Arenas won the NHL’s first Stanley Cup in 1917 against the Vancouver Millionaires and again in 1922 as the St. Patricks. Both of the Leaf’s first two Stanley Cup wins were within the first five years of the NHL.
In the 2017-2018 season, the Leafs were doing better than ever with 49 wins, 29 home wins and 105 points scored. Alas, the Leafs lost to the Boston Bruins in the first round of that year’s play offs. Despite their performances, the Maple Leafs remain an important Toronto icon and are arguably one of the most popular teams in the NHL.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were one of the six original NHL teams in 1917, and since then, they have won the Stanley Cup 13 times. The team was originally named the Toronto Arenas before renaming themselves as the St. Patricks in 1919. The Toronto Arenas won the NHL’s first Stanley Cup in 1917 against the Vancouver Millionaires and again in 1922 as the St. Patricks. Both of the Leaf’s first two Stanley Cup wins were within the first five years of the NHL.
In the 2017-2018 season, the Leafs were doing better than ever with 49 wins, 29 home wins and 105 points scored. Alas, the Leafs lost to the Boston Bruins in the first round of that year’s play offs. Despite their performances, the Maple Leafs remain an important Toronto icon and are arguably one of the most popular teams in the NHL.
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St. Pats Hockey Team. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 9947
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Toronto's First LCBO
The Temperance Movement was an international campaign that encouraged moderation or total abstinence from alcohol in the 19th and 20th centuries. The federal government could ban the manufacture, sale, wholesale and interprovincial trade. However, the government was not eager to ban alcohol because of the tax revenue that it brought in. As a compromise, the provincial and federal government gave local governments the right to hold votes in order to ban the sale of alcohol, this was called the Temperance Act of 1878. During the First World War, temperance was at an all time high and in 1915 and 1916, all provinces except Quebec banned the sale of alcohol.
Fast forwarding to 1927, when the Liquor Control Board of Ontario was established and charged with making sure the province’s liquor laws were followed. The LCBO opened 12 stores, with 6 of them in Toronto. Despite the unreasonable and rigid liquor laws, the LCBO was a success with hundreds of people lining up on the opening day.
Discovery of Insulin
The Temperance Movement was an international campaign that encouraged moderation or total abstinence from alcohol in the 19th and 20th centuries. The federal government could ban the manufacture, sale, wholesale and interprovincial trade. However, the government was not eager to ban alcohol because of the tax revenue that it brought in. As a compromise, the provincial and federal government gave local governments the right to hold votes in order to ban the sale of alcohol, this was called the Temperance Act of 1878. During the First World War, temperance was at an all time high and in 1915 and 1916, all provinces except Quebec banned the sale of alcohol.
Fast forwarding to 1927, when the Liquor Control Board of Ontario was established and charged with making sure the province’s liquor laws were followed. The LCBO opened 12 stores, with 6 of them in Toronto. Despite the unreasonable and rigid liquor laws, the LCBO was a success with hundreds of people lining up on the opening day.
Discovery of Insulin
It was Dr. Frederick Banting (a young surgeon from London, Ontario) who developed research ideas that would help test the theory that pancreatic secretions could prevent and treat diabetes. Banting took his ideas to the extensive research resources at the University of Toronto. Under the direction of a skeptical John James Rickard Macleod, Banting was able to utilize lab space and resources to test his theories in May of 1921.
Banting and his research assistant Charles Best tested diabetic dogs until the Autumn of 1921. While they did experience several breakthroughs, they still needed their pancreatic extracts to consistently and effectively to treat symptoms of diabetes. James Bertram Collip joined the team and assisted in improving the research until they were able to test their findings on human subjects in January 1922. In March of that year, Macleod and his team were able to produce a paper explaining their research and present it as a meeting of the Association of American Physicians. This is when the term “insulin” was first used.
Insulin production was supervised by the University of Toronto and by the end of 1923, insulin was made available to diabetics around the world. The 1923 prize for Medicine was awarded to Banting and Macleod who decided to split their winnings with Best and Collip. The discovery of insulin undoubtedly helped diabetics around the world and a small bottle of insulin is currently featured on the Canadian hundred dollar bill.
Insulin production was supervised by the University of Toronto and by the end of 1923, insulin was made available to diabetics around the world. The 1923 prize for Medicine was awarded to Banting and Macleod who decided to split their winnings with Best and Collip. The discovery of insulin undoubtedly helped diabetics around the world and a small bottle of insulin is currently featured on the Canadian hundred dollar bill.
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Sir Frederick Banting (left) and Lord Moynihan, University of Toronto. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 1029.
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Union Station
On August 6th, 1927, Edward, the Prince of Wales got off his royal throne to come and open Union Station by cutting a ribbon with his gold scissors. British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie Kind also attended the ceremony. Following the opening ceremony, His Royal Highness entered the station to receive the first ticket sold at Union Station. The ticket was to Alberta and cost 71.20$ which today would be around 1,184.49$. Five days later on August 11th, the station was opened to the public.
The term “Union Station” actually refers to a station where a number of railroads share space, so several Union Stations can be found across North America. The current Toronto Union Station that we all know was actually the city’s third station. Since the station’s opening it has undergone several renovations, but much care has been taken in order to preserve the historical and architectural significance. Toronto Union Station is still a bustling centre of transportation and an architectural icon.
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Union Station. City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 5045.
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Edward, Prince of Wales (left). City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1266, Item 11128.
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