- Gordon Sturtridge
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Gordon Sturtridge Date of birth: 1929 Place of birth: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Date of death: December 9, 1956 (aged 27) Place of death: Mount Slesse, British Columbia, Canada Career information CFL status: Non-import Position(s): DE CJFL: Winnipeg Rods High school: St. Paul's, Winnipeg, Manitoba Organizations As player: 1951-1956 Saskatchewan Roughriders Career highlights and awards CFL All-Star: 1954, 1955, 1956 Awards: 1953 - Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy Retired #s: 73 (Saskatchewan Roughriders) Gordon Henry Sturtridge, (1929 – December 9, 1956) was a professional Canadian football player, and was one of 62 people that died on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810, on December 9, 1956.[1]
Sturtridge played his entire five-year professional football career as a defensive end for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Western Interprovincial Football Union, and his #73 jersey is one of eight that has been retired by the club.
Contents
Amateur football career
Sturtridge played amateur Canadian football in the Canadian Junior Football League, and was a member of the Winnipeg Rods.[2]
Professional career
Sturtridge signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders where he starred for five years.[1] In 1953 he won the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy as best rookie in the Western Conference. He was a three-time Western All-Star (in 1954, 1955, and 1956), and was on his way back to Regina, Saskatchewan, on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 after playing in the East–West All-Star Game in Vancouver, British Columbia, on December 8, 1956.[1]
Death
Sturtridge, his wife, Mildred, Roughriders teammates, Mario DeMarco, Mel Becket, and Ray Syrnyk, were passengers on Flight 810 with another WIFU player, Calvin Jones, of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.[1] All five players were present at the 1956 All-Star game in Vancouver, British Columbia, and were headed back to their respective teams' home cities. The five players and Mildred were accompanied by 53 other passengers, and 3 crew members who all lost their lives in Western Canada's worst aviation disaster on December 9, 1956.[1]
Gordon and Mildred were survived by their three young children who were home in Regina at the time of the crash.[1]
Legacy
In 1957, a youth football league in North Vancouver, British Columbia was named in memory of Strurtridge.[1] The Gordon Sturtridge Football League is for players aged 6 to 15.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h O'Keefe, Betty (2006). Disaster on Mount Slesse. Caitlin Press. ISBN 1-894759-21-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=uoRGAAAAYAAJ&q=disaster+on+mount+slesse&dq=disaster+on+mount+slesse&ei=qW3-SteRBoqQlQT-z5miDw.
- ^ "CJFL Alumni in the CFL". footballcanada.com. 2008. http://www.footballcanada.com/useredits/File/CJFL%20alumni.pdf. Retrieved 2009-11-14.[dead link]
External links
Saskatchewan Roughriders The Franchise Stadiums Culture The Rivalries Important Figures Ron Atchison • Roger Aldag • Bill Baker • Al Benecick • "Gluey" Hugh Campbell • Ken Charlton • Bill Clarke • Ray Elgaard • Edwin "Eddie" "Dynamite" James • Bobby Jurasin • Ron Lancaster • Ed McQuarters • George Reed • Dave Ridgway • Martin Ruby • N. J. "Piffles" Taylor • Ted UrnessRetired Numbers 23 Ron Lancaster • 34 George Reed • 36 Dave Ridgway • 40 Mel Becket • 44 Roger Aldag • 55 Mario DeMarco • 56 Ray Syrnyk • 73 Gordon SturtridgeKey Personnel Owners: "Community" owned • General Manager: Brendan Taman • Head Coach: Greg MarshallGrey Cup
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AffiliationsCategories:- 1929 births
- 1956 deaths
- Accidental deaths in British Columbia
- Canadian football defensive linemen
- Players of Canadian football from Manitoba
- Saskatchewan Roughriders players
- People from Winnipeg
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Canada
- Canadian Football League Rookie of the Year Award winners
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