| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Position | Centre |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1923-11-16)November 16, 1923 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | June 19, 2004(2004-06-19) (aged 80) Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Career information | |
| College | NC State |
| Career history | |
Playing | |
| 1943 | St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy |
| 1943 | Ottawa Combines |
| 1945 | Montreal Hornets |
| 1946 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1947–1952 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1954 | Calgary Stampeders |
Coaching | |
| 1957–1973 | St. Francis Xavier X-Men (HC) |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Class of 2013) | |
Donald John Loney[1] (November 16, 1923 – June 19, 2004) was a Canadian professionalfootballcentre and coach. He was called the "Father of Maritime Football" byThe Globe and Mail for his work as a coach atSt. Francis Xavier University and his contributions to developing theVanier Cup as a national championship.
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After graduating fromNorth Carolina State University, he played for theOttawa Combines and theSt. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy before serving in theRoyal Canadian Navy duringWorld War II.
Post-war, he resumed his career and played nine seasons as a centre in Canadian football with theMontreal Hornets (1945),Toronto Argonauts (1946),Ottawa Rough Riders (1947–1952) andCalgary Stampeders (1954), meriting four East all-star selections and theJeff Russel Memorial Trophy as East MVP in 1950, a rare feat for a player at his position. He won a pair ofGrey Cups, with the Argonauts in 1946 and the Rough Riders in 1951.
Don served inShearwater as the Base Physical Training and Recreation Officer for two years, and it was during this period that he coached the senior Shearwater Flyers football teams to Nova Scotia and Maritime championships in 1955 and 1956.
Loney headed theSt. Francis Xavier X-Men football program from 1957 to 1973. During his tenure as head coach, he compiled a winning percentage of .807, including an eight-year-long undefeated streak, nine conference banners, sixJewett Trophys, fourAtlantic Bowl wins, and a win in thesecond Canadian College Bowl in 1966. He helped establish both the Atlantic and Canadian College Bowls in 1960 and 1965, respectively.Time magazine dubbed St. FX as "The Assassins ofAntigonish".[2][3][4] Following his retirement in 1973, the Atlantic Bowl MVP award was named for him. He was inducted intoCanada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.[5] TheLoney Bowl was named for him in 2006. He was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 2013, and has also been inducted into theNova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame,Canadian Forces Hall of Fame andStFX Sports Hall of Fame.[6]