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Hall of Famers

Hall of Famer

Ernest Cox

Inducted in 1975

Member Details

Date of Birth: 1894
Place of Birth: Hamilton, Ontario
Date of Passing: February 26, 1962
Sport: Football
Member Category: Athlete

Career Highlights

1928

Inaugural winner Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy

1928, 1929 & 1932

Grey Cup - Hamilton Tiger Cats

1963

Inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame

Hall of Famer Ernest Cox
Sport

Story

Hamilton's Ernest Cox, came off the sandlots (where he learned to play football) in 1919 and launched a career that was to carry him through 16 seasons, earning him recognition as perhaps the greatest snapback (centre) of the 1920s. He was a perennial all-star with the Hamilton Tigers. Always a clean, hard player, and a driving tackler, he was uncannily accurate in long or short snapping at any angle. For this reason in 1928, Cox was the first winner of the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy for Most Outstanding Player of the Canadian Football League's East Division. Helped by his blocking ability, the Hamilton Tiger Cats reached the Eastern Finals twice and won the Grey Cup three times-1928, 1929, and 1932. Cox worked full time as a firefighter, and by the time he retired in 1955, "The Iron Fireman" had given 33 years to the Hamilton Fire Department and held the rank of Lieutenant.