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ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts Football Club is saddened to learn of the passing of CFL Hall of Fame offensive lineman, Bill Frank. He was a member of the Double Blue from 1965 to 1968 and appeared in 49 regular season games and four (4) playoff games. He passed peacefully in his sleep at his home in White Rock, B.C. on June 24. Bill was 76 years old.
Commented Toronto Argonauts player alumnus and former teammate, Peter Martin,“Bill was the kind of guy you wanted on your side. Bill played the game at 280 pounds and, at that time, he was one of the biggest players on the field. As an offensive lineman, Bill was probably one of the toughest and meanest guys I had ever had the privilege of playing with. He was a fabulous football player and he will be missed.”
Frank played four (4) stellar seasons in Toronto from 1965-68 lining up at offensive tackle and blocking for numerous Argonauts greats including RB Dick Shatto. During his career, the Denver, Colorado native compiled seven CFL All-Star honours, as well as four (4) Western All-Star nods during his time with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and three (3) Eastern All-Star nods as an Argonaut. He is remembered as one of the greatest CFL players in history having been named to the TSN Top 50 All-Time CFL players list in 2006 (#49) – 30 years after his last game. Frank’s lone Grey Cup appearance came in a 21-10 loss at the hands of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a member of the B.C. Lions during the 1963 season.
Frank was added to the Argos’ roster in the middle of the 1965 season to help bolster the offensive line. He arrived straight from the airport for his first game in Double Blue, only stopping to have a quick pre-game meal before heading to the stadium. As the story goes, Frank ate at a restaurant in Burlington, drove to the stadium, put on his equipment and played his first game having never even participated in a single practice. After the game the coaches graded out all of the players and Frank graded out as the highest rated lineman!
In 2001, Bill Frank was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a player. He joined the CFL in 1963 with the B.C. Lions but was drafted by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in 1964. The Cowboys traded two players (HB Aman Bullochs and a player to be named later) to the Lions to secure Frank’s playing rights. He returned to the CFL in 1965 and joined the Argonauts. He played in Toronto for four seasons and then signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers where finished his distinguished career in 1976. He was named a member of Colorado’s All-Time All-Star Team as a result of his play at the University of Colorado. He was also named a junior college All-American during his time at San Diego Junior College.