Ab Box
Encyclopedia
Albert George "Ab" Box was a Canadian professional football
halfback, quarterback
and punter
.
Born in Toronto, Box attended Malvern Collegiate Institute
where he played on the football team and later on the Malvern Grads junior team from 1928-1929 under coach Ted Reeve
. Box then moved to the senior Ontario Rugby Football Union
, again playing under Reeve with the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
from 1930-1931, winning the Grey Cup
in 1930. Box then played three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts
, winning another Grey Cup in 1933 and being voted the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy
winner as the most valuable player for 1934. He returned to Balmy Beach in 1935 and played another four years there.
Box also played on championship baseball and softball teams.
He has been inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
(1965) and Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
(1975). Box died in Toronto at age 91.
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....
halfback, quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and punter
Punter (football position)
A punter in American or Canadian football is a special teams player who receives the snapped ball directly from the line of scrimmage and then punts the football to the opposing team so as to limit any field position advantage. This generally happens on a fourth down in American football and a...
.
Born in Toronto, Box attended Malvern Collegiate Institute
Malvern Collegiate Institute
Malvern Collegiate Institute is a Toronto high school that was founded in 1903 as "East Toronto High School", in what was then the village of East Toronto...
where he played on the football team and later on the Malvern Grads junior team from 1928-1929 under coach Ted Reeve
Ted Reeve
Edward Henry "Ted" Reeve was a multi-sport Canadian athlete and sports journalist. He was on two Grey Cup winning teams as a football player, a Mann Cup championship as a lacrosse player and three Yates Cup championships as a coach for Queen's University. He is a member of Canada's Sports Hall of...
. Box then moved to the senior Ontario Rugby Football Union
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...
, again playing under Reeve with 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...
from 1930-1931, winning the 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...
in 1930. Box then played three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
, winning another Grey Cup in 1933 and being voted the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy
Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy
The Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy is a Canadian football award recognizing the most outstanding player of the Quebec University Football LeagueThe trophy was originally presented to the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union...
winner as the most valuable player for 1934. He returned to Balmy Beach in 1935 and played another four years there.
Box also played on championship baseball and softball teams.
He has been 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...
(1965) and 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...
(1975). Box died in Toronto at age 91.