Mario DeMarco
Encyclopedia
Mario Joseph DeMarco, was a former American college football
, National Football League
, and professional Canadian football
player, and was one of 62 people that died on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810
, on December 9, 1956.
Raised in Boonton, DeMarco started at offensive lineman for four seasons at Boonton High School
.
DeMarco played professionally as an offensive lineman for the NFL's Detroit Lions
in 1949
, before joining the Edmonton Eskimos
of the Western Interprovincial Football Union for two seasons beginning in 1951
. DeMarco joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders
in 1953
, and was a member of the team for four years until the time of his death. He was thrice named a West All-Star (in 1951
, 1952
and 1954
). DeMarco's #55 jersey
is one of eight that has been retired by the Roughriders.
for the University of Miami Hurricanes
from 1945 to 1949.
, playing one season in 1949
. In 1951
, DeMarco joined the WIFU Edmonton Eskimos
, where he played for two years. DeMarco joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders
in 1952, and played with them until his death. He was a West All-Star in 1951
, 1952
and 1954
, and was on his way back to Regina
, Saskatchewan
, on Flight 810 after watching teammates Mel Becket and Gordon Sturtridge
play in the 1956
East–West All-Star game in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, on December 8, 1956.
, were passengers on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810
with another CFL player, Calvin Jones
, of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
. All five players were present at the 1956
East–West All-Star game in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, and were headed back to their respective teams' home cities. The five players were accompanied by 54 other passengers, and 3 crew members who all lost their lives in Western Canada's worst aviation disaster
on December 9, 1956.
, in memory of DeMarco and his teammate Mel Becket, the WIFU and its successor, the Canadian Football League
, have annually awarded the DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy
to the most outstanding lineman in the West Division
.
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...
, National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, and professional Canadian football
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 was one of 62 people that died on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810
Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810
Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 was a Canadair North Star on a scheduled flight from Vancouver to Calgary . The plane crashed into Mount Slesse near Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, on 9 December 1956 after encountering severe icing and turbulence over the mountains...
, on December 9, 1956.
Raised in Boonton, DeMarco started at offensive lineman for four seasons at Boonton High School
Boonton High School
Boonton High School is a comprehensive four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Boonton, in Morris County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Boonton Public Schools...
.
DeMarco played professionally as an offensive lineman for the NFL's Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
in 1949
1949 NFL season
The 1949 NFL season was the 30th regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, Boston Yanks owner Ted Collins asked the league to fold his team due to financial woes, and give him a new one in New York City...
, before joining the 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...
of the Western Interprovincial Football Union for two seasons beginning in 1951
1951 in Canadian football
-Canadian football news in 1951:The BC Lions were formed in January at the Arctic Club in Vancouver; however, the franchise would begin play at the start of the 1954 season.E. Kent Philips of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was appointed WIFU Commissioner...
. DeMarco joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in 1953
1953 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1953:The Canadian Rugby Union was paid in total of $20,500 by three television stations for the rights to show the Grey Cup game live....
, and was a member of the team for four years until the time of his death. He was thrice named a West All-Star (in 1951
1951 in Canadian football
-Canadian football news in 1951:The BC Lions were formed in January at the Arctic Club in Vancouver; however, the franchise would begin play at the start of the 1954 season.E. Kent Philips of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was appointed WIFU Commissioner...
, 1952
1952 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1952:The Canadian Rugby Union received television revenue for the first time when it was paid $7,500 by CBC for the rights to televise the Grey Cup game...
and 1954
1954 in Canadian football
The 1954 season of Canadian football is widely considered to be the first season of the modern era of Canadian football, although the Canadian Football League would not be officially founded for another four years.-Canadian Football News in 1954:...
). DeMarco's #55 jersey
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
is one of eight that has been retired by the Roughriders.
College career
DeMarco played collegiatelyCollege 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...
for the University of Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes football
The Miami Hurricanes football program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference of the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision for the University of Miami. The program began in 1926 and has won five AP national championships...
from 1945 to 1949.
