Annis Paul Stukus (October 25, 1914 – May 20, 2006) was a Canadian football player, coach and general manager, and ice hockey general manager.

Annis Stukus
Stukus in 1954
Born:October 25, 1914 (1914-10-25)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died:May 20, 2006 (2006-05-21) (aged 91)
Canmore, Alberta, Canada
Career information
CFL statusNational
Position(s)QB/K
Height6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career history
As administrator
19491951Edmonton Eskimos
19541955BC Lions
As coach
19491951Edmonton Eskimos
1953Vancouver Cubs
19541955BC Lions
As player
19351941Toronto Argonauts
1942Toronto/Oakwood Indians
1943Balmy Beach
1944HMCS York Bulldogs
1945–1946Toronto Indians
19491951Edmonton Eskimos
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star1938, 1943
HonoursCanada's Sports Hall of Fame (1991)
Career stats

Stukus was born in Toronto. He played for the Toronto Argonauts from 1935 to 1941, leading the team to Grey Cup victories in 1937 and 1938 (playing 45 regular season and 14 playoff games).[1] He then played for the Oakwood Indians (1942), Balmy Beach (1943), HMCS York Bulldogs (1944) and the Toronto Indians (1945, 1946), all Toronto-based teams.

Stukus was a consultant to the Toronto Huskies basketball team in its one season of operations in 1946–47.

In 1949, he helped organize the Edmonton Eskimos' reentry into the Western Interprovincial Football Union and served as their head coach for three seasons. In 1953, he turned his services to the expansion BC Lions, serving as head coach and general manager. While the Lions would begin play the next year, he also coached one exhibition year for the Lions' amateur predecessor, the Vancouver Cubs.[2]

In 1967, he was general manager of the Vancouver Canucks of the minor pro Western Hockey League. In 1971, Stukus became general manager of the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association and signed Bobby Hull to 10-year contract, with an unprecedented $1 million signing bonus. In 1974, he worked in the front office of the Vancouver Whitecaps soccer team.

The CFL's annual award for coach of the year is named in his honour. He was elected into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

Annis was one of the famed Stukus brothers. Both Bill Stukus and Frank Stukus were Grey Cup champions. Indeed, while with the Argonauts all three played in the backfield at the same time, and won the Grey Cup together in 1938.[3]

He died at his home in Canmore, Alberta, at age 91.

References edit

  1. ^ 2008 Toronto Argonauts Media Guide
  2. ^ Little, Lyndon (June 10, 2006). "The Loquacious Lithuanian". CFL / Vancouver Sun.
  3. ^ Home of the Game - 1938 "Seeing Red" by Garth Woolsey, Toronto Star, November 22, 2007
Preceded by
Position created
General Manager of the original Winnipeg Jets
197274
Succeeded by