PLAYER #123 - RON BARBARO (1993-94)

When it comes to being at the head of Toronto institutions, Ron Barbaro's name tops the list. As someone who has been in charge of the Metro Zoo, the Santa Claus parade, and for a brief period, the Argonaut Football Club, it's amazing Barbaro hasn't been suggested as a possible candidate for mayor of the city.

Well, maybe he has, but he probably turned them down. That's what he did to the NHL when they went looking for a commissioner, and had to settle for Gary Bettman instead. The search committee at the time included Bruce McNall, who was second-in-command at NHL headquarters, as well as Argo owner.

A short time later, McNall's financial shortcomings were coming to light, and the Boatmen were struggling through a second straight last-place finish after the 1991 Grey Cup. It was time to clean house, and as Barbaro put it: "I'm the guy who cleaned it all up." As the newly-appointed president, chairman and CEO of the Argos, Barbaro arrived midway through the 1993 season, and in the space of a few months, made many radical changes.

"The whole intent was to find new money," said Barbaro, who was able to do that by May of 1994, with TSN as the new owners. "I didn't want to stay, though. It was just too stressful."

The death of his good friend and Argo co-owner John Candy, whose uncle had previously worked for Barbaro at a different company, made the period even more difficult.

"I was talking to him the night before he died," said Barbaro, who was in California at the time. "I was about to go and see him on the film shoot the next day." Candy died while filming the movie Wagon's East.

Since his brief Argo stay, Barbaro has been busy on the board of directors of many companies, and when he's not travelling, he can usually be found at the offices of Clairvest. His input is still very valuable, as it was back in 1965 when his first involvement with the Argos came to light.

"Lew Hayman asked me to help out," said Barbaro, who formed the first Argonaut Playback Club at Hayman's request. Every Tuesday night, as was a tradition around the CFL, the Argos Playback Club would host some players, coaches, media and about 500 or 600 fans at the Town & Country Buffet Restaurant. The previous Sunday's game would be replayed on film, and those in attendance would ask questions of the experts gathered at the head table.

"It had quite a following, it was really fun," said Barbaro, who also organized bus trips to Ottawa, Montreal and Hamilton, attracting up to 1000 fans each time. The Playback Club was the precursor to the current "Friends of the Argonauts" fan club, who number in the hundreds and are led by Lori Bursey.

In 1974, when the Argos were put up for sale by John Bassett, Barbaro had put in a bid for the team, but lost out to Bill Hodgson. "Naturally, you step away at that time," said Barbaro, who would soon have other things on his mind, such as running the worldwide empire of Prudential Insurance. He and his wife Ginetta were also busy raising their children (Maria, Catherine and Richard) as well.