Laurent "Larry" Desjardins, who served as a Manitoba cabinet minister in the 1970s and '80s, died on Tuesday night. He was 88 years old.

A former Winnipeg Blue Bombers player who also played baseball and hockey, and worked as a scout for two NHL teams, Desjardins was known for his support of provincial sports programs.

Larry Desjardins, seen in a 1998 Radio-Canada interview, passed way on Tuesday night. He was 88 years old. (CBC)

"Very few people come into our lives who leave such a profound impact on our community, our province and, in many respects, our nation. Larry Desjardins was just such an individual," Premier Greg Selinger said in a statement Wednesday.

As the MLA for St. Boniface, Desjardins was first elected as a Liberal Progressive from 1959 until he was defeated in the 1973 general election.

However, he came back as an NDP MLA in a 1974 byelection and served until 1988, when he did not seek re-election, according to the legislative assembly's website.

Desjardins held a number of cabinet portfolios between 1971 and 1988, including health and social development, fitness and amateur sport, lotteries and urban affairs.

"Having faithfully served the city of St. Boniface in the early 1950s and later the province as an MLA and cabinet minister for nearly 30 years, he sponsored over 25 bills that lead to significant improvements for all Manitobans in the areas of health and social services," Selinger said in his statement.

As the minister responsible for fitness and sport, Desjardins was key to making sports programs a major beneficiary of provincial lottery programs.

Desjardins was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.