American gridiron football player (1938?2014)
Bill Frank
|
Born:
| (
1938-04-13
)
April 13, 1938
Denver
, Colorado, U.S.
|
---|
Died:
| June 26, 2014
(2014-06-26)
(aged 76)
White Rock, British Columbia
, Canada
|
---|
|
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
|
---|
|
|
1962
?
1964
| BC Lions
|
---|
1964
| Dallas Cowboys
(NFL)
|
---|
1965
?
1968
| Toronto Argonauts
|
---|
1968
?
1976
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers
|
---|
|
---|
|
CFL All-Star
| 1966
,
1967
,
1968
,
1970
?
1973
|
---|
CFL East All-Star
| 1966
,
1967
|
---|
CFL West All-Star
| 1968
,
1970
?
1973
|
---|
|
|
|
---|
|
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
.
Early years
[
edit
]
Frank 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
[
edit
]
BC Lions (CFL)
[
edit
]
Frank 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
[
edit
]
Frank 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)
[
edit
]
In 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
[
edit
]
Frank 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
.