Chris Walby
Encyclopedia
Chris Walby is a retired Canadian Football League
player who played the offensive tackle position almost exclusively with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
. Walby was also a sportscaster
with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
's CFL on CBC
telecasts.
before earning an athletic scholarship
to play college football
at Dickinson State University
in North Dakota
.
. Walby played five games on the offensive line for the Larks
during the 1981 CFL season
, before being traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
.
For the remaining 16 years of this professional football career (1981-1996), Walby was a fixture on the Bombers
' offensive line. During his career, Walby was very popular among fans and was a 9-time CFL All-Star, two time league's Most Outstanding Lineman
, and three-time Grey Cup
champion. He is often referred to as one of the greatest offensive linemen in the history of the CFL.
Walby was a sportscaster
on the CBC's
CFL on CBC
television broadcasts.
and in 2005, was chosen as one of the Blue Bombers All-Time 20 Greatest players. In November, 2006, Walby was chosen 22nd amongst the CFL's 50 Greatest Players
in a TSN
poll.
Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
in 2006.
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
player who played the offensive tackle position almost exclusively with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
. Walby was also a sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
's CFL on CBC
CFL on CBC
CFL on CBC was a presentation of Canadian Football League football aired on the CBC Television Network. CBC held broadcast rights for the CFL from 1952 to 2007...
telecasts.
Early life and college career
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Walby played junior footballCanadian Junior Football League
The Canadian Junior Football League is a national amateur Canadian football league consisting of 19 teams playing in six provinces across Canada. The teams compete annually for the Canadian Bowl...
before earning an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to play college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Dickinson State University
Dickinson State University
Dickinson State University is a four-year public university in Dickinson, North Dakota, United States, and is a part of the North Dakota University System...
in North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
.
Professional football career
Following his collegiate career, Walby was drafted in the first round of the 1981 CFL Draft by the Montreal AlouettesMontreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. Walby played five games on the offensive line for the Larks
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
during the 1981 CFL season
1981 CFL season
The 1981 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 28th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 24th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1981:...
, before being traded to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
.
For the remaining 16 years of this professional football career (1981-1996), Walby was a fixture on the Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
' offensive line. During his career, Walby was very popular among fans and was a 9-time CFL All-Star, two time league's Most Outstanding Lineman
CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award
The Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award is annually rewarded to the best offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. This is the fourth-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted...
, and three-time 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...
champion. He is often referred to as one of the greatest offensive linemen in the history of the CFL.
Post football career
After his football career, Walby ran for a seat in the Manitoba Legislature for the Liberal Party of Manitoba but lost. He also was involved in various business ventures such as a restaurant called Hog City Bar and Grill.Walby was a sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
on the CBC's
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
CFL on CBC
CFL on CBC
CFL on CBC was a presentation of Canadian Football League football aired on the CBC Television Network. CBC held broadcast rights for the CFL from 1952 to 2007...
television broadcasts.
Awards and honours
In 2003, Walby was elected 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...
and in 2005, was chosen as one of the Blue Bombers All-Time 20 Greatest players. In November, 2006, Walby was chosen 22nd amongst the CFL's 50 Greatest Players
TSN Top 50 CFL Players
The TSN Top 50 CFL Players was a list of the greatest fifty Canadian Football League players, as selected by a panel of sixty former CFL players, then-current and former coaches, executives, and media members in 2006. The panel was assembled by sports television network TSN in partnership with the...
in a TSN
The Sports Network
The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
poll.
Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, dedicated to the history of sport in Manitoba and honouring the best in sport. The organization began in 1980 and in 1993, a museum was opened in The Forks...
in 2006.