| Date of birth: | October 6, 1925 |
| Place of birth: | Šiauliai, Lithuania |
| Date of death: | October 21, 1986 (aged 61) |
| Career information | |
|---|---|
| Position(s): | Offensive Line/LB |
| College: | St. Paul High School, Winnipeg |
| Organizations | |
| As player: | |
| 1942, 1945-1947 1948-1950 1951-1955 |
Winnipeg Blue Bombers Montreal Alouettes Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Honors: | 1949 - Grey Cup Champion |
Kas Vidruk was a Grey Cup champion Canadian Football League player. He played on both offense and defence as a centre, guard, tackle and linebacker.
When only 17 years old, and just out of high school, Vidruk signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1942 for the princely sum of $50 (making him perhaps the youngest player and first Lithuanian in the history of the CFL.) The Bombers suspended operation in 1943 (becoming the Winnipeg RCAF Bombers) and Vidruk enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy. Upon his return in 1945 he rejoined the Bombers. He played in the 1945 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts.
He moved to Montreal in 1948, playing for the Montreal Alouettes and beginning studies at McGill University that would lead to his Physical Education degree. In 1949 he was an integral part of the Larks first Grey Cup championship as a replacement for all-star Eagle Keys at centre and a back up at every other line position. He played 3 seasons with Montreal, for a total of 30 games.[1] Returning to Winnipeg, he played for 5 more seasons, including the 1953 Grey Cup.
He studied at University of Manitoba. Vidruk became deeply involved in the Winnipeg amateur sports community:
For all his good works, he was enshrined in the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.[2] He died on October 21, 1986.
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