Lionbackers.com

Here is a list of past CFL individuals who passed away in 2006:

http://www.cfl.ca/index.php?module=news ... &nid=14444

Annis Stukas

Arnie Weinmeister, who played for the Lions in 1954-55 died in 2000.
Annis Stukus died last year.
By Bailey (1954-64) passed away in 1998.
Jackie Parker (who played briefly for the Lions in 1968) passed away last year.

randymeeks wrote:

smphantom wrote:
Maybe D could create a special section on this site for Lion players in Memoriam?


Great idea !

What better way to immortalize our beloved players? Excellent idea.

If someone wants to prepare all the info I can put a few pages together

You can add Garrett Hunsperger to the list. Garrett sadly passed away last year in St. Louis, Missouri where he was from. He was one of the toughest players to play for BC at DT (1969-74) and Toronto (1975). I know that Wayne Matherne another Lion from back then - a tough DB remained close to Garrett and his family after their time in the CFL.

It is too bad that the Lions didn't have their history rosters by team as well as alphabetical and also that they didn't update their site as players pass away.

Toppy Vann wrote:You can add Garrett Hunsperger to the list. Garrett sadly passed away last year in St. Louis, Missouri where he was from. He was one of the toughest players to play for BC at DT (1969-74) and Toronto (1975). I know that Wayne Matherne another Lion from back then - a tough DB remained close to Garrett and his family after their time in the CFL.

Very sad to learn of Garrett's Hunsberger's passing. I remember the big defensive tackle very well (as a 7-year old I called him Garrett Hamburger to which I would break into fits of laughter but realize now my Dad was likely just laughing along to be nice).

Didn't he and fellow import lineman Bud Magrum run afoul of the law? I seem to recall they got into a brawl in Prince George, tried to cover it up and the club taking a lot of public heat for it.

Amazing that their coach Eagle Keys has outlived some of the players of that era. I wonder what Wayne Matherne is doing these days?

DH 8)

David wrote:Didn't he and fellow import lineman Bud Magrum run afoul of the law? I seem to recall they got into a brawl in Prince George, tried to cover it up and the club taking a lot of public heat for it.
DH 8)

For some reason I thought it was a pot related incident that got them cut.

1964 assistant coach Frank Johnston.

Like a salute to our war hero fallen!

My dad, Trevor Ekdahl, passed away September 7, 2005 after a long battle with brain cancer.

ekdahl wrote:My dad, Trevor Ekdahl, passed away September 7, 2005 after a long battle with brain cancer.

Yes, I learned of your Dad's passing at the time. My sincere condolences, RIP. He was a great O-lineman for our Leos and by all accounts, quite a character! In fact, there's a great chapter in John Wirtanen's book, "Thrown To The Lions" entitled, "Ekdahl! Ekdahl! Where's Ekdahl?!" He recounts a story about your Dad playing one game heavily dosed up on meds from the flu. The medication really started to take effect in the 2nd half - especially after he popped more pills to get him through the game. After the kick-off, and with only 11 men in the huddle, the chapter's title was the cry on the sidelines. Everyone was running up and down the sidelines yelling it.....including your Dad!

I thought you might enjoy this photo of him. Training camp, UBC. July 1971:



DH

Number 1 non player that will be most remembered for me is Mr. Bob Ackles. He really came back at a great time. He turned the franchise around and the CFL pretty much started to flourish around the same time. I still remember David Pratt choking up on the air during his rant. Got to me too

David wrote:

ekdahl wrote:My dad, Trevor Ekdahl, passed away September 7, 2005 after a long battle with brain cancer.

Yes, I learned of your Dad's passing at the time. My sincere condolences, RIP. He was a great O-lineman for our Leos and by all accounts, quite a character! In fact, there's a great chapter in John Wirtanen's book, "Thrown To The Lions" entitled, "Ekdahl! Ekdahl! Where's Ekdahl?!" He recounts a story about your Dad playing one game heavily dosed up on meds from the flu. The medication really started to take effect in the 2nd half - especially after he popped more pills to get him through the game. After the kick-off, and with only 11 men in the huddle, the chapter's title was the cry on the sidelines. Everyone was running up and down the sidelines yelling it.....including your Dad!



I had to go through my storage recently, and I came across that book. No one in my family recalled ever hearing that story or reading that passage. It still makes me laugh.

Thanks for the photo!

Hi Janika,

Welcome to this board and thanks for responding to my old thread. You may already know about this but just in case you don't, here are some more pictures of your father:

http://www.fanbase.com/Trevor-Ekdahl/photos

Trevor Ekdahl played in the years that the Lions owned this city and were number one in sports fans hearts.

Very well known player and popular guy. His Utah university football team picture is here.

http://digital.lib.usu.edu/cdm4/item_vi ... OX=1&REC=7