Lionel Pretoria Conacher (May 24, 1900 – May 26, 1954), nicknamed The Big Train, was Canada's all-around athlete in the 1920s excelling in Canadian football, ice hockey, lacrosse, baseball, boxing and wrestling, and later playing a significant role in Canadian politics.

Born in Toronto, Ontario, he played for the Toronto Argonauts, and was part of the 1921 Grey Cup winning team from 1921-1922. From 1925 to 1937, he played for the National Hockey League on the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Americans, Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Maroons.

He was a Liberal Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for the Toronto riding of Bracondale, from October 6, 1937 until June 30, 1943. He was elected in 1949 as a Liberal Member of Parliament in the Toronto riding of Trinity and re-elected in 1953.

He is a member of the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (1955), the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (1955), the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame (1966), and Hockey Hall of Fame (1994).

See also

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• Notable families in the NHL

Lionel “Big Train” is Canada’s allround athlete of the half-century. He participated in many sports. He was a boxer and a wrestler. He won championship titles in both fields. He also played baseball and lacrosse and had won other trophies.

External links

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• Argonauts Hall of Famers
• Find-A-Grave profile for Lionel Conacher
• Ontario Plaques - Lionel Conacher 1900-1954

Toronto Argonauts players | Canadian ice hockey players | Chicago Blackhawks players | Canadian Sports Hall of Fame | Liberal Party of Canada MPs | Liberal Party of Ontario MPPs | Members of the Canadian House of Commons from Ontario | New York Americans players | Historical Ontario MPPs | Ontario sportspeople | Torontonians | Stanley Cup champions | 1900 births | 1954 deaths | German Canadians