BC Lion CFL Hall of Fame Members

ACKLES, BOB , Honoured for the significant contributions he made to the B.C. Lions. Ackles joined the Lions as a 15 year old water boy in 1953, the year prior to the team’s inaugural season in the WIFU (later to become the CFL’s Western Conference). Over the next thirty-four years Ackles performed virtually every administrative duty in the organization, from Equipment Manager to General Manager.

During the 1975 season Ackles took over as General Manager of the team over the next eleven years with the help of a strong Board of Directors, he turned the team around on the field and off. He consulted with the Provincial Government in obtaining a much needed stadium, built a new training facility and office complex while finishing first in the Western Conference four times (1977, 1983, 1984 and 1985), participated in the Grey Cup in 1983 and won it all in 1985 in Montreal.

Ackles remained active in football after leaving the B.C. Lions where he became one of the most widely respected executives in recent NFL history, spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles and Miami Dolphins more recently spent a year as the Vice President and GM of the Las Vegas Outlaws of the XFL. Ackles is currently back where it all began with the BC Lions where he serves as President.

BROWN, TOM, Elected as a Player, April 3, 1984. Although a neck injury ended his career, for five years he starred for the B.C. Lions playing Middle Guard, Linebacker and Defensive End. Twice he was the CFL's Lineman of the Year with Schenley Awards; he was an All-Canadian and an All-Western All-Star three times as the Lions made two Grey Cup appearances during his time, winning in 1964.

FIELDGATE, NORM, Elected as a Player, June 30, 1979. He played for the B.C. Lions from 1954 to 1967 - the lone Lion original in 1954 to celebrate the club's first Grey Cup victory in 1964. An All-Canadian once and All-Western All-Star three times, he played more than 200 games as Offensive End, Defensive End, Corner Linebacker and Defensive Back.

FLEMING, WILLIE, Elected as a Player, May 28, 1982. Willie The Wisp earned All-Western All-Star honours three times and All-Canadian Team recognition once. He is the first CFLer to rush for a career mark in excess of seven yards per carry and in 1963 he rushed for a 9.7-yard average as the Lions reached their first Grey Cup Game.

HINTON, TOM, Elected as a Player on May 11, 1991. Played his entire Canadian professional career with the B.C. Lions, a career which spanned 136 games from 1958 through 1966. Made the Western all-star team in his rookie season and was B.C.'s nominee for the Schenley Most Outstanding Lineman Award. In 1963, the country's number one guard became a Canadian citizen, made both the All-Western and All-Canadian All-Star teams and participated in B.C.'s first Grey Cup contest.

KAPP, JOE, Elected as a Player, March 16, 1984. Twice an All-Canadian All-Star Quarterback and twice an All-Western All-Star, Kapp played eight years in the CFL initially with Calgary and for almost six seasons with B.C. He passed for 22,925 yards and guided the Lions to their first Grey Cup win in 1964.

PARKER, JAMES James Parker joined the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos in 1980 as a defensive end and went straight to the Grey Cup his first season. He led the League in sacks in 1981 and 1982 and was named to the Western All-Star team and CFL All-Star teams both years. He moved to the B.C. Lions in the 1984 season and became the League sack leader with an average of 26.5 sacks in a single season which is still an all-time CFL record today. Parker remains third in the League for most quarterback sacks, all-time, in a regular season with 139.5. James Parker finished his CFL career as a member of the Toronto Argonauts where he played the 1990 season and one game in the 1991 season.

SPRING, HARRY C., Elected as a Builder August 5, 1976. One of the fathers for the Vancouver franchise, he was an original Director of the Lions in 1954. Treasurer in 1955 and 1956, Vice-President in 1957 and President in 1958 and 1959.

STUKUS, ANNIS, Elected as a Builder, May 6, 1974. A versatile player with the Argos which included Grey Cup wins in 1937 and 1938, Stuke went on to assist new franchises in Edmonton and Vancouver. Despite low budgets, Stuke promoted like a genius and made sure the Eskimos and the Lions were quicky in the black.

WILSON, AL, Elected as a player on September 20, 1997. Al Wilson played 15 years with the B.C. Lions from 1972 to 1986 as a guard and centre. Wilson was awarded the All-Western All-Star and All-Canadian All-Star honours for seven consecutive years from 1975 to 1981. He was voted the Schenley Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 1977. Wilson participated in two Grey Cup games in 1983 and 1985 and was a member of the Championship team in 1985.

YOUNG, JIM, Elected as a Player, May 11, 1991. Played two years with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League before joining the B.C. Lions for his entire Canadian professional career, 197 games from 1967 to 1979. The Toronto Argonauts, who held his Canadian rights, traded him to B.C. in 1967 in exchange for Dick Fouts and Bill Symons. Young was B.C.'s nominee for the Schenley Most Outstanding Player Award in 1967, 1969, and 1972, and was their nominee for the Schenley Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1967 and then every year from 1969 to 1972, winning in 1970 and 1972. Spent from 1989 to 1992 working in the Lions' front office.

Special Thanks to CFL Hall of Fame