William B. Frank, Jr. (April 13, 1938 – June 26, 2014) was a Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Colorado. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
| No. 64 | |
| Born: | April 13, 1938 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died: | June 26, 2014 (aged 76) White Rock, British Columbia, Canada |
| Career information | |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | OT |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) |
| Weight | 255 lb (116 kg) |
| College | Colorado |
| High school | West (CO) |
| AFL draft | 1963, round: 24, pick: 186 |
| Drafted by | San Diego Chargers |
| NFL draft | 1963, round: 18, pick: 244 |
| Drafted by | Dallas Cowboys |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1962–1964 | BC Lions |
| 1964 | Dallas Cowboys (NFL) |
| 1965–1968 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1968–1976 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970–1973 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1966, 1967 |
| CFL West All-Star | 1968, 1970–1973 |
| Career stats | |
| |
Early years
editFrank attended West High School. He enrolled at San Diego Junior College in 1959, where he was named to the junior college All-American team.
After his sophomore season he transferred to the University of Colorado, playing until he was declared ineligible when the school was placed on probation by the NCAA in 1962.[1][2] He was named a member of Colorado's all-time all-star team. He was also practiced wrestling.
Professional career
editBC Lions (CFL)
editFrank began his 15-year CFL career with the BC Lions in 1962 and was a part of the 1963 Grey Cup.[3] He played both offense and defense.
Dallas Cowboys
editFrank was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 18th round (244th overall) of the 1963 NFL draft and the San Diego Chargers in the 24th round (186th overall) of the 1963 AFL Draft. Because he still was under contract in the Canadian Football League, the Cowboys had to additionally trade running back Amos Bullocks to the BC Lions in exchange for Frank's playing rights.[4] To complicate matters further, he signed a contract with the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League, who selected him in the 24th round (186th overall) of the 1963 AFL Draft. The deal was eventually voided by American Football League commissioner Joe Foss.[1]
In 1964, he joined the Cowboys in the week of the ninth game and played in four contests as a backup. He was waived on September 7, 1965.[5]
Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL)
editIn 1965, he was signed in middle of the season to play offensive tackle for the Toronto Argonauts. He played in his first game without any practice time and just hours after arriving from the airport.
In 1968, he held out during training camp and was traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, where he played until 1976. He was an All-star seven times.[3] Frank was named to the Argonauts' quarter-century team, the Blue Bombers' all-time dream team, and in November 2006 was voted one of the CFL's Top 50 players (#49) of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.[6]
Personal life
editFrank spent four years in the Marines. On June 26, 2014, he died in his sleep while at his home in White Rock, British Columbia.[7]
Awards and honors
edit- CFL All-Star team (offensive tackle) - 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973[2]
- Eastern All-Star (offensive tackle) - 1966, 1967, 1968[2]
- Western All-Star (offensive tackle) - 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973[2]
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame - 1990[2]
- Canadian Football Hall of Fame - 2001[3]
References
edit- ^ a b "Dallas Gets Tackle From Vancouver", Reading Eagle, Associated Press, November 4, 1964, retrieved July 14, 2018
- ^ a b c d e "Bill Frank". Canadian Football League. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Bill Frank". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Bob Scott (August 6, 1966), "As Als' Fullback", The Montreal Gazette, retrieved July 14, 2018
- ^ The Canadian Press (September 9, 1965), "Ti-Cats' Hoerster Surprised After Trade To Saskatchewan", The Montreal Gazette, retrieved July 14, 2018
- ^ "TSN Top 50 CFL Players". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Zicarelli, Frank (June 13, 2014). "Bill Frank, an unsung force for Argos, Bombers and Lions, dies at 76 | Argonauts". Torontosun.com. Retrieved July 14, 2018.