Les Costello

Les Costello
Costello at St. Michaels, c. 1947
Born	(1928-02-16)February 16, 1928 South Porcupine, ON, CAN
Died	December 10, 2002(2002-12-10) (aged 74) Toronto, ON, CAN
Height	5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight	158 lb (72 kg; 11 st 4 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	1946–1950

Fr. Lester John Thomas Costello (February 16, 1928 – December 10, 2002) was a Canadian ice hockey player and Catholic priest.

He was born in South Porcupine, Ontario, a neighbourhood of Timmins, and played hockey as a teenager, eventually joining Toronto's St. Michael's Majors in the 1940s, winning two Memorial Cups with the team in 1945 and 1947. He subsequently played two years in the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs, including the 1948 Stanley Cup championship team. His brother Murray was also a professional hockey player.

Costello retired from professional hockey in 1950 to pursue seminary studies, and was ordained in 1957. He took a parish in his hometown of Timmins, where he was widely respected for both his flamboyant, fun-loving demeanor and his tireless commitment to social justice and charity work.

In 1963, Costello and colleague Brian McKee founded the Flying Fathers, a group of Catholic priests who played exhibition hockey. Originally intended as a one-time charity event, the Fathers became a phenomenon, regularly touring North America to raise money for charity, and are still active as of 2005.

In 1979, Costello got lost for over 24 hours on a camping trip, and subsequently had several toes amputated due to frostbite. Although his skating ability was significantly impaired by his disability, he continued his involvement with the team, stuffing rolled-up socks into the toes of his skates. The incident also attracted international media attention, including coverage in People magazine and on the television show Real People.