Retirement
Kennedy continued for a short time after retirement as a salesman with Canadian Building Materials, with whom he had worked for during his hockey career in the off-season, but soon left the company. In 1957–58, he was the second coach of the Peterborough Petes OHA "Junior A" team before being succeeded by Scotty Bowman. After a successful season coaching Peterborough, Kennedy reportedly turned down an offer to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to their signing of Punch Imlach.
He returned to Port Colborne to raise thoroughbred horses, which was an occupation he had been involved during his hockey career. Kennedy owned the Faraway Hills Farm and the St. Marys Thoroughbred Training Centre in Ontario which included a quarter-mile indoor track. His horse, On Board, won the grand championship for stallions three times at the Canadian National Exhibition and at the Royal Winter Fair.
In 1966 Ted Kennedy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 1975, an arena in Port Colborne, the Teeder Kennedy Youth Arena, was named in his honour.
Kennedy was a steward with the Ontario Racing Commission from 1977 to 1985. In June 1979, Kennedy was one of three stewards who scratched Come Lucky Chance from the $100,000 Canadian Oaks after the horse had thrown its rider prior to the race. Infuriated by the ruling was the horse's owner, 84-year-old Conn Smythe. Although, Smythe was quoted as saying, "I'll raise hell with only two of the stewards." In July 1984, Kennedy was one of the stewards for the Queen's Plate, who ruled against an appeal by Larry Attard riding Let's Go Blue that he was interfered with by the winning horse Key To The Moon. Kennedy was then head of security at Fort Erie Racetrack.
In 1987, Kennedy appeared along with Leaf defenseman of the 1970s, Jim McKenny, in an educational video for the Ontario Government on the dangers to athletes of drug and alcohol abuse. Kennedy, an abstainer, said he was always considered "one of the boys" on the team even through he did not drink. Kennedy's stellar career contrasted with McKenny, considered along with Bobby Orr as the best prospects in junior, had his career negatively impacted by alcoholism.
During his retirement, Kennedy also participated in Old-Timers hockey for charity benefits. He was also an avid golfer, scoring a 215 yard hole in one in 1981 at Scarboro Golf and Country Club.
In 1993, Kennedy, along with Syl Apps, were honoured in a pre-game ceremony by having banners raised at Maple Leaf Gardens.
In 1995, it was reported Kennedy had again returned to live in the hometown of his youth Port Colborne. In 1999, Kennedy underwent hip replacement surgery.
Ted Kennedy died on August 14, 2009, in a Port Colborne nursing home of congestive heart failure. He is survived by his wife Doreen, son Mark, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Read more about this topic: Ted Kennedy (ice Hockey)
Famous quotes containing the word retirement:
“He who comes into Assemblies only to gratifie his Curiosity, and not to make a Figure, enjoys the Pleasures of Retirement in a[n] ...exquisite Degree.”
—Richard Steele (1672–1729)
“Adultery itself in its principle is many times nothing but a curious inquisition after, and envy of another man’s enclosed pleasures: and there have been many who refused fairer objects that they might ravish an enclosed woman from her retirement and single possessor.”
—Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667)
“The student who secures his coveted leisure and retirement by systematically shirking any labor necessary to man obtains but an ignoble and unprofitable leisure, defrauding himself of the experience which alone can make leisure fruitful.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)