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Lou Marsh

Statistics:

  • Art: Writing
  • Born: February 17, 1879 in Campbellford, Ontario 

Milestones:

  • 1892 – Started working at the Toronto Star newspaper
  • 1907 – Attended the Boston Marathon with Tom Longboat
  • 1925 – Refereed the first official National Hockey League game at Madison Square Gardens in New York City
  • 1931 – Became a sports editor for the Toronto Star newspaper
  • 1932 – Officiated at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles

Lou Marsh (1879-1936) was a natural athlete and a pioneer in sports journalism who left his legacy on Canadian sport. Lewis “Lou” Marsh moved with his family to Toronto when he was nine years old. In 1892, the first year the Toronto Star began publishing newspapers, Marsh was hired as a copyboy. Over the years, he moved up at the Toronto Star to assistant sports editor under W.A. Hewitt, and then sports editor in 1931. In addition to being a writer, Marsh was a natural athlete who was involved in a variety of sports. He was a fast sprinter and coached and ran with Bobby Kerr and Tom Longboat. In football, he played quarterback for the Toronto Argonauts. Marsh also refereed in professional wrestling and hockey. In sports writing, Marsh is known for his trademark daily column With Pick and Shovel. A memorial trophy is given out annually in his honour to Canada’s top athletes.

Learn more about Marsh and the memorial trophy given out in his honour at The Lou Marsh Legacy website.

Read an article written by Marsh for the Toronto Star newspaper on August 29, 1928.

Read the front-page article published on March 5, 1936 in the Toronto Star newspaper following Marsh’s death.