Sports have long been associated with businesses in Ontario. Many of us remember seeing our favourite athletic celebrity on advertisements for products we had in our homes, thinking if a product was endorsed by them, it had to be a quality product worth buying. Some of us may have even had the thrill of shaking hands and even getting the autograph of one of our heroes at a promotional event at the local shopping mall.

Some of us participated in events at the local pool, track or rink that were sponsored by a business. Others of us fondly remember giving our all for the company team in that league or tournament. Join with the Archives of Ontario in paying tribute to the corporate citizenship of some well-known Ontario based companies, in promoting sports and fitness in Ontario.

Signed, Mr. Hockey

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Gordie Howe greets young fans at the Eaton’s
store, Shopper’s World, Don Mills,
Ontario, [ca. 1965],
T. Eaton Company fonds
Reference Code: F 229-308-0-2119
Archives of Ontario, I0011899

Gordie Howe greets young fans and signs photographs at the Eaton's store in Shopper’s World plaza, Don Mills, Ontario.

This was one stop on a personal appearance tour by Howe, Eaton’s Sports Advisor, across Canada to assist in the marketing of Eaton’s Truline brand of sports equipment.

Triple toe loop boost

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Bee Hive Golden Corn Syrup advertisement
featuring figure skater Karen Magnussen, 1987
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-4-2
Archives of Ontario, I0011900

St. Lawrence Starch Company Limited was a major Canadian manufacturer of corn based starch, glucose and feed products, established in 1889 and based in Port Credit, Ontario. One product familiar to many Canadian households was Bee Hive Golden Corn Syrup.

Many athletes were employed to endorse the syrup, touting its energy boosting abilities and delicious taste. The main photograph in this particular advertisement depicts Karen Magnussen’s competitive figure skating career where she was a Canadian senior national champion five times between 1968 and 1973 and a World Champion in 1973. Also, in 1972, she won Canada’s only medal (silver) at the Winter Olympic Games in Sapporo, Japan. The inset photograph shows Karen at home with her children in the late 1980’s.

Ready to take the plunge

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Bee Hive Swim, Port Credit,
Ontario - Start of the Junior Women's section, 1937
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-7-1-15
Archives of Ontario, I0011901

The Bee Hive Swim was an example of the St. Lawrence Starch Company’s support for local amateur athletics. Directed by Gus Ryder, the swim course was 1¼ mile in length.

There were 120 competitors from swimming clubs across the province including the Orillia Y, Dolphinets, Mermaids High Park and the Hamilton Aquatic Club.

Loyalty in the plant and on the field

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Canada Packers team portrait as
West Toronto Industrial Softball League
Champions, 1939
Canada Packers fonds
Reference Code: C 262-7-11
Archives of Ontario, I0011902

Team photograph for the Canada Packers softball squad. They were the West Toronto Industrial Softball Association Champions for 1939.

Canada Packers Inc. (now Maple Leaf Foods, Inc.) was a Toronto based meat packing and processing company. Companies during this era began to sponsor and support employee athletic activities to encourage physical fitness and boost worker morale.

Carving the course

On behalf of the Bee Hive Golden Corn Syrup brand, St. Lawrence Starch sponsored many sporting events, including the Bee Hive Giant Slalom, which was one of the first professional ski races.

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Promotional Booklet for Bee Hive Giant Slalom, held at
Georgian Peaks Ski Club, Thornbury, Ontario, 1961
St. Lawrence Starch Company fonds
Reference Code: F 4392-7-1-2
Archives of Ontario

Held for several years during the 1960s, this event’s relatively large purse attracted many former Olympic medallists.