Former Blues Owner Ornest Dies

July 21, 1998 / 11:24 PM EDT / AP

Harry Ornest, former owner of the St. Louis Blues and the CFL's Toronto Argonauts, died Tuesday after a brief illness. He was 75.

Ornest died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he had been since Sunday, according to daughter Laura Ornest.

"We're going to miss him," she said. "We were very proud of him."

Ornest, who lived in Beverly Hills, was the deputy managing director and largest shareholder in Hollywood Park racetrack.

"Harry was a good friend, one of the great characters of this world," said Mike Finnigan, chief financial officer of Hollywood Park.

Ornest, born in Edmonton, Alberta, owned the Blues from 1983 to 1986. He bought the Argos in 1988 and sold the team for $5 million to Bruce McNall, Wayne Gretzky and the late John Candy in 1991.

Ornest also founded the Pacific Coast League's Vancouver Canadians minor league baseball franchise in 1978. He refereed in the American Hockey League, was a linesman in the NHL and played minor-league baseball.

"There were very few sports that he didn't know in detail," Finnigan said. "Mr. Ornest was a sportsman."

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Ruth; daughters Laura and Cindy, sons Mike and Maury; and brother, Leo.

Services will be Thursday at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles.