His father and grandfather earned a spot in the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame for their efforts on the hockey rink.

John Burns has earned the same honour for his prowess in a different sport,
Harness Racing John was born in Collingwood January 27, 1949, leaving
Collingwood in 1970. He has two sons John Derek and Rodney Willis. He was
educated at Victoria Public School and Collingwood Collegiate. He has been in
Harness Racing since 1967, throughout Canada & United States.

A four time Ontario Jockey Club trainer-of-the-year-award recipient, John has received a half-dozen O’Brien awards for his horses. He purchased and owned two world champions in Towners Image and Hardie Hanover, adding to the lengthy list of his major stakes’ champions, selling both of them in one afternoon for a combined $780,000.00 U.S.

Among John’s ownership partners today are former Montreal Canadians’ enforcer John Ferguson and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ pitcher Dan Plesac, who played last season with the Toronto Blue Jays. Presently John has a stable of 26 horses that race at Mohawk and Woodbine Raceway. John also played hockey in the Collingwood Minor Hockey system from 1956 to 1967.

This evening June 9, 2000 marks the induction of John Burns into the Collingwood Sports Hall of Fame in the Builders’ category.