Professional career
Following college, DeMarco signed with the NFL Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, playing one season in 1949
1949 NFL season
The 1949 NFL season was the 30th regular season of the National Football League. Prior to the season, Boston Yanks owner Ted Collins asked the league to fold his team due to financial woes, and give him a new one in New York City...
. In 1951
1951 in Canadian football
-Canadian football news in 1951:The BC Lions were formed in January at the Arctic Club in Vancouver; however, the franchise would begin play at the start of the 1954 season.E. Kent Philips of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was appointed WIFU Commissioner...
, DeMarco joined the WIFU 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...
, where he played for two years. DeMarco joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in 1952, and played with them until his death. He was a West All-Star in 1951
1951 in Canadian football
-Canadian football news in 1951:The BC Lions were formed in January at the Arctic Club in Vancouver; however, the franchise would begin play at the start of the 1954 season.E. Kent Philips of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was appointed WIFU Commissioner...
, 1952
1952 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1952:The Canadian Rugby Union received television revenue for the first time when it was paid $7,500 by CBC for the rights to televise the Grey Cup game...
and 1954
1954 in Canadian football
The 1954 season of Canadian football is widely considered to be the first season of the modern era of Canadian football, although the Canadian Football League would not be officially founded for another four years.-Canadian Football News in 1954:...
, and was on his way back to Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, on Flight 810 after watching teammates Mel Becket and Gordon Sturtridge
Gordon Sturtridge
Gordon Henry Sturtridge, was a professional Canadian football player, and was one of 62 people that died on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810, on December 9, 1956....
play in the 1956
1956 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1956:On Sunday, January 22, the Canadian Football Council was formed in Winnipeg and the national negotiation list was introduced. G. Sydney Halter, QC was named as the Canadian Football Council Commissioner....
East–West All-Star game in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, on December 8, 1956.
Death
DeMarco, along with Roughriders teammates, Becket, Sturtridge, and Ray SyrnykRay Syrnyk
Raymond Nicholas "Ray" Syrnyk, was a professional Canadian football player, and was one of 62 people that died on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810, on December 9, 1956.Syrnyk played professionally for the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a rookie offensive lineman at the time of...
, were passengers on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810
Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810
Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 was a Canadair North Star on a scheduled flight from Vancouver to Calgary . The plane crashed into Mount Slesse near Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, on 9 December 1956 after encountering severe icing and turbulence over the mountains...
with another CFL player, Calvin Jones
Cal Jones
Calvin Jack Jones was a college football player for the University of Iowa. Jones is one of only two Iowa football players to have his jersey number retired by the school. Jones became the first Hawkeye, and the first African-American, to win the Outland Trophy in 1955...
, of 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...
. All five players were present at the 1956
1956 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1956:On Sunday, January 22, the Canadian Football Council was formed in Winnipeg and the national negotiation list was introduced. G. Sydney Halter, QC was named as the Canadian Football Council Commissioner....
East–West All-Star game in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and were headed back to their respective teams' home cities. The five players were accompanied by 54 other passengers, and 3 crew members who all lost their lives in Western Canada's worst aviation disaster
Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810
Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 was a Canadair North Star on a scheduled flight from Vancouver to Calgary . The plane crashed into Mount Slesse near Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada, on 9 December 1956 after encountering severe icing and turbulence over the mountains...
on December 9, 1956.
Legacy
Since 19571957 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1957:The Canadian Football Council allowed interference to be legal up to third 5-yard stripe by eligible blockers.The 45th annual Grey Cup game was televised live from coast to coast in Canada for the first time...
, in memory of DeMarco and his teammate Mel Becket, the WIFU and its successor, the Canadian Football League
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....
, have annually awarded the DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy
DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy
The DeMarco–Becket Memorial Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy. It is awarded originally to the player selected as the outstanding lineman in the West Division....
to the most outstanding lineman in the West Division
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
.
Sources
- Pro-Football Reference.com Profile – Mario DeMarco
- CFL Facts & Figures. 2009 Edition. All-Time Division All-Star List on page 227.