Toronto Legends

Former NHLer and Author Steven Finn talks about his memoir Lafleur The Legend, playing in the NHL alongside the Flower, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, roomate Joe Sakic, current Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube, memories collected about Le Demon Blond from Marcel Dionne, Scotty Bowman, Gilbert Perreault, Larry Robinson, Chris Nilan, Serge Savard, Gary Bettman, Vladislav Tretiak, Ken Dryden, playing in the Montreal Forum, the Quebec Colisee, Maple Leaf Gardens and the Chicago Stadium, going from practice to the beach during his time with the LA Kings, those epic Nordiques vs Habs playoff battles, spending 30 hours in the penalty box over his NHL career, visiting with Madame Lafleur in Guy’s boyhood home, the end result benefits of the Eric Lindros draft debacle, and why his favourite t-shirt said ‘If You Want to Give Blood, Fight Wendel!’ (later his teammate in Quebec City) Steven’s memoir Lafleur The Legend is available at https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Lafleur/Steven-Finn/9781668204061 TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ahead of the 2025 World Series, Blue Jays 1993 World Series Champion and East York Legend Rob Butler shares his memories of growing up at Main & Danforth, playing for his hometown Toronto Blue Jays, winning that 1993 World Series championship, playing with Rickey Henderson, Robbie Alomar, Paul Molitor, John Olerud, Tony Fernández, Alfredo Griffin, getting his World Series pinch hit off of superstar Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Curt Schilling, his front row seat to watching the Joe Carter walk-off World Series-winning home run, managing the Toronto Maple Leafs in the IBL, and why his most special memories were playing alongside his younger brother Rich! For everything Rob Butler, please visit http://robbutlerprobaseball.com/ For the complete Rob Butler story, please enjoy his first Toronto Legends podcast interview at https://www.torontolegends.ca/world-series-championformer-blue-jay-rob-butler/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Toronto Raptor and NBA Champion Tracy Murray talks about the Smiling Assassin Isaiah Thomas bringing him to Toronto, playing in that very first Raptors game in 1995 (in front of Cindy Crawford/Samuel L Jackson/Geena Davis), shoutouts to his OG Raptors teammates Damon Stoudamire/Acie Earl/Carlos Rogers/Jimmy King/Oliver Miller, living in the SkyDome hotel alongside neighbour Robbie Alomar and simply taking the elevator to get to games, hanging out with Hulk Hogan/Mats Sundin/The Undertaker/Tie Domi/Pinball Clemons/Roger Clemens, clubbing at The Roxbury with Dr Jerry Buss and Earvin Magic Johnson, educating Toronto fans on the correct use of ThunderStix, beating Michael Jordan and his world champion Chicago Bulls (with an off-court assist from John The Spider Salley), dropping 50 on the Golden State Warriors while with the Washington Bullets, coming full circle as both a teammate and coach for The Black Mamba Kobe Bryant, a very harrowing winter car drive up the Don Valley Parkway to Scarborough, and why he was nonplussed to have Barney the Dinosaur’s theme song played during road games! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olympic Silver Medalist Figure Skater Elizabeth Manley talks about pivoting from Trenton’s hot chocolate scammer to Canada’s Sweetheart, the epic story behind her Calgary ’88 Silver Medal skating performance, getting personally congratulated by Michael J. Fox and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, the 7500 congratulatory letters that were delivered by a non-striking Canada Post to her Mom’s mailbox, her relationships with rivals Katarina Witt and Debbi Thomas, a life-changing interaction with Canadian Olympic Hockey Coach Dave King, chugging Labatt Blue beer to get through the post-competition drug testing, her interactions with Steve Yzerman/Brian Orser/Brian Boitano/Toller Cranston/Dorothy Hamill/Christopher Plummer/Gene Hackman, why the Girl with the Cowboy Hat is big in Asia, and how her Olympic skating outfit was so petite that it got mailed back to her in a regular-sized envelope! Elizabeth Manley and her fellow Class of 2025 Inductees will go into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Toronto’s Granite Club on October 16th...for full event details, please visit https://ontariosportshalloffame.