| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Halfback &Quarterback |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1917-04-05)April 5, 1917 Aliquippa, Pennsylvania |
| Died | September 27, 1976(1976-09-27) (aged 59) Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Career information | |
| College | Manhattan College |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1946–49 | Hamilton Wildcats |
| 1950 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1952 | Brantford Redskins |
Coaching | |
| 1955–73 | UBC Thunderbirds |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Frank Theodore Gnup (April 5, 1917 – September 27, 1976) was an Americanquarterback,halfback and coach who playedCanadian football from 1946 to 1952.
A native ofAliquippa, Pennsylvania who was a star player atManhattan College,[1] Gnup took theOntario Rugby Football Union by storm in 1946 as a player-coach, leading hisHamilton Wildcats to the league championship game, was named an all-star, and won theImperial Oil Trophy as ORFU most valuable player.[2] He played in Hamilton for 3 more seasons,[3][4] but had a falling-out,[5] and played the 1950 season with theToronto Argonauts (6 regular season games.)[6] He finished his playing days in 1952 with theBrantford Redskins of the ORFU.
After his playing days Gnup took up coaching in 1955 with theUBC Thunderbirds.[7] His 18 years at theUniversity of British Columbia are legendary, and in 1999 he was enshrined in theUBC Sports Hall of Fame.[8] He has since been honoured by having theAAA Provincial Championships and theCWUAA Frank Gnup Memorial Trophy as Player of the Year named after him. The ever cigar chomping Gnup died of a heart attack September 27, 1976, aged 59.[9]