Six-time Grey Cup winner Joe (King) Krol, who led The University of Western Ontario to an intercollegiate title in 1939, has died at the age of 89.
A member of the Canadian Football and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, Krol’s versatile skills on the gridiron included time as a running back, quarterback, defensive back and punter/kicker with for the Hamilton Wildcats and the Toronto Argonauts.
Krol joined the Hamilton Wildcats in 1942, winning the Grey Cup the following year. After playing two games with the Detroit Lions in 1945 he signed with the Argos, earning consecutive Grey Cup victories between 1945 and 1947.
Named Canada’s top athlete in 1946 and 47, Krol went on to win two more Grey Cups with the Argos in 1950 and 1952.
He was named the Argos’ all-time running back and ranks 46th on the list of greatest CFL players in history. His number 55 jersey is one of only four retired by the Argos.
Krol was part of Western’s Champions Club inaugural class inducted into The Wall of Champions in 2004.