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Toronto Star’s Kevin McGran talks about his new unauthorized biography on Auston Matthews, AM34’s very unconventional path from Arizona to Switzerland to NHL superstardom in Toronto, the off-ice incidents (the 2019 ‘mooning’, the 2020 Covid-disclosure, the 2024 awkward Captaincy transfer), who will replace Mitch Marner (and his ‘Mitch-isms’) on the top line, why he loved dealing with Sundin/Gilmour/Clark but picked on Vesa Toskala, where he sits in the gondola press box to cover games (under the ‘H’ in Foster Hewitt’s name), and why the dream is alive for a Connor McDavid/Auston Matthews Maple Leafs partnership down the road ! Full info on Kevin’s debut biography Auston Matthews A Life in Hockey is available at https://www.simonandschuster.ca/books/Auston-Matthews/Kevin-McGran/9781668063095 TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curling champion Glenn Howard talks about working with Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy, getting confused for his older brother Russ (and vice-versa), moving from competing into coaching both his kids and the Swiss national team, his 38 year association with The Beer Store allowing him to have two successful careers, his TV appearance on CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie, his positive interactions with CBC Sports’ Mr Curling Devin Heroux, how The Curling Group is revolutionizing the sport and moving it away from its association with smoking and drinking, just missing an Olympic medal while coaching Great Britain at 2018 Pyeongchang, and why winning The Brier/Canadian Championships was super hard whereas winning World Championships was super important! Glenn and his fellow Class of 2025 Inductees will go into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Toronto’s Granite Club on October 16th...for full event details, please visit https://ontariosportshalloffame.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1980 Olympic Hockey Gold Medalist and Team USA Captain Mike Eruzione talks about The Miracle on Ice, Al Michael’s legendary call alongside the late Ken Dryden, the two movies made about that 1980 Olympic hockey journey (with Coach Herb Brooks played by Karl Malden and Kurt Russell), hanging out with 5x Gold Medalist Eric Heiden, meeting The Great One Wayne Gretzky at centre ice of the 4 Nations championship game, President Jimmy Carter sending Air Force One to deliver the team to the White House, meeting Charlie’s Angel Kate Jackson, where all his super-valuable memorabilia ended up, and why he’s proud to return to his alma mater the Boston University Terriers! For everything Mike Eruzione, please visit https://www.mikeeruzioneshop.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired CBC Sports broadcaster Scott Russell talks about his time on Hockey Night in Canada, covering 17 different Olympic Games, his upcoming induction into the OSHOF, his new role as Chancellor at North Bay’s Nipissing University, his mentorship of Devin Heroux, his interactions with Jean Beliveau, Don Cherry, Nelson Mandela, Knowlton Nash, Ernie Afaganis, Brian Williams, Harry Neale, Don Wittman, George Stroumboulopoulos, Dick Irvin, Scotty Bowman, Mike Modano, Bob Cole, Mario Lemieux, Kelly Hrudey, Patrick Roy, Peter Mansbridge, Glenn Healy, running the Boston Marathon, and why everyone mistakes him for Scott Oake! Scott and his fellow Class of 2025 Inductees will go into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Toronto’s Granite Club on October 16th...for full event details, please visit https://ontariosportshalloffame.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Memorabilia Mogul Hersh Borenstein talks about getting into the business via Pavel Bure’s desire to ride roller coasters, his relationships with Gordie Howe and Johnny Bower, his final goodbye to The King Borje Salming, his time with William Shatner, Ralph Macchio, Heather Locklear, Dogpool and Michael J. Fox at Fan Expo, cleaning 30 years of bird poop off of the signature sign atop Wayne Gretzky’s Restaurant, his sly technique to get autographs from a reticent Ken Dryden, his interactions with Alex Ovechkin/The Killer Doug Gilmour/Carmen Electra/Vladislav Tretiak/Iron Mike Tyson/Donald S Cherry/Snoop Dogg/Marc-Andre Fleury/Dan Marino/Roger Clemens/Charles Barkley/Chuck Norris/Joe Carter/the Hanson Brothers, the market for celebrity-signed cancelled cheques (including one from Walt Disney), and how he acquired the varsity jacket Gordie Howe wore on The Simpsons! For everything Hersh, please visit the Frozen Pond at https://frozenpond.