You don't have to know football ... to know Dick

For 5 years in the 1980s, I worked for International Sports Properties.  

We were a publishing/marketing/promotion company. A sports leader in Canada at that time. We created Canada's first sports magazine, MVP Magazine and published gameday programs for the Canadian Football League (CFL). Our publications, under the guidance of former NCAA Denver University superstar, Gerry Powers, were the gold standard for sports programs.

For my USA friends ... the Canadian Football League has been around a while. One of the CLF's nine teams was the Toronto Argonaut Football Club founded in 1873 -- eight short years after the end of the US Civil War.

For decades, the CFL has attracted several American football greats including "Swervin Mervin" Fernandez, Jeff Garcia, Fred Biletnikoff, Joe Kapp, Doug Flutie, Joe Theisman, Rocket Ismail (who signed for $4.5 million by owners; McNall, Gretzky and John Candy - at the time, nobody in the NFL or CFL made that much) and, of course, there was Vince Ferragamo and soon-to-be NFL superstar Warren Moon, and hundreds more over the years.

But, there was one, very special, very unique US college player that caught my attention when the Argos claimed him off the Winnipeg Blue Bombers roster. He was a bit of a renegade -- a discard with something to prove. Just what the Argos were looking for to put fans in the seats.

He was "Tricky" Dick Thornton.

For a while during the 1960s-70s he and a bunch of other team's outcasts and "free spirits" made up the Argos. If you were a Blue & White fan in the city during this timeframe you knew all the players - you knew what they ate for lunch.

Tricky, Mel Profit, Bobby Taylor, and "Zee", Dave Raimey and Mike Eben and my personal favourites, Jim Tomlin and Jimmy Dye.

The creator of this group of cast-offs was legendary CFL coach, Leo Cahill. Somehow, he and I would become pals for more than 30 years.

Leo's Argos set the standard for mod/fashion and free-thinking behaviour. And, they all seemed to have a chip on their shoulders.

One night during the season me and a few hockey buddies were christening a new bar downtown. It was packed. The bouncer only let one in when one came out. We watched as Thornton and Dave Raimey waltzed past the beast at the door as if he wasn't there. They reached the bar where we were standing and were quickly approached by four, young, giddy female fans. One of them asked for Dick's autograph and he said he'd be happy to oblige. With that, the girl lifted her v-neck sweater up to reveal her bare breasts. "Put it on the right one," she said. Thornton hardly took notice. It looked like something he'd done 100 times before and probably had.

Dick Thornton and the other team discards played some entertaining football. In 1968, at the height of its popularity, the CNE or Exhibition Stadium held 43,000 people but 45,000 showed up for every game.

Leo had the habit of shocking people. He even moved the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club off the front page of Sports (in the middle of winter) when he signed the Notre Dame QB and Heisman Trophy winner, Joe Theisman to an Argo contract.

Following a disagreement with the owner, Cahill left the Argos for the World Football League and formed the Memphis Southmen where he befriended the team's superfan, Elvis Presley. Leo stunned the NFL in 1973 by signing their 3 most important assets, Paul Warfield, Jim Kiick and Larry Csonka for the unheard-of sum of $3.5 million -- they played their first game on July 10, 1974

In the Argo Grey Cup Championship year, 2004, well after his retirement, Cahill became the team's ambassador. He was finally going to be presented with a Grey Cup ring.

With the help of veteran player and alumni president, Peter Martin, and team president Keith Pelley, we invited as many of the old team as we could to a special evening for Leo for his ring presentation.

Dick Thornton confirmed he would make the 23-hour flight from Thailand. He said, "An evening to honour Leotus? I wouldn't miss it."

The evening's head-table speakers were Angelo Mosca, Earle McRae, Lief Petersen, Pat Marsden, and Dick Thornton.

They have now all passed away -- five-time Grey Cup winner, Angelo Mosca was the last, in November 2021, with Alzheimer's.

