Flutie a Canadian Football Hall of Famer
Last Updated: Monday, February 19, 2007 | 3:13 PM ET
CBC Sports
Darren Flutie, who caught 972 passes for 14,359 yards and won two Grey Cups in his Canadian Football League career, will be inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame later this year.
A three-time CFL all-star in the 1990s, Flutie was among four players and one builder recognized Monday at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum in Hamilton.
Former receiver Darren Flutie was a three-time CFL all-star during his 12-year career.
(Troy Fleece/Canadian Press)
Former linebacker Greg Battle and offensive linemen Pierre Vercheval and Rocco Romano were the other players honoured. Dave (Tuffy) Knight, who was named Canadian university coach of the year three times, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a builder on Sept. 14.
Flutie topped 1,000 yards in receiving in nine of his 12 CFL seasons and won Grey Cups with the B.C. Lions in 1994 and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in '99.
"To go [to Canada] and play [professional] football ... I'm very thankful," Flutie, now a CFL on CBC analyst, told AM 900 CHML radio in Hamilton. "It doesn't feel like I'm five years removed from the game, but I guess part of that is because I've stayed close to the game in broadcasting."
Flutie, who played 193 regular-season games, is looking forward to induction night in Hamilton.
"It's going to be exciting," he said. "I was so glad I went to last year's ceremony. It was special seeing all the great players come back, shake hands, tell stories. A lot of my friends in football are still in that [Hamilton] area."
Knight, 70, compiled a record of 163-79-4 in 28 years as coach of the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks and Waterloo Warriors.
He won five of six Ontario championships with Laurier and qualified for the Vanier Cup — the Canadian university championship — three times.
"This is beyond my wildest dreams," Knight said at Monday's news conference. "I love coaching and it's a great honour for me to be selected as a Hall of Famer."
The native of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was hailed as a messiah when hired to revamp the struggling Waterloo program in 1988. Knight recovered from
an illness in 1989 and led the team to its first winning season in 11 years.
In 1996, he guided Waterloo to its first ever playoff win and first win over Western since 1969. The next season, Waterloo appeared in its first ever Yates Cup (OUA crown) with a road win over the Mustangs.
"I remember the team had lost 34 or 35 in a row," said Knight, who still coaches at the high school level. "Winning that first one [to snap the streak] it was like we had won the Super Bowl or Grey Cup the way the kids reacted."
Battle, the CFL's top defensive player in 1990 and '91, possessed excellent pass-coverage skills and a strong ability to react to the football.
He played for five teams over 12 seasons, but earned most of his accolades with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Battle posted 766 defensive tackles, 26 quarterback sacks, 31 interceptions and 26 fumble recoveries in 179 CFL regular-season games.
He was named Winnipeg's outstanding player in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 and three times was recognized as the top player in the West Division.
Vercheval won back-to-back Grey Cups with the Toronto Argonauts during his 14 CFL seasons.
A six-time league all-star, he was named the CFL's outstanding offensive lineman in 2000.
"The greatest part of this team [of Hall of Famers] is you can't get cut," said Vercheval, who appeared in 212 regular-season games and 13 playoff contests. "You're there for good, right? That's a great feeling.
"I was surrounded by great athletes, coaches and great role models [throughout my career]."
Romano, a Hamilton native, spent 10 of his 14 CFL seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, winning Grey Cup titles in 1992 and 1998.
The versatile Romano was named an all-star in 1992, '94 '95 and '96 as an offensive guard before switching to tackle toward the end of his career.
"I'm so happy I can start to express the joy of [Hall of Fame] induction," said Romano, who also had stints in Saskatchewan, Toronto, Ottawa and B.C.
"To be able to come back to where I was raised and share this with family and friends is an honour. And to be among [CFL] legends is an honour."
Last season's inductees included quarterback Matt Dunigan, defensive end Bobby Jurasin, slotback Allen Pitts, builder Victor Spencer and special teams returner Henry (Gizmo) Williams.
Winnipeg tangles with the hometown Tiger-Cats in the annual Hall of Fame Game on Sept. 15 at Ivor Wynne Stadium.