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist/Broadcaster Marty York talks Globe & Mail, TSN, Sportsnet, The Fan, Metro Newspapers and shares stories upon stories upon stories with a cast of characters including Muhammad Ali, Pete Rose, Reggie Jackson, Doug Flutie, Bobby Orr, Donald S Cherry, Pat Gillick, John Tory, Paul Beeston, Damaso Garcia, George Bell, Kelly Gruber, Dave Stieb, Isiah Thomas, Marv Levy, Condredge Holloway, Hank Aaron, Cito Gaston, David Stern, Pinball Clemons, Harold Ballard, Don King, Bob McCown, Vince Carter, Terry Greer, Steve Simmons, Michael Landsberg, Scott Moore, Cliff Johnson, Norm Rumack, Marcel Dionne, Willie Wood, Ernie Whitt, Wayne Gretzky, Hank Ilesic and more! Prompting this question in the spirit of Steve Simmons: hey, whatever happened to Debbie Van Kiekebelt? Marty has tirelessly worked for nearly a decade with B’nai Brith Canada advocating for human rights...see what they are up to at https://www.bnaibrith.ca/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gymnast Curtis Hibbert talks about his upcoming induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, his 7 medals (5 of them Gold) in a single Commonwealth Games, representing Canada at two Summer Olympic Games, his front-row memories of the Ben Johnson scandal in 1988, his post-gymnastics careers as a high diver at Canada’s Wonderland and as a Hollywood stuntman and as a Toronto police officer, his interactions with Jackie Chan/James Brown/the Prince of Monaco/Belinda Stronach, and why you might just see him breeze past you on an electric unicycle! Curtis and his fellow Class of 2025 Inductees will go into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Toronto’s Granite Club on October 16th...for full event details, please visit https://ontariosportshalloffame.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edmonton transplant/singer/songwriter Moe Berg talks about the ongoing concern that is The Pursuit of Happiness (TPOH), his supergroup Trans-Canada Highwaymen (TCH), meeting Jeff Bezos, the rocketship that was I’m An Adult Now, touring with Duran Duran/Eurythmics/The Replacements, meeting his idols Todd Rundgren/Alice Cooper/Jeff Lynne, the nemesis that was The Parachute Club, his love for the Chicago Blackhawks, throwing out the first pitch at a Toronto Blue Jays game, his multiple appearances on TSN’s Off The Record, and having a TPOH video critiqued by Beavis and Butt-Head on MTV! Moe and The Pursuit of Happiness are playing a FREE show at the Town of Aurora’s Ribfest on Saturday August 23...details for the tastiest event of the summer are available at https://www.aurora.ca/ribfest For everything TPOH, please visit http://www.tpoh.net/ For everything TCH, please visit https://transcanadahighwaymen.ca/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World Series Champion and former Toronto Blue Jays catcher/broadcaster Gregg Zaun talks about his Uncle Rick and Uncle Pat forging his path as a pro catcher, getting drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, winning a World Series with the 1997 Florida Marlins, his five productive seasons with the Blue Jays, playing for a variety of managers including Jim Leyland/John Gibbons/Cito Gaston/Carlos Tosca, catching the late great Roy Doc Halladay, his on-air chemistry with his Blue Jays Central ‘Brother From Another Mother’ co-host Jamie Campbell, his abrupt #MeToo-driven dismissal from Sportsnet in 2017, and why he has done his time/apologized and should be back in baseball! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1992 and 1993 Toronto Blue Jays World Series Champion Todd Stottlemyre talks about growing up at Yankee Stadium (Mrs Babe Ruth supplied the ice cream), his dad Mel Sr’s amazing life in baseball, getting drafted not once not twice but three times before joining the Blue Jays, that historic 1992 World Series championship, the World Series back-to-back repeat in 1993 featuring the Bloody Chin incident (and telling Philly’s Mayor which body part he could kiss), why he did NOT know that Joe Carter hit that championship-winning walkoff home run, thoughtful memories of the late Rickey Henderson/Jim Clancy/Yogi Berra/George Bell, and fun anecdotes with Dave Stewart/Pat Borders/Dave Stieb/John Kruk/Paul Molitor/Robbie Alomar/Dave Winfield/Kelly Gruber/Neon Deion Sanders/Jose Canseco/Cito Gaston/Pat Gillick! For everything Todd Stottlemyre, please go to https://toddofficial.com/about TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martha and the Muffins co-founder Mark Gane talks about his debut solo album called Garden Music, his creative and life partner Martha Johnson, their song Echo Beach putting him into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, being signed to Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin UK record label, sharing a Juno Award with Anne Murray, having three albums produced by Daniel (then Danny) Lanois, touring with the Eurythmics, why they changed their name to M + M (and subsequently back to Martha and the Muffins), their battles with Live Nation over naming of their Echo Beach venue (why no plaque?!?), and why he is at peace with the notion that ONCE a Muffin, ALWAYS a Muffin! To get Garden Music, a collection of instrumentals based on common plant names, please visit https://markgane.bandcamp.com/album/garden-music For everything MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS, please visit http://marthaandthemuffins.