Former Canadian Football League Commissioner Doug Mitchell of Calgary, Alberta died at the age of 83 on Thursday according to Dominika Lirette of CBC News. Mitchell was the CFL Commissioner from 1984 to 1988.
As a player, Mitchell played one CFL season with the British Columbia Lions in 1960. As a college football player, he played for the Colorado College Tigers in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in Canadian university sport.
The veteran lawyer made significant contributions to Canadian sport. He was also on the CFL Board of Governors where he represented the Calgary Stampeders. One of the two Vanier Cup semifinals is also named in his honour. It is the game that is in the Western most city every year, with the Uteck Bowl being the Vanier Cup semi-final in the eastern most city in Canada.
While working for Borden Ladner Gervais, Mitchell’s law firm company sponsored the BLG Awards. On an annual basis, the Canadian male and female athletes of the year are recognized who achieve excellence in academics and athletics. Meanwhile, the UBC Thunderbird Sports Centre is named in Mitchell’s honour. In 2019, Mitchell was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. In 2022, Mitchell was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
