 | |
| No. 66, 67, 56, 52, 50[1] | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Guard •defensive end |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1936-05-31)May 31, 1936 Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Died | June 4, 2022(2022-06-04) (aged 86) Port Hope, Ontario, Canada |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career history | |
| 1955–1965 | Calgary Stampeders |
| 1966–1967 | Montreal Alouettes |
| Awards and highlights | |
Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1988) | |
Tony Pajaczkowski (/ˌpædʒəˈkaʊski/PAJ-ə-KOW-skee;[2] May 31, 1936 – June 4, 2022)[3] was a Canadian professionalfootball player. He was an all-staroffensive guard in theCanadian Football League (CFL). He was nicknamed "Paj".[4]
Coming from theVerdun Shamcats inMontreal, Pajaczkowski played 11 seasons with theCalgary Stampeders (1955–1965) and two seasons with theMontreal Alouettes (1966–1967). He was a CFL All-Star four times (1962–1965) and won theCFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1961 (after being runner-up in 1960). He was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
Pajaczkowski was born on May 31, 1936, inVerdun, Quebec.[1] He attendedCatholic High School there, and was namedmost valuable player of the 1953Montreal Gazette All-Star football team.[5] He played junior football for theVerdun Shamcats of theQuebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) in 1954 along with former Catholic High teammateBob Geary.[6]
In December 1954, Pajaczkowski and Geary were signed by theCalgary Stampeders of theWestern Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU).[6] Pajaczkowski made the roster in his first year and appeared in 12 games for the 1955 Stampeders attackle anddefensive end, mainly playing on kickoff teams.[1][7] In 1956, his position was changed toguard by coachJack Hennemier.[8] Although initially reluctant to change, it was at this position that he became one of the all-time greats of Canadian football.[8] In his first year at guard, Pajaczkowski earned a starting role and appeared in all 16 games as the Stampeders finished 4–12.[9][10] In addition to playing at guard, he was also used by Calgary as akicking specialist.[10]
Pajaczkowski signed a contract extension in March 1957.[10] CoachOtis Douglas called him one of Calgary's best Canadian prospects.[10] He continued as starter in 1957, playing in every game as the Stampeders finished third place in the conference with a record of 6–10.[11] Onspecial teams, he made eight kickoffs for 391 yards, a 48.9 average.[1]
Pajaczkowski re-signed with Calgary in May 1958.[12]The Vancouver Sun reported in July that Pajaczkowski was "not far behind" teammateHarry Langford as the league's most outstanding guard.[13] He appeared in every game in 1958, helping Calgary to a record of 6–9–1 and a fourth-place conference finish.[14] After playing in 14 games in 1959, Pajaczkowski was named the team's best lineman by a fan vote.[15] That year, the team compiled a record of 8–8.[16]
Due to pronunciation difficulties, radio announcerJack Wells refused to mention Pajaczkowski's name (pronouncedpa-jə-KOW-skee) in all of the Calgary game broadcasts over a period of three years.[2][17]
Pajaczkowski appeared in all 16 games in 1960, helping Calgary reach the second round of the WIFU playoffs.[18] In addition to being their starting guard, he was the team's backup kickoff specialist that year, making 27 kickoffs for 1,495 yards, a 55.4 yard average.[18] He was the Stampeders' nominee for theSchenley Most Outstanding Canadian Award and was the runner-up for the honor.[8]
In 1961, Pajaczkowski made 51 kickoffs for 2,845 yards, an average of 55.8 yards per kick, and started all 16 games at guard, being named to the Western Football Conference All-Star team and earning the Most Outstanding Canadian Award.[19][20] The 1961 Stampeders compiled a record of 7–9.[21]
The following year, Pajaczkowski was named to the CFL All-Star team for the first time in his career.[22] He was one of six Stampeders to be given that honor.[22] He finished that season with 38 kickoffs for 1,955 yards while appearing in all 16 games.[1] In 1963, he was named an all-star for the second consecutive season.[23][24] He was named an all-star for a third time in 1964 and in 1965 earned his fourth-straight all-star honor.[25][26] During his four-year all-star streak, he played in all 16 games each season and Calgary had a winning record each year, with four playoff appearances and three appearances in the Western Finals.[27][28][29][30]
On May 19, 1966, Pajaczkowski was traded to theMontreal Alouettes.[31] He played in all 14 games in his first year with the team.[32] After a knee injury in a 1967 practice, he changed his position from right guard toright tackle.[7] In a game against his former team, Calgary, Pajaczkowski was benched for the first time in his career.[7] He announced his retirement in June 1968.[33] He concluded his career having appeared in 198 games, recording 134 kickoffs for 7,159 yards (a 53.4 average) and ninefumble recoveries during that time.[1]
After retiring, Pajaczkowski accepted a position as line coach atLoyola College inMontreal.[34] In 1988, Pajaczkowski was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame, and in 1996, he was inducted into the Calgary Stampeders Wall of Fame.[35][36]
Pajaczkowski haddementia in his later years.[3] He lived inPort Hope, Ontario, where he died on June 4, 2022, four days after his 86th birthday.[3]
