| No. 52 | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Centre •Guard |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1950-04-06)April 6, 1950 (age 75) Duncan, British Columbia, Canada |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 240 lb (109 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Montana State |
| Career history | |
| 1972–1986 | BC Lions |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1997) | |
Al "Dirt"Wilson (born April 6, 1950) is a Canadian former professionalfootball player for theBC Lions of theCanadian Football League (CFL). Wilson spent his entire 15-year career with the Lions as anoffensive lineman. Wilson playedAmerican college football atMontana State University. He is a member of theCanadian Football Hall of Fame, theB.C. Sports Hall of Fame, theB.C. Lions Wall of Fame, and has a street named in his honor, "Al Wilson Grove," in his hometown ofDuncan. Wilson's #52 jersey is one of eight numbersretired by the B.C. Lions.[1] In 2003, Wilson was voted a member of theB.C. Lions All-Time Dream Team as part of the club's 50th anniversary celebration.[2] In 2006, Wilson was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports networkTSN.[3]
Wilson attendedCowichan Secondary School in Duncan, British Columbia, where he playeddefensive end,offensive guard, andtight end for the football team. He went on to playcollege football atMontana State from 1968 to 1972, where he was theBobcats' captain during his senior year.[4]
Following his graduation from Montana State, Wilson joined theB.C. Lions in1972. Playing offensiveguard, and later,centre, Wilson rarely missed a Lions' game in his 15-year career with the team, finishing with 233 games (he is the second longest-playing Lion in team history behind teammateLui Passaglia's 408 game record). During his career, Wilson played in 167 consecutive games until a knee injury ended his season in1982.[5]
In1983, Wilson was a part of the Lions' 11–5 season that culminated in aGrey Cup matchup with theToronto Argonauts. The Lions ultimately lost the game, 18–17. Two seasons later, in1985, Wilson and the Lions returned to the Grey Cup championship game, where they defeated theHamilton Tiger-Cats 37-24 for theLions' second Grey Cup.
Wilson's play led to his selection as aWestern Division andCFL All-Star for seven consecutive years (1975–1981).[4] Wilson won theDeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy as the CFL Western Division's most outstanding lineman three years in a row (1976–1978) and won theScheneley Award as the CFL's "Most Outstanding Offensive Linemen" in1977.[5]
Following his retirement in 1986, Wilson was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame and theBC Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2003, Wilson was voted a member of the BC Lions All-Time Dream Team, at thecentre position, as part of the club's 50 year anniversary celebration.[2] In 2006, Wilson was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports networkTSN.[3]
Since his retirement, Wilson has been active in theDuncan, British Columbia, community, and has sponsored charity events andgolf tournaments. Wilson has also spent the past 10 years coaching the Windsor Dukes Football team out of North Vancouver, British Columbia. His coaching has helped the Dukes claim the title of Provincial Champions seven times in the past 10 years.
On Oct. 18, 2008, Wilson was part of the inaugural group inducted into the Duncan/North Cowichan Sports Wall of Fame.[6]
He is married to former curlerRobin Wilson.[7]