Lionbackers.com

With the recent passage of Hank Grenda, I started to think about other former BC Lions who are now in Memoriam. I couldn't think of too many, at least those who made a significant impact to the team. Grenda only played for one season for the Lions in 1969. Who are some former BC Lions that are now gone? I'll list what I know.

Bill Munsey - May 5, 1941 - March 17, 2002
Perhaps this is the best example. Munsey was an integral part of the Lions first 1964 Grey Cup win with his two touchdowns. He died of heart disease at age 60. Here is a good article about him:
http://www.tomhawthorn.com/?a=4

Al Pollard - September 7, 1928 - March 3, 2002
One of the original Lions in 1954. Died of Lymphoma at age 73.
You can see his grave site at:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cg ... id=6522599

Murray Pezim - December 29, 1920 - April 22, 1998
Obviously not a player, but should be mentioned as the Lions' first private owner. Died at age 77 of complications following a stroke.

Ken "Porky" Phillips
Dick Fouts 1964 Grey Cup Champions
Mike Martin 1964 Grey Cup Champions
Emory Barnes 1964 Grey Cup Champions
Lonnie Dennis
Ted Dushinski
Sonny Homer
Trevor Ekdahl

Jo Jo Heath (1983)
Mike Cacic (1957-8, 60-67)
Curtis Wester (All-Star guard 1973-75)
Denny Chronopolous (Guard, Grey Cup winner '94)
Larry Uteck (1977)
Hal Lund (1977-81)

DH 8)

Maybe D could create a special section on this site for Lion players in Memoriam?

smphantom wrote:Maybe D could create a special section on this site for Lion players in Memoriam?

Great idea !

smphantom wrote:
Maybe D could create a special section on this site for Lion players in Memoriam?


Great idea !

What better way to immortalize our beloved players? Excellent idea.

Agreed, RIP.

randymeeks wrote:

smphantom wrote:
Maybe D could create a special section on this site for Lion players in Memoriam?


Great idea !

What better way to immortalize our beloved players? Excellent idea.

And then there's the tragic story of Ernie Pitts:

Thursday, November 13, 1997

The game can rip your heart out

By JIM TAYLOR -- Sun Media
VANCOUVER -- The talk was of Grey Cups and classic football goof-ups, of defeats snatched from the jaws of victory, of near-misses and heartbreak and the way the bounce of a ball can change your life.
Leon McQuay's fumble in the 1971 Grey Cup game that cost the Argos at least a cinch field goal for the tie and quite possibly the touchdown for the win against Calgary Stampeders came up, of course. It always does.
The Staple Gun Classic of 1977 got its usual play. Mayor Jean Drapeau, trying to force the government to put a roof on the Big Owe, refused to let the Grey Cup committee put a tarp on the field the night before the game despite snow warnings, the field turned ice floe by kickoff, and the Alouettes and Eskimos literally skated through the first half.

GREAT TRACTION
During intermission, an Alouette defensive back named Tony Proudfoot noticed a construction staple gun (even then the Owe was under constant repair).
"What the hell," he thought, and fired staples into the soles of his boots. The rest of the Als followed suit, found they had great traction, and came on to whip the Eskimos 41-6.
Then the talk got around to the last-second losses. And I remembered the game that might have cost Ernie Pitts his life ...
Sept. 18, 1970, The B.C. Lions are in Saskatchewan, sitting at 5-3 with a chance to share first place with a win. They're huddled in their end zone, second down, with the lead and the ball, and only 11 seconds to play. It's a wrap.
They're excited -- so excited that quarterback Paul Brothers is called for too long in the huddle. It's in the last minute, so they lose the down. Now it's third-and-six, and they have to punt. Still, no worries. Kick it deep down the middle and kill the clock.
The punt is shanked. Bobby Kocid fields it and calmly steps out of bounds. There is just time for Jack Abendschan to come in and kick the winning field goal. Saskatchewan 23, B.C. 22.
Shaken, the Lions come home for a game five days later against Hamilton. Pitts, who's come over that season after a great decade with the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg and become the glue in a young secondary, asks coach Jackie Parker if he can take the next day off so he can fly to Denver for his daughter's birthday. Parker says sorry, but there's no time.
They play the Ticats and are ahead late as Ted Gerela lines up for what should be the clinching field goal. It's blocked by a lineman who laterals to Garney Henley, who doesn't stop until he's in the B.C. end zone. Hamilton goes on to win 26-14.

IN TATTERS
The Lions are in tatters. Parker gives them a day off to regroup -- and yes, Pitts can go to Denver.
Two night later, the Lions get a call. There's been a domestic dispute in Denver involving a man named Ernie Pitts. He was shot in the throat. There was a delay with the ambulance. Mr. Pitts bled to death.
Weeks later, after the Lions had dropped five of their last six games and missed the playoffs by two points, I had a beer with Paul Brothers, who drew aimless circles in the moisture on the table and spoke of what might have been.
"It's crazy," he said, "but I keep thinking that if I get that second-down play off in Regina, Ernie might be alive today. We'd have won, and even losing to Hamilton we wouldn't have gotten the day off, and Ernie wouldn't have been able to go to Denver ..."
Sometimes, we agree, the game can rip your heart out.

Just a good reason that we should have the Lion players that have passed away and any clippings on them in memory. Thanks for sharing that tragic but heart felt story with us Hambone.

So let's see if we have the list properly ...

Emery Barnes (1962-1964)
Mike Cacic (1957-1958, 1960-1967)
Vic Chapman (1954-1958)
Denny Chronopolous (1994)
Lonnie Dennis (1960-1968)
Ted Dushinski (1976-1977)
Trevor Ekdahl (1967-1974)
Dick Fouts (1962-1966, 1968-1969)
Jo Jo Heath (1983)
Sonny Homer (1958-1968)
Hal Lund (1977-1981)
Mike Martin (1962-1968)
Bill Munsey (1963-1967)
Murray Pezim
Ken "Porky" Phillips (1969-1972)
Ernie Pitts (1970)
Al Pollard (1954-1956)
Larry Uteck (1977)
Curtis Wester (1973-1975)


More?

Dick Suderman died a few days after a game in the 1970's.

Didn't Lasseter pass away?

Suderman played for Calgary. Don't think he played for the Lions

Jim Champion - Head Coach

TheLionKing wrote:Suderman played for Calgary. Don't think he played for the Lions

Yes he did. He was traded to BC. I was at the last game he played. He didn't suffer an apparent injury during the game, but collapsed and died within a day or two after a game. Can't recall the official reason and I don't think there was any direct link to his death being the result of any blow.