During the evening I had the opportunity to spend some time with Dick. I don't know what it was exactly but somehow we hit it off (keep in mind ... he was my favourite Argo player, ever). Following the get-together, he suggested we should become pen pals. We exchanged emails two or three times a month for 10 years.

He was a busy guy in SE Asia. He wrote a weekly NFL column for the English-speaking newspaper and was regularly called back by his former employer, Coca-Cola, to help train staff on the benefits of marketing/promotion and advertising, Thornton-style.

He was married with a daughter. "She looks like she'll be a good athlete" ... "she can hit a golf ball for distance from the left and right!"

He also told me he bought a million dollars worth of Coke stock during his years with the company following football. I'm guessing his family there and in North America will be well looked after.

Dick always had style. It may have had something to do with defining that "free spirit" thing. In SE Asia, he lived in a newly renovated penthouse suite in the middle of the city. He had a chauffeur, nanny, bodyguard, and cook on his payroll. And he had a permit to carry his own concealed weapon. And, I almost forgot -- "Tricky" Dick Thornton was also the president of the Parent Teachers Association.

In 2012, the Argos decided to have a 1971 Argo team reunion. Dick made the 23-hour flight again. It gave him some time to hook up with old pals. Following the Argo party, Lorraine and I hosted a dinner at our home for Dick and coach Cahill.

Leo brought his son Terry and Dick brought an old girlfriend from his Winnipeg days -- did I mention he was a free spirit? Famous sportswriter John Iaboni rounded out the line-up.

The stories during dinner were the things of legend. Too many to mention here but one deserves special attention. Dick attended Northwestern University. During his time there he was chosen as Home Coming King ... his queen was soon-to-be actress, and showgirl, Ann Margaret.

They "dated" for 6 months before she left for Hollywood.

His roots in Canada often showed up in his emails. He had a great fondness for the country and especially Toronto. And, although our emails were mostly about nonsense, he always insisted on knowing how Leo was getting along. If I didn't answer that question in a very timely fashion another email would ask "what's taking so long?"

You can't imagine what fun it was for me to be the Leo/Tricky go-between. Especially when Dick insisted on replaying a nasty "road trip" story and having me repeat it for Leo ... then, hear Leo howl with laughter at the memory.

After I'd sent my most recent Leo Report, he didn't respond which was very unusual for him. I thought there might be something wrong. Then I got the bad news.

Dick had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

But he wasn't willing to give up any "Tricky" time for routine medical attention. Happy Hour at his local bar with 2-for-1 margaritas was something that he just wasn't willing to sacrifice.

I was a huge Dick Thornton fan when he played for the Argos. I reminded him that he once wrote a piece for the Toronto Sun following a playoff loss. He described going home after the game. "I climbed into bed ... assumed the pre-natal position, turned the heating blanket up to 9 and didn't move for 3 days". I thought that line was sports writing gold. The paper agreed and offered him a full-time column and a photo in their SUNshine Boy feature. He claimed the additional photo "exposure" provided him with "a remarkable number of dates".

I don't know what special force I have to thank for the friendship that I developed with Dick. He was one of the most unique people I've ever met.

He passed away on Dec. 19, 2014, in his home in Manila Philippines. He was 75. After spending 50 years of his life in Canada.

Leo Cahill passed away on Feb. 15, 2018, in Atlanta GA. He was 89.  Click HERE to see his obituary.

Thornton was a CFL All-Star 8 times and during his pro career actually played every position on the field. He held the record for Most Interceptions (8) resulting in a touchdown. That record lasted for more than 30 years. That, combined with his unique ability to bring awareness and entertainment, and fun to the CFL should surely have him in line for future Hall of Fame consideration.

The very first Grey Cup Championship award was presented in 1909. As mentioned, the league has been around for a while. The Toronto media has been noisy and for years have supported a bid for Dick Thornton to be inducted into the Canadian Football League Hall of Fame.

Today, Friday, September 9, 2022, Dick Thornton was inducted as an honoured member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

I'm very sorry that he missed his own ceremony.

Nobody ... nobody would have enjoyed the party as much as "Tricky Dick" Thornton.