Gino Fracas
Encyclopedia
Gino Fracas was a professional Canadian football
player and hall of fame CIS football
coach. He was professor of Human Kinetics at the University of Windsor
from 1967 to 1995.
, on April 28, 1930, and attended Assumption College Catholic High School, where he was named to the All-City football team in 1947 and 1949 and to the all-Ontario
team in 1948 as a halfback
. He won consecutive provincial championships with his high school team and another championship with the 1950 Assumption College Junior Ontario Rugby Football Union
team. He also played first base in baseball
for the Windsor Sterlings in the Detroit Federation League and, in 1951, played semi-professional
for the Frood Tigers in Northern Ontario
.
Fracas was a running back and linebacker at the University of Western Ontario and played on the Mustangs Yates Cup championships teams in 1952 and 1953.
in 1954, but played his CFL career with Edmonton Eskimos
from 1955 to 1962 and was team captain. He won two Grey Cup
s in 1955 and 1956 with the Eskimos.
from 1963 to 1967 and lead them to National and Conference Championships in his final year. From 1968 to 1986 he coached the Windsor Lancers
. He founded the football program in Windsor and lead the Lancers to CCIFC championship in 1969 and OUAA Championship in 1975.
.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player and hall of fame CIS football
CIS football
Twenty-six universities across Canada compete in football under the auspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport . The teams are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of the CIS: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Quebec...
coach. He was professor of Human Kinetics at the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
from 1967 to 1995.
Early years
Fracas was born in Windsor, OntarioWindsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, on April 28, 1930, and attended Assumption College Catholic High School, where he was named to the All-City football team in 1947 and 1949 and to the all-Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
team in 1948 as a halfback
Halfback (Canadian football)
The halfback in Canadian football, and most commonly the Canadian Football League, refers to the defensive back rather than the running back, as in American football. The defensive halfback lines up inside covering the slotback. They are usually slightly larger than the cornerback to assist the...
. He won consecutive provincial championships with his high school team and another championship with the 1950 Assumption College Junior Ontario Rugby Football Union
Ontario Rugby Football Union
The Ontario Rugby Football Union or ORFU was an early amateur Canadian football league with teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded in 1883 and in 1903 became the first major competition to adopt the Burnside Rules, from which the modern Canadian football code would...
team. He also played first base in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
for the Windsor Sterlings in the Detroit Federation League and, in 1951, played semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
for the Frood Tigers in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
.
Fracas was a running back and linebacker at the University of Western Ontario and played on the Mustangs Yates Cup championships teams in 1952 and 1953.
Professional career
Fracas was drafted by the Ottawa Rough RidersOttawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
in 1954, but played his CFL career with Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
from 1955 to 1962 and was team captain. He won two Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
s in 1955 and 1956 with the Eskimos.
Coaching career
After his playing career, Fracas became a university football coach. He coached the Alberta Golden BearsAlberta Golden Bears
The Alberta Golden Bears are the men's athletic teams that represent the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The women's teams are known as the Alberta Pandas.-History:...
from 1963 to 1967 and lead them to National and Conference Championships in his final year. From 1968 to 1986 he coached the Windsor Lancers
Windsor Lancers
The Windsor Lancers are the varsity athletic teams that represent the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.The Lancers compete in Ontario University Athletics as part of Canadian Interuniversity Sport ....
. He founded the football program in Windsor and lead the Lancers to CCIFC championship in 1969 and OUAA Championship in 1975.
Honours and awards
University of Windsor's Coach of the Year Award and CIS Football Volunteer Coach of the Year were named in his honour. In 2011 he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of FameCanadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
.