LONG LIVE THE KING
It is with great sadness to report that our dear friend, the King - Ted Labanowich - has passed away.
This picture is not really the way I remember the King: how about the time when fun loving, silly King climbed on top of the press box bar and hit his head on the ceiling when he was so excited that he won a big bet?
Or the day he won a Pick 7 and came in the next upteem days playing a recording of royalty music?
He put his T.S. Gruvie selection sheets and sticks everywhere and on everything - from the remote controls in the press box to lighters that he would hand out.
He played his tape of his meeting with the 'other'King, LARRY KING, many times for us. He made us laugh with that big ole tape recorder of his, his patented race cheers like 'Giiiiiiit up there', I could go on and on.
The last time I saw the King was soon after our FLING WITH THE KING night at Woodbine, we had a big party for him at the track and he was interviewed on TV.
As the columnist for the HAMILTON SPECTATOR and DAILY RACING FORM, the King was all Hamilton, all the time. Oh, and he loved do do his own speed figures - the wind guys, the wind!!
Up until the other day, he was asking his friend Bill for the wind stats for the previous week's racing at Woodbine.
To the King's family and friends, my condolences.
I know the King will live on forever with our gang upstairs. Peace, Amigo.
posted by Jen Morrison @ 5:15 PM
11 Comments:
At 8:06 PM,
Anonymous said…
Ted you will be sadly missed. On behalf of everyone from the Fort Erie Jockey's room, we wish to pass on our Sincerest Condolences to his family and dear friends.
At 8:29 PM,
Anonymous said…
We were saddened to hear this. We knew he was sick but he didn't look bad on Woodbine Mile day. We will miss seeing him in the press box, especially hearing that trademark "Get up there!".
Our condolences to everyone close to him.
Cindy and Terence Dulay
Horse-Races.Net
At 8:43 AM,
Anonymous said…
Ted will be deeply missed, especially at the Breeders' Cup where he would doggedly chase the stories of Canadian horses and their people. And I hope the Man Upstairs will finally give him a computer he can figure out. There will never be another King. He's truly missed.
Bob Summers, Buffalo News
At 8:55 AM,
Anonymous said…
The King's cheerfulness, spirit and enthusiasm will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Long live The King in our memories.
At 9:39 AM,
Anonymous said…
I can't think of anyone who ever said a bad word about Ted.
And he was a journalist who was in a very touchy business.
That pretty much sums up the kind of person he was.
Bye Ted.
At 11:16 AM,
Anonymous said…
My deepest condolences on the passing of The King. Growing up in Hamilton, i was a devoted reader of his columns. When i got a job at Woodbine in the t.v. department a few years ago, i got a chance to meet Ted and he was very kind.
Last October, while on a work assignent at the Breeders Cup, i got a chance to hangout with Ted and the image of this passionate racing fan, doing all the legwork and nudging himself gently into media scrums, is one that sticks out the most.
The King busted his hump covering the game he dearly loved and the sport is alive and well because of gentleman like Ted.
Godspeed King
Phil McSween
Woodbine T.V.
At 11:36 AM,
Anonymous said…
He was never subtle, stubborn as a wall and didn’t always take a hint. He loved making a point and enjoyed the glory. He was funny, passionate and smart, a good sport and an active participant. He made you feel special when you walked into the room. He was as genuine as anyone I’ve known.
Horse racing has lost a treasure. I have lost a friend.
Darryl Kaplan
Trot Magazine
At 11:47 AM,
Anonymous said…
It was very sad to hear off Ted's passing, he was such a character and he loved what he did. I got to know Ted about 7 years ago and in all those years he has bin a genuine friend, i have had good fond memories of Ted especially a few months ago at Fort Erie when he kept playing that Larry King interview! over and over for me! i remembering telling him 'TEDDY YOUR GONNA RUN OUT THE BATTERIES' we had a laugh. Ted you were a kind hearted human being may you rest in peace.
At 8:54 AM,
Anonymous said…
Many thanks for the kind words and memories about my Uncle Ted.
Ellen Chambers Picard and family
Thunder Bay
At 7:24 PM,
Anonymous said…
A gentleman who was a horsemen's delight. Condolences to his wife and children.
Sadly missed....
At 10:06 AM,
Anonymous said…
i knew Ted as writer/handicaper,recently he would say he didnot really want to write any more, this was just after the Queens Plate Stakes,but handicap, well that was another story,he was the most passionate man about the sport of horse racing that i have ever had the pleasure of meeting,i will always remember his tip he gave me, i was eating a sandwich while we were combating or picks of the day,and he said the food out here is awful, then went on to say he goes into the jocks room and gets his sandwich, ever since then i bring my own lunch to the track.thanks Ted you will be sadly missedby all that you touched. Giiiiiiit up there.
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