Tim Horton
Four-time Stanley Cup champion defenceman and co-founder of Tim Hortons.
Miles Gilbert "Tim" Horton (January 12, 1930 – February 21, 1974) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who logged 24 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Most of his playing days were with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he helped the team capture Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963, 1964, and 1967. In 2017, the NHL recognized him as one of the 100 Greatest Players in league history. Off the ice, he was a co-founder of the Tim Hortons restaurant chain.
Horton was born at Lady Minto Hospital in Cochrane, Ontario, to Aaron Oakley Horton, a mechanic for the Canadian National Railway, and Ethel May (née Irish). His father gave him the name Miles Gilbert after his two grandfathers, but everyone called him Tim—the name his mother had wanted. He had one brother, Jerry. The family moved to Duparquet, Quebec, in 1935, returned to Cochrane in 1938, and then settled in Sudbury in 1945.
Horton learned hockey in Cochrane and later in a mining community near Timmins. In 1947, he went to Toronto to play junior hockey for the St. Michael's Majors. During the 1948–1949 season, he was named the Ontario Hockey Association's best defenceman.
He turned pro in 1949 with the Maple Leafs' farm team, the Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League. Over his first three seasons, he spent most of his time in Pittsburgh, playing his first NHL game on March 26, 1950. With the Hornets, he won the 1952 AHL championship and earned an American League All-Star nod. Horton played his first full NHL season with the Maple Leafs in 1952 and stayed with the club until 1970, winning four Stanley Cups.
In 1952, a bodycheck from Bill Gadsby broke Horton's leg and fractured his jaw, nearly ending his career. He returned the following season. Known for his physical, poised style under pressure, Horton was a hard-working, durable defenceman who drew relatively few penalty minutes for an enforcer type. He also carried the puck effectively—in 1964–65, he even played right wing for the Leafs. He appeared in seven NHL All-Star Games, was named a First Team All-Star three times (1964, 1968, 1969), and a Second Team All-Star three times (1954, 1963, 1967).
From February 11, 1961, to February 4, 1968, Horton played in 486 consecutive regular-season games.
Quick Facts
- Halloffame
- 1977
- Birth Date
- 12 January 1930
- Birth Place
- Cochrane, Ontario, Canada
- Death Date
- 21 February 1974 · 1930 · 1 · 12
- Death Place
- St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 10
- Weight Lb
- 180
- Position
- Defence
- Shoots
- Right
- Played For
- Toronto Maple Leafs / New York Rangers / Pittsburgh Penguins / Buffalo Sabres
- Career Start
- 1949
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Horton grew up playing ice hockey in Cochrane and later in a mining community near Timmins. He moved to Toronto in 1947 to play junior hockey for the St. Michael's Majors and was named best defenceman in the Ontario Hockey Association in the 1948–1949 season. He turned pro in 1949 with the Maple Leafs' farm team, the Pittsburgh Hornets, winning the 1952 AHL championship and being named an American League All-Star. Horton played his first full NHL season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1952 and remained with the team until 1970, winning four Stanley Cups.
Horton was known for his physical style, poise under pressure, and durability. He gained relatively few penalty minutes for an enforcer-type defenceman and was an effective puck carrier, even playing right wing in 1964–65. He appeared in seven NHL All-Star Games. Between February 11, 1961, and February 4, 1968, he played 486 consecutive regular season games, a Leafs club record and the NHL record for consecutive games by a defenceman until broken in 2007. Horton had a reputation for enveloping fighters in a crushing bear hug and was generally acknowledged as the strongest man in the game.
After leaving Toronto, Horton played for the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Buffalo Sabres. At age 41, he signed a one-year contract with the Penguins for an estimated $100,000, the largest contract at the time for that franchise. Despite a broken ankle and shoulder separation, he played 44 games. In 1972, Buffalo Sabres head coach and general manager Punch Imlach acquired Horton, and in 1973 his performance helped the Sabres reach their first playoff appearance.
Reader's Guide
Tim Horton's significance in hockey history rests on his 24-season NHL career, primarily with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he won four Stanley Cups and set a franchise record for consecutive games played. He was named an NHL first-team All-Star three times and second-team three times, and appeared in seven All-Star Games. His 486-game consecutive game streak stood as the NHL record for defencemen until 2007. Horton was also recognized as one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017.
Off the ice, Horton co-founded the Tim Hortons restaurant chain in 1964, opening his first donut shop in Hamilton, Ontario. By 1968, it had become a multi-million dollar franchise system. After his death, his business partner Ron Joyce bought out the Horton family's shares for $1 million and expanded the chain to nearly 4,600 stores in Canada by 2013. The chain later became a flagship of Restaurant Brands International.
Horton died at age 44 in a single-vehicle crash on the Queen Elizabeth Way. His autopsy, made public in 2005, revealed a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit and the presence of drugs including Dexedrine and Dexamyl. His number 7 was retired by the Maple Leafs in 2016, honouring both Horton and King Clancy.
Did You Know?
- Horton played 486 consecutive regular season games from February 11, 1961, to February 4, 1968, a Leafs club record and the NHL record for defencemen until 2007.
- In 1964–65, Horton played right wing for the Maple Leafs.
- Horton's Pantera sports car was given to him by Sabres general manager Punch Imlach as an enticement to return for one more season.
- Horton's autopsy, made public in 2005, showed his blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit at the time of his fatal crash.
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