Early life Edit

Conacher was born in Toronto, Ontario on May 24, 1901.[4] His middle name was given after the South African city of Pretoria, where British troops were fighting the Boer War at the time of his birth.[5] He was the eldest son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Conacher, and the third of ten children overall. He had four brothers and five sisters.[6] The family grew up in the neighbourhood of Davenport, which his brother Charlie described as "one of Toronto's higher class slums".[5] His father was a teamster, and struggled to earn enough money to support the family.[7] In the winter, he ploughed the snow off outdoor skating rinks to earn additional money.[8] Conacher left school after the eighth grade to go to work and help support his siblings.[9] For ten hours a day, he hauled sod, earning an extra dollar a week for his family.[10] All ten children were encouraged to participate in sports by the principal of Jesse Ketchum School, who felt that such pursuits would keep his students from getting into trouble. Conacher discovered that he was among the better players in any sport he tried, and quickly became a star at Canadian football, ice hockey and lacrosse.[5] He realized his athletic ability could offer an escape from poverty.[9]

Amateur career Edit

Professional career Edit

Political career Edit

Awards Edit

Family Edit

Career statistics Edit

NHL coaching record Edit