Thomas McCranor (sports builder)
| Thomas McCranor | |
|---|---|
| Years in Thunder Bay | 1800s–at least 1930 |
Thomas McCranor was a multi-sport athlete and administrator who pioneered the development of various athletic pursuits in Northwestern Ontario for more than three decades. Thomas McCranor was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 as a builder.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Thomas McCranor was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 26 September 1992 in the builder category for badminton, track & field, cycling, harness racing, lacrosse, soccer and hockey.[1]
Career and service
Originally from Ireland, McCranor moved to Fort William during the late 19th century. He established himself as a versatile amateur athlete, participating in Badminton, track and field, and Cycling. Alongside his brother, James McCranor, he bred high-quality horses for sulky racing. Their horses were entered into the Western Canada leg of the Canadian Trotting Circuit, traveling to competitions in Calgary, Ottawa, and as far south as Kentucky.[1]
Between 1904 and 1930, McCranor focused his efforts on the growth of sulky racing on both dirt and ice surfaces. He was a primary figure in the 1913 merger of the Fort William Riding Association and the Port Arthur Riding Association, which formed the Twin City Riding Association. He subsequently served as the president of this new organization from 1914 to 1916. His proficiency as a driver helped popularize the sport in the region, with events held on the frozen Kam River and the Lake Superior breakwater drawing crowds of nearly 5,000 people.[1]
Beyond equestrian sports, McCranor held several significant leadership roles in the local sports community. He acted as the president and manager of the Kam Lacrosse Team and served as the president of the Fort William Wanderers hockey club. His contributions to soccer included serving as a referee and committee chairman for the Fort William and Port Arthur leagues. Additionally, he worked as an official for regional track and field competitions.[1]
Residence in the Thunder Bay area (late 1800s–at least 1930) rests on the following dated evidence. Arrived in Fort William in the late 1800s and was active in various local sports roles and sulky racing through 1930.[1]
Honours and achievements
- Set a world record for the half-mile on ice with his horse Tokay in Toronto in 1910
- Served as President of the Twin City Riding Association from 1914-16
- Managed and presided over the Kam Lacrosse Team
- Presided over the Fort William Wanderers Hockey club
- Facilitated the 1913 merger of the Fort William and Port Arthur Riding Associations[1]
Family
- James McCranor, a brother: Business partner in horse breeding[1]
- Probably not the same as Thomas H. McCranor (died 1932): the name is similar, but the person in that record was born in 1908, too late for 1904, the earliest year recorded for this person.
- Possibly the same as Thomas McCranor; the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
- Possibly the same as Thomas McCranor (born c. 1874); the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
- Possibly the same as Thomas McCranor (died 1958); the name matches and some details fit, but too little is shared to merge the pages.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "Thomas McCranor", builder profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/builder-profile/bdb59241-eff5-4030-980d-fa69418d6bc4 (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.