Jake Gaudaur
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Jacob Gill "Jake" Gaudaur, Jr., O.C., (October 5, 1920 – December 4, 2007) was a Canadian Football League (CFL) player, executive, and commissioner. His 45-year career in Canadian football, including 16 years as Commissioner, oversaw the start of the modern era of professional Canadian football. [1]
| Jake Gaudaur | |
| Born | Jacob Gill Gaudaur, Jr. October 5, 1920 Orillia, Ontario |
|---|---|
| Died | December 4, 2007 Burlington, Ontario |
| Cause of death | prostate cancer |
| Residence | Burlington, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Title | CFL Commissioner |
| Term | 1968 - 1984 |
| Predecessor | Allan McEachern |
| Successor | Douglas Mitchell |
| Board member of | Canadian Football League, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame |
| Spouse | Isabel Grace Scott (daughters, Jacqueline, Diane, Jana) |
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Jake Gaudaur, Jr., born in Orillia, Ontario October 5, 1920, was an all-around athlete at Orillia Collegiate Institute. Like his father, Jake Gaudaur Sr., he was a national rowing champion as well as an excellent lacrosse player.[2][3][4]
[edit] Football career
In 1940, aged 19, he began playing football and joined the Hamilton Tigers.[5] The following year he played for the Toronto Argonauts. Gaudaur served as a pilot in the Second World War[6] and won the 30th Grey Cup with the Toronto RCAF Hurricanes in 1942.
Following the war, Gaudaur played for, and was part owner of, the Toronto Indians of the Ontario Rugby Football Union (1945-1946) and then played for the Montreal Alouettes during 1947.[5]
Gaudaur returned to Hamilton to stay in 1948. When the Tigers merged with the Hamilton Flying Wildcats in 1950, Gaudaur became team captain of the resulting Hamilton Tiger-Cats and played through the 1951 season. In 1952, he left the playing field to became director of the team but returned to play a final year in 1953 winning the Tiger-Cats first Grey Cup playing centre.[5][4]
From 1954, Gaudaur was President of the Tiger-Cats and was President & General Manager from 1956 to 1967.[5] The Ti-Cats appeared in 9 Grey Cups over his term as general manager and won in 1957, 1963, 1965, and 1967.[7]
He died at the age of 87 in 2007 following a long battle with prostate cancer.
[edit] Honours
- He was inducted as a builder into the Toronto Argonauts Hall of Fame in 1984.[8]
- He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a Builder in 1984.[5]
- In 1985, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.[1]
- He was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (1990).[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Jacob Gill Gaudaur, O.C.. Governor General of Canada (2006-03-30). Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ Moro, Teviah. "An athlete and a gentleman", Orillia Packet, 2007-12-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ a b Jake Gaudaur, Jr.. Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
- ^ a b Frank Cosentino. Jake Gaudaur. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved on 2007-12-04.
- ^ a b c d e J. G. (Jake) Gaudaur. Canadian Football Hall of Fame & Museum. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ The Canadian Press. Ex-CFL commissioner Gaudaur passes. TSN. Retrieved on 2007-12-05.
- ^ HISTORY - Grey Cup. Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
- ^ J.G. 'Jake' Gaudaur - Inducted in 1984. Argonauts Hall of Famers. Toronto Argonauts Football Club. Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Allan McEachern |
Canadian Football League commissioner 1968 -1984 |
Succeeded by Douglas Mitchell |
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