LONDON, Ont. - Western Mustangs football great and university coaching legend Gino Fracas passed away on Oct. 29 at the age of 79.
A two-way player at running back and linebacker, Fracas was a perennial league all-star being chosen three consecutive years beginning in 1952. Also handling the Mustang kicking duties, this multi-dimensional weapon led the league in scoring for both the 1953 and 1954 seasons.
A hard charging running back, he helped lead the Mustangs to back to back Yates Cup championships in 1952 and 1953, and was awarded the George McCullough trophy in 1954 as the team MVP.
A first-round draft choice of the Ottawa Rough Riders, he ended up with the Edmonton Eskimos for his entire eight year CFL career. Fracas was a team captain and defensive signal caller, and this tough-nosed linebacker appeared in three Grey Cup games, winning two championships in 1955 and 1956.
Jumping straight from the Eskimos playing field to the University of Alberta head coach position, he led the Golden Bears to three consecutive league championships in the next four years.
In 1963 his team won the Golden Bowl, the unofficial university National Championship and in 1965 they appeared in the very first College Bowl.
Returning to his hometown of Windsor, Ont., to become the first head coach of the Windsor Lancers football program, it was not long before they won the Central Canada Intercollegiate football conference championship in 1969 and claimed an OUAA co-championship in 1975. He coached the Lancers for 19 years.
Fracas was named the OUAA West coach of the year in 1976 and 1977 and in 1979 served as head coach of the Canadian CIAU all-star team in the second annual Can-Am bowl game.
An inaugural member of the OUA Football Legends Wall of Fame as a player, coach, scholar and administrator, the CIS annually recognizes a university volunteer assistant coach of the year in Canada with a trophy named in his honour, the Gino Fracas Award.
The CIS, then CIAU, established an annual trophy named in his honour, to the top volunteer assistant coach. In 1987, Fracas was the recipient of a Football Canada - CFL Award of Merit. He was inducted into the University of Western Ontario W Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1984.
He is also a member of the Windsor Lancers Alumni Sports Hall of Fame and the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame (1987).
Gino is survived by his wife Leona.
Football Canada / CIS Gino Fracas Coaching Award
Named in honour of Gino Fracas, legendary coach at the Universities of Alberta and Windsor, the award recognizes outstanding career service by a volunteer assistant football coach. The award was introduced in 1988.
2008 Terry Chisholm StFX
2007 Nigel Wilson Western
2006 Wayne Harris Jr. Calgary
2005 Richard Urbanovich Manitoba
2004 Ross Lemke Montreal
2003 Rob Dalley Wilfrid Laurier
2002 Barry Radcliffe Saskatchewan
2001 Frank Gesztesi McMaster
2000 Kevin Artichuk StFX
1999 John Belmont Alberta
1998 Mark Forsyth McMaster
1997 Rita Sue Bolton Queen's
1996 Peter Regimbald Concordia
1995 Gary Kirchner McGill
1994 Bill Miklas Queen's
1993 Bob Mullen Queen's
1992 Doug Smith Toronto
1991 Clarke Samways Western
1990 John MacNeil Mount Allison
1989 Phil Hughes StFX
1988 Morgan Clark Windsor
CIAU Competition: Western Mustangs (SIFL), 1951-1954
SIFL All-Star selections:
Canadian Press: 1952 (HB), 1953 (HB), 1954 (HB)
Canadian University Press: 1952 (2nd team FB), 1953 (2nd team HB), 1954 (HB)
SIFL individual scoring leader:
1953 - 44 pts (6 TD, 14 conv) - conference leader in converts
1954 - 54 pts (7 TD, 2 FG, 17 conv) - conference leader in converts and FGs (there were just 3 successful FG in the conference that year)
(Other years scoring)
1951 - 3 pts (3 conv)
1952 - 9 pts (1 TD, 1 sing, 3 conv))
CFL career: Edmonton Eskimos, 1955 - 1962
Head Coaching Career
Aberta Golden Bears - 1963-1966
Windsor Lancers - 1968-1986
Championships as coach
Hardy Trophy (Canada West): 1963, 1964, 1965 (co) CCIFC championship: 1969 Yates Cup (OUAA): 1975 (West division)
Coaching highlights
- In 1963, led Alberta to a 25-7 victory over the Queen's Golden Gaels in the Golden Bowl, an unofficial national university football championship
- In 1965, led the Golden Bears to a berth in the inaugural Vanier Cup, falling 14-7 to the Toronto Varsity Blues
- Became the inaugural coach of the Windsor Lancers in 1968
- Named OUAA Coach of the Year in 1976 and 1977
- Served as the head coach Canadian team at the second annual Can-Am Bowl in January 1979
- Gino Fracas Award presented annually since 1988 to the outstanding volunteer coach in CIS football.