John DeGruchy
Encyclopedia
John DeGruchy was the president of the Ontario Rugby Football Union
for 25 years, and he promoted the Thanksgiving Day Classic
between the Sarnia Imperials
and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 1963 and into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
in 1975.
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...
for 25 years, and he promoted the Thanksgiving Day Classic
Thanksgiving Day Classic
The Thanksgiving Day Classic is an annual doubleheader held on Thanksgiving in the Canadian Football League. It is one of two days in which the league plays on a Monday afternoon; the other is the Labour Day Classic...
between the Sarnia Imperials
Sarnia Imperials
The Sarnia Imperials were a football team from Sarnia, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League and contested for the Grey Cup until 1955...
and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers were a Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League...
. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian 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...
in 1963 and into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
in 1975.