BRIAN SNELGROVE
Special to argonauts.ca
A quiet defensive lineman from Barrie, Ontario became an Argo legend.
The Argos will host Retro Night when they take on the Montreal Alouettes at Rogers Centre on August 14. The Boatmen will turn back the clock to celebrate the decade with retro music, retro uniforms and much more.
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Jim Corrigall was the heart and soul of an outstanding Toronto Argonaut defensive line for more than a decade (1970-81). He was a four-time CFL all-star (1971, ’73, ’75 and ’77) and was inducted in to the CFL Hall of Fame in 1990.
“It was an energizing time for me,” says Corrigall who is 64 and now lives in Ravenna, Ohio, just east of Cleveland. “My emotions really run the gamut – it was exciting, it was sad, it was rock and roll time. It was a great, great time and you couldn’t find a better place to play than in Toronto. The people, the press, they were always very, very good to me.”
Corrigall went to high school in North Bay, Ontario and attended a high school football camp sponsored by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1965. While there, Corrigall caught the eye of recruiters from Kent State University and despite offers from Notre Dame, Utah and UTEP, opted to attend the Ohio based university. “I went there on a recruiting visit and thought it was a great school with great coaches and a really nice campus,” he says.
Corrigall attended Kent Sate from 1966-70 and was the first player in the history of the university to be named to the first team All-Mid-American Conference in three consecutive years. His number 79 was retired by Kent State.
He was drafted in the second round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Argos had territorial rights to Corrigall. “I thought that they had a better opportunity to win at that particular time and they offered me a two-year contract. I liked the idea of a short-term contract,” he says.
Corrigall proved prophetic as the Argos made it to the Grey Cup his second season.
“It was a good experience,” says Corrigall. “We had a good team. What cost us the game was poor kicking. We missed a couple of kicks. Everyone blames it on Leon McQuay. It wasn’t Leon’s fault. I don’t blame McQuay.”
“I was angry ‘cause we lost,” he says of the ’71 Grey Cup. “I was very disappointed. You don’t play the game to lose. I don’t do anything to lose. You workout, you run, you lift weights, you practice, you prepare to win. That is what life is all about. It was very disappointing. We had all the pieces. You always respect your opponent but you don’t fear those people.”
Corrigall played against many of the finest CFL players of the era. “George Reed, Jim Young, Willie Burden, Dave Fleming, a tough nut from Hamilton, Johnny Rodgers from Nebraska, Tony Gabriel, Peter Dalla Riva, Moses Denson was a heckuva player,” says Corrigall. “They were all great players.”
Playing for the Argos Corrigall recalls, “was exciting, wild, crazy, very rewarding, a lot of fun,” he says. “Guys like Stillwagon, Harrington, Liggins, Ray Nettles, Theismann, Symons, Wilkie, Bobby Taylor, Dave Raimey and Marv Luster. Wow Marv Luster – they called him “Stickman”. He would knock the living daylights out of you and light you up like a Christmas tree.”
Corrigall was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the year in 1970. He followed it up by being named the CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 1975 and retired in 1981. “I would have liked to keep playing,” he says, “but I was starting to get banged up a bit.”
As for his induction in to the CFL Hall of Fame, Corrigall says, “That was a thrilling moment in my life. It was very humbling. I never thought I would get elected. It’s because of the people who pushed me throughout my life. I am very fortunate to get there. The great thing is that when you are young enough to appreciate it, my family saw me inducted and now my kids can go to see it. I feel very blessed that way.”
“He was a great football player,” says Leo Cahill, former Argonaut Head Coach. ”He was actually a middle linebacker at Kent State and I converted him to defensive end. I didn’t think he had the mobility and quickness to drop back on pass coverage. But Corrigall could do a lot of things very, very well and he was quick and he deserves to be in the CFL Hall of Fame.”
“Corrigall had an insatiable need to get to the ball carrier in the least amount of time in a bad frame of mind,” Cahill adds. “I think that best sums up Jim Corrigall.”
After retiring Corrigall got his start in the college coaching ranks at Miami of Ohio, North Carolina State, and The University of Akron. He returned to his Alma Mata in 1994 and coached at Kent Sate for three years. Up until two years ago he taught history and physical education and was the defensive co-coordinator for the Ravenna High School football team, northeast of Akron, Ohio. The last two years he coached at Hiram College, a division three school but will return to Ravenna this year.
“I’ve been blessed to spend a lot of my life in football,” says Corrigall, who, when not involved with football, spends his spare time working out, reading and looking after his three grandchildren. “I guess you could say I am now semi-retired.”
The former star still follows the fortunes of his CFL team. “I try to keep up as best I can,” says Corrigall, “and wish them the best.”