Toronto Star

Obituary: ‘Electrifyi­ng’ receiver Darrell K. Smith, 55, rewrote Argonauts record book

- THE CANADIAN PRESS

Darrell K. Smith, a former receiver with the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos, died Monday night at age 55.

The Argonauts confirmed Tuesday night that the cause of death was cancer.

Smith spent eight seasons in the CFL, including seven with Toronto (1986-92). The native of Youngstown, Ohio, had 465 catches for 8,144 yards and 52 TDs with Toronto. Smith was dealt to Edmonton in 1993 as part of a 16-player trade, the largest in CFL history. “Darrell was an electrifyi­ng player who captured the hearts of our fans, etched his name in the Argos’ record book, and helped lead us to our Grey Cup championsh­ip in 1991,” Michael Copeland, the Argos president and CEO, said in a statement. “He will be forever remembered as one of the Argos’ all-time great receivers.

“On behalf of our fans and our entire organizati­on, we send our deepest condolence­s to Darrell’s friends and family.”

Smith, a four-time CFL all-star, remains the club leader in consec- utive games with a reception (96), single-season touchdowns (20) and average yards per catch (17.5).

He stands third all-time in 100-yard receiving games (25) and receiving yards in a single-season (1,826), and fifth in receiving touchdowns (111) and combined yards (9,374).

Smith was also a former teammate and close friend of Argos great Michael (Pinball) Clemons.

“Darrell K. Smith was everything you think of when you speak of su- perstar wide receivers,” Clemons said. “His play was scintillat­ing, his confidence overflowin­g and his competitiv­e spirit undeniable.

“Today we celebrate his life and appreciate his contributi­ons, both on and off the field. Beyond his confidence, I remember his laugh and the scream he would let out just before game time that let us all know it was time to play. More humanely, he was smarter, kinder, and more thoughtful than most of us had a chance to see.”

 ??  ?? Darrell K. Smith, who won a Grey Cup with the Argos in 1991, was a key piece of a record 16-player trade.
Darrell K. Smith, who won a Grey Cup with the Argos in 1991, was a key piece of a record 16-player trade.

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