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Cherry talks about Everything Cherry: the publication of his late sister Cindy’s The Don Cherry Story, how dad Don is doing as he approaches his 92nd birthday, the status of Don Cherry’s Grapevine Podcast after 313 episodes, the ramifications of Coach’s Corner ‘Poppygate’ six years later, the current status of the Ron & Don relationship, Don’s latest visit from BFF/Greatest Player of All Time Bobby Orr, the definitive histories of Blue the Bull Terrier(s)/Rock’em Sock’em Hockey/Don Cherry’s Sports Grill/Grapevine with Brian Williams, his mom Rose’s calm leadership to get through 52 family moves, and Don’s memories from his one NHL game with the Boston Bruins! The Don Cherry Story by Cindy Cherry is available now at https://www.amazon.ca/Don-Cherry-Story- TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist and Author Morgan Campbell talks about racing against his wife World Champion hurdler Perdita Felicien, his early football career interactions with CFL Superstar/US College Hall of Famer Chuck Ealey, walking on as a wide receiver for the Northwestern University Wildcats, his 18 years writing for The Toronto Star at 1 Yonge Street, his pivot to contributing to CBC Sports and the NY Times, developing a working relationship with Jose Bautista that began pre-bat flip, and the positive reaction to his debut memoir My Fighting Family! For everything Morgan Campbell including My Fighting Family: Borders and Bloodlines and the Battles That Made Us, please visit https://bymorgancampbell.com/ TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hamilton Tiger Cats Grey Cup champion Leo Ezerins talks about helping Harold Ballard earn his sole pro sports championship ring, how much he enjoyed the presence of King Clancy, playing college ball for a brand new head coach named Hugh Campbell, how his 10 year CFL career as a linebacker started with a rookie season at tight end, his post-football job at Boston Pizza working alongside a young Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving, Mike Ditka’s confused reaction after hearing Oskee Wee Wee, and his first person memories of the 2011 alumni luncheon where senior citizens Angelo King Kong Mosca and Joe Kapp got into a real-life brawl! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The youngest third of The Stastny Brothers Anton Stastny talks about collectively scoring over 1000 points for the Quebec Nordiques, playing on the same line with older brothers Marian and Peter, those crazy Battles of Quebec against the Habs, their dramatic defection from communist Czechoslovakia to Quebec City, scoring 28 points with Peter in just two games, taking care of Joe Sakic when he started with the Nordiques and then Joe returning the favour by taking care of Anton’s nephew Paul years later as teammates on the Avalanche, and the brothers’ idolization of fellow countrymen ‘Big Ned’ Vaclav Nedomansky and Stan ‘Stosh’ Mikita who blazed that trail to the NHL! TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sportscasting Legend Mark Hebscher talks about 11 years of Global’s Sportsline with Jim Tatti, his upcoming book Madness: The Rise and Ruin of Sports Media, the origins of both the Hebsy nickname and his Hebsy Awards, his on-air all-too-real April Fool’s prank with HHOFer Larry Robinson, putting The Champ Muhammad Ali on hold, politely stalking Bob McCown to get his big break, Blue Jay George Bell’s feedback to his farewell montage, why Just Like Mom's Fergie Olver is the connection you need for Disneyland passes, why Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb was more than a bit of a dink, getting banned from Maple Leaf Gardens by owner Harold Ballard, getting sued by HHOFer Phil Esposito, his interactions with Wayne Gretzky/Peter Kent/Pierre Berton/Steve Kouleas/Gene Principe/Joe Tilley, and why you should always aim for that top shelf where Mom keeps the peanut butter! For Mark’s latest news, please visit https://markhebscher.substack.com/ Coming soon: Mark’s new book Madness: The Rise and Ruin of Sports Media at https://ecwpress.com/products/madness TORONTO LEGENDS is hosted by Andrew Applebaum at andrew.applebaum@gmail.com All episodes available at https://www.torontolegends.ca/episodes/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices