Joe Ryan (Canadian football)

Joseph Bernard Ryan (11 April 1902 — 2 June 1979) was a Canadian football manager of the Winnipeg Winnipegs and general manager of the Edmonton Eskimos. Ryan was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1968, the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.

Joe Ryan
Born:(1902-04-11)April 11, 1902
Starbuck, Manitoba
Died:June 2, 1979(1979-06-02) (aged 77)
Victoria, British Columbia
Career history
As administrator
1931-41Winnipeg Winnipegs (Manager)
1946-49Montreal Alouettes (Manager)
1960-65Edmonton Eskimos (GM)
Career stats

Early life and education

Ryan was born on 11 April 1902 in Starbuck, Manitoba. He attended a law program at the University of Manitoba before dropping out after the first year.[1]

Career

Ryan began his career at a lumber company in Chicago during the start of the 1920s. After moving to Winnipeg, he worked for Manitoba Pool Elevators from 1928 to 1930.[1] While with Winnipeg, the 'Pegs won the 1935 Grey Cup as manager.[2] Ryan shifted to rugby football in 1931 when he became manager of the Winnipeg Winnipegs.[3] When the 'Pegs were renamed the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Ryan won additional Grey Cups in 1939 and 1941.[4]

Ryan went on to co-form the Montreal Hornets and the Montreal Alouettes in the mid 1940s. With the Alouettes, Ryan was a manager and a secretary until 1949.[5] After a break from football, Ryan joined the Canadian Football League in 1960 to become the general manager of the Edmonton Eskimos.[6] With the Eskimos, Ryan served as general manager from 1960 to 1965 and executive assistant in 1966. He ended his football career in 1967 and moved to Victoria, British Columbia.[7] Outside of football, Ryan became a sportswriter for the Winnipeg Free Press in 1938[8] and worked at an Ottawa tax office in 1942.[9]

Awards and honours

Ryan was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1968.[5] In 1975, he was inducted into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.[4] After his death, Ryan was posthumously named to the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.[10] A few years later, he became a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame in 1984.[11]

Death

On 2 June 1979, Ryan died from cancer in Victoria, British Columbia.[12]

Personal life

Ryan was married and had four children.[12] One of his children Tim, is a renowned sportscaster for NBC, CBS, Fox and the New York Islanders.

References
  1. Hardy, Alex (6 July 1966). "Call Him Mr. Football: Joe Ryan Influenced The Game For 36 Years". Edmonton Journal. p. 38. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  2. Hardy, Alex (7 July 1966). "Just Call Him Mr. Football". Edmonton Journal. p. 9. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  3. Coleman, Jim (8 June 1979). "Joe 'TIger' Ryan". Ottawa Citizen. p. 26.
  4. "JOSEPH RYAN". Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  5. "Joseph B. Ryan". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  6. Hardy, Alex (8 July 1966). "Meet Mr. Football: Ryan's Return To Football Surprised". Edmonton Journal. p. 12. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  7. "Edmonton Bids Ryan Farewell". Edmonton Journal. 31 January 1967. p. 17. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  8. "Little Joe Carries Plenty of Weight". Calgary Herald. 14 April 1966. p. 53. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  9. "Ryan Heads East". Windsor Daily Star. 21 October 1942. p. 2nd Section Page Two. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  10. "Joe B. Ryan (April 11, 1902 - June 2, 1979)". Manitboa Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  11. "Joseph B. (Joe) Ryan". Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  12. "Founder of Als, Bombers, Joe Ryan dies at age of 77". Ottawa Journal. 4 June 1979. p. S11.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.