Stamps earned induction to football shrine
The Calgary Stampeders made their mark on the Canadian Football Hall of Fame Thursday night.
First up was running back Kelvin Anderson, a two-time Grey Cup champ with the Stamps who rushed for 1,000 yards in all eight of his CFL seasons and was a league all-star three times.
Then came Stan Schwartz’s turn, as one of the most important figures in Stampeders history rightfully took his place in the builder’s wing of the hall of fame.
Fans of the team surely don’t need a reminder of all Schwartz has done for the club, but it’s worth a quick revisit.
For eight years starting in 1976, Schwartz served as an assistant coach for the team, only leaving to become the senior executive/ manager of McMahon Stadium.
In that role, he helped develop Calgary’s first multi-discipline sports medicine facility and helped the stadium stage both the closing and opening ceremonies of the 1988 Olympics.
His time with the Stampeders wasn’t done, though, and Schwartz would return to the club to serve as vice-president in 1995 before becoming president a year later, serving in that role for a stretch that included three Grey Cup appearances, two championship wins and a stint as Grey Cup host in 2000.
“Staging Grey Cup games, participating in Grey Cup games and winning Grey Cup championships are unforgettable experiences,” Schwartz said, before elaborating on his four decades with the Stampeders.
“The story of Stampeder football is about people, vision, leadership, commitment, dedication and achieving success. The success we achieved as an organization is a credit to the ownership, the management, the coaches, the players, the staff, the extended Stampeder family and, most importantly, the fans.”
While Anderson’s time with the Stampeders was considerably shorter, he left the club with an impressive resumé. The 1996 CFL Rookie of the Year, Anderson would go on to rush for 1,000 yards for eight straight CFL seasons, the last with B.C.
Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson hadn’t had the chance to speak with Anderson, but described him as a “great man and a great Stampeder.”
“I did have the chance to speak with Stan,” Dickenson said.
“I’m proud of him. A great Stampeder. Honestly, a guy behind the scenes for so many years but he was certainly a big part of our success. We miss him, we love Stan around here, he’s always welcome.”
In his induction speech, Schwartz thanked his family, friends and everyone who helped him along his football journey, while also speaking proudly of the work the Stampeders had done in the Calgary community and helping youth football.
Finally, he laid out his vision for what being part of the Stampeders organization meant.
“Our mission was always the same; be a passionate advocate for the white horse and all the values for which the team behind the logo stands,” Schwartz said.