Remembering Tim Horton.......
Feb. 22nd, 2004 10:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poltr130 years ago this month, NHL defenseman Tim Horton was killed in a 1-car crash on the Queen Elizabeth Way. If I remember the story correctly, he was heading home to Buffalo from a game in Toronto, was driving too fast in his red Mustang, lost control, and went off the road.
At the time, Tim played for the Buffalo Sabres. Many of the boys in my 5th grade class, including myself, were shocked and saddened by the news. Some of us were in tears the entire day. Many of us were Sabres fans, and some of the boys were in youth hockey organizations. I also remember that that month's class project was newspapers, so the articles from the Buffalo Evening News made it into our class newspapers as well.
Later that week, the Sabres retired his jersey number -- 2 -- and hung a banner in Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium in his honor and memory. Tim was drafted by Buffalo during the expansion draft when the Sabres first entered the NHL in 1970. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for 17 1/2 seasons. He was "the veteran defenseman" whose job was to teach the young Sabres rookies and players how to play good defensive hockey.
No, I never met Tim in person, but I do remember watching him play. His style of play was very clean, and physical when he needed to be. No "goon hockey" player was he!
Now, when people mention Tim Horton's name, the first thing that many people think of is coffee and doughnuts. What I didn't know at the time was that in 1964, Tim founded a coffee and donut shop in Hamilton, Ontario. (In the wee hours of the morning before hockey practice at 6 AM, it's hard to find a good cup of coffee.) Ron Joyce was the first franchisee. Over time, the chain grew. Soon after Tim's death, Ron purchased the remaining shares of the corporation from Tim's widow, becoming the sole owner. The first Tim Horton's to open in the Buffalo area was on Niagara Falls Blvd. in/around 1985. In 1996, the company merged with Wendy's, and expanded to other cities in the States.
Those of you who remember the movie Wayne's World probably remember a scene taking place at a "Stan Mikita Donuts" (Ed O'Neill played the guy behind the counter). I strongly believe this is an in-joke reference to Tim Horton Donuts, since Mike Myers is originally from Toronto, the movie takes place in/around Chicago, and Stan used to play for the Chicago Black Hawks.
Tim's is one of my favorite places to go for coffee, baked goods, and sandwiches. I've always had an excellent cup of coffee there. (They'll dump any coffee that isn't sold within 20 minutes of brewing.) I spent the morning of my wedding day at the Tim's in Centerville, Ohio, with my groomsmen -- we had breakfast and discussed the day's plan. They certainly live up to their motto -- "Always Fresh". The only gripes I have is that they don't give out receipts unless requested, and they don't carry Splenda.
I'm happy to report that most of the Tim's I've been to have a picture of him on the wall, usually in a Leafs uniform. The stores in the Buffalo area have him in a Sabres uniform, naturally.
If there's a Tim's near you, stop in and have a cup of coffee, or tea, or hot chocolate, or iced cappucino -- they're all very good. Or visit the Tim Horton's website.
At the time, Tim played for the Buffalo Sabres. Many of the boys in my 5th grade class, including myself, were shocked and saddened by the news. Some of us were in tears the entire day. Many of us were Sabres fans, and some of the boys were in youth hockey organizations. I also remember that that month's class project was newspapers, so the articles from the Buffalo Evening News made it into our class newspapers as well.
Later that week, the Sabres retired his jersey number -- 2 -- and hung a banner in Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium in his honor and memory. Tim was drafted by Buffalo during the expansion draft when the Sabres first entered the NHL in 1970. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for 17 1/2 seasons. He was "the veteran defenseman" whose job was to teach the young Sabres rookies and players how to play good defensive hockey.
No, I never met Tim in person, but I do remember watching him play. His style of play was very clean, and physical when he needed to be. No "goon hockey" player was he!
Now, when people mention Tim Horton's name, the first thing that many people think of is coffee and doughnuts. What I didn't know at the time was that in 1964, Tim founded a coffee and donut shop in Hamilton, Ontario. (In the wee hours of the morning before hockey practice at 6 AM, it's hard to find a good cup of coffee.) Ron Joyce was the first franchisee. Over time, the chain grew. Soon after Tim's death, Ron purchased the remaining shares of the corporation from Tim's widow, becoming the sole owner. The first Tim Horton's to open in the Buffalo area was on Niagara Falls Blvd. in/around 1985. In 1996, the company merged with Wendy's, and expanded to other cities in the States.
Those of you who remember the movie Wayne's World probably remember a scene taking place at a "Stan Mikita Donuts" (Ed O'Neill played the guy behind the counter). I strongly believe this is an in-joke reference to Tim Horton Donuts, since Mike Myers is originally from Toronto, the movie takes place in/around Chicago, and Stan used to play for the Chicago Black Hawks.
Tim's is one of my favorite places to go for coffee, baked goods, and sandwiches. I've always had an excellent cup of coffee there. (They'll dump any coffee that isn't sold within 20 minutes of brewing.) I spent the morning of my wedding day at the Tim's in Centerville, Ohio, with my groomsmen -- we had breakfast and discussed the day's plan. They certainly live up to their motto -- "Always Fresh". The only gripes I have is that they don't give out receipts unless requested, and they don't carry Splenda.
I'm happy to report that most of the Tim's I've been to have a picture of him on the wall, usually in a Leafs uniform. The stores in the Buffalo area have him in a Sabres uniform, naturally.
If there's a Tim's near you, stop in and have a cup of coffee, or tea, or hot chocolate, or iced cappucino -- they're all very good. Or visit the Tim Horton's website.
