get married on December 31, but wanted to delay the marriage because of John's death, though her family convinced her to continue with the original plan. Gardiner married Myrtle Brooks August 6, 1927 at Grace United Church in Winnipeg. Their first son, Robert Roy, was born May 20, 1929. They also had a girl on May 7, 1931, but she died the same day. While working at the hardware store, Gardiner first played organised sports as a member of the store's baseball team. Gardiner quickly started playing ice hockey with the same passion as the children who were born in Canada. As he didn't learn to skate until he was eight years old, he couldn't skate very fast and was forced to play as the goaltender. He had tried to play as a forward and defenceman but was too slow for either position. Playing on Winnipeg's frozen ponds, Gardiner employed an acrobatic style, instead of the nearly-universal stand-up style played in that era, to avoid having his hands and feet frostbitten. He joined the Victorias, a team in the Winnipeg City League, at the age of 13. He recorded a shutout in his first game, but the team was shut out in their following game, so Gardiner was cut. By the age of 14, Gardiner made the intermediate team of the Selkirk Fishermen. Aside from hockey, Gardiner excelled in Canadian football and had joined the Winnipeg Tammany Tigers junior club in 1920. As a defender, Gardiner quickly gained attention for his skill and helped the Tigers reach the Western Canadian junior rugby championship in Regina, Saskatchewan, though they lost the championship game. The following year he changed positions and played as a right outer wing; the Tigers went through the season undefeated and again played in the Western Canadian championship game, which was held in Regina like the previous year; the team again lost. While with the Tammany Tigers Gardiner played in the 13th Grey Cup, the Canadian football championship, losing against the Ottawa Senators 24–1. Outside of hockey, Gardiner enjoyed several different hobbies. During one off-season from the Black Hawks, Gardiner began taking flying lessons from his former teammate Konrad Johannesson. He quickly learned how to fly solo and would buy shares in the Winnipeg Flying Club, which Johannesson had founded. He also enjoyed shooting rifles; in the summer of 1931 he was recognised for this when he was