For the former world champion sculler see Jake Gaudaur Snr.
Jacob Gill "Jake" Gaudaur, Jr., OC (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 the league's fourth 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 (aged 87) 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 |
| Date of birth: | October 5, 1920 |
| Place of birth: | Orillia, Ontario, Canada |
| Date of death: | December 4, 2007 (aged 87) |
| Place of death: | Burlington, Ontario, Canada |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Position(s): | Commissioner |
| Organizations | |
| As administrator: | |
| 1968–1984 | CFL |
| As player: | |
| 1940, 1948-1953 1941 1945-1946 1947 |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats Toronto Argonauts Toronto Indians Montreal Alouettes |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Awards: | |
| Honors: | |
| Canadian Football Hall of Fame, 1984 | |
Contents |
Jake Gaudaur, Jr., born in Orillia, Ontario October 5, 1920, was an all-around athlete at Orillia Collegiate Institute. Like his father, Jake Gaudaur Snr., he was a national rowing champion as well as an excellent lacrosse player.[2][3][4]
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 the 1942 season.
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 the 1947 season.[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 the 1953 season winning the Tiger-Cats first Grey Cup playing centre.[4][5]
From 1954, Gaudaur was President of the Tiger-Cats and was President & General Manager from the 1956 season 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.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Allan McEachern |
Canadian Football League commissioner 1968 -1984 |
Succeeded by Douglas Mitchell |
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