Exhibit Guide
With such a powerhouse football team, it's no surprise that many former Crusaders have gone on to the big leagues. Click through this gallery to learn about some of the players who have played with the CFL from the 1940s to today.
Image: DJ Lalama, 2019. Winnipeg Free Press.
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1946-49 |
Harry Fitzgibbons was such a star at St. Paul’s that a Tribune article describing a loss laments that there was “no … Harry Fitzgibbons at St. Paul’s this season.” Fitzgibbons coached the St. 1952 Boniface Legionnaires, who were inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
Left: Winnipeg Tribune, 1948
Right: Harry Fitzgibbons scores a winning touchdown. Winnipeg Tribune, 1946.
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1942-43; 45-47; 52-65 |
| Montreal Alouettes | 1948-51 |
Kas Vidruk signed with the bombers straight out of high school at the age of 17, making him one of the youngest CFL players in history. In 1982, it was Kas Vidruk who handed the championship trophy to head coach Len Sitter.
Image: Kas Vidruk, Oct 11, 1952, Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame & Museum Inc.
Harry Cholakis '44
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1949 |
Harry Cholakis played only briefly with the Blue Bombers alongside his brother Paul before a bout of Polio ended his professional football career. Harry went on to coach the Winnipeg Rods, pictured above (Harry is highlighted).
Paul Cholakis '46
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1949-50 |
Paul Cholakis got himself in some hot water shortly after signing with the Blue Bombers in 1948. Having missed Sunday practice because he was in the Whiteshell with his family, he was cut from the team’s first road trip of the season. Cholakis threatened to quit the team over the snub, but appears to have patched things up and continued playing later in the season. Paul can be seen talking about his career here: https://www.bluebombers.com/2010/02/23/80-years-of-blue-and-gold-paul-cholakis/
Image: 1955 Winnipeg Rods, Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame & Museum Inc.
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1949 |
George Depres was the second half of the so-called Touchdown Twins alongside Paul Cholakis during his days at St. Paul's. Both went on to play with the Blue Bombers. After an injury ended his own professional sports career Depres turned his skills toward coaching other young athletes in a variety of sports, helping the Crusaders to their 7th provincial championship in 1949. Depres was also a prominent member of Winnipeg society in general, playing a key role in the creation of Festival du Voyageur.
Left and centre: Winnipeg Tribune, Nov 14, 1946.
Right: Crusader Newspaper, 1949. St. Paul's High School Archive.
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1949 |
| Calgary Stampeders | 1950-54 |
Stan Kaluznick was a star player at St. Paul's with a myriad of nicknames about his uncanny talent. For more on Kaluznick, check out the section on Moments of Victory and the 1949 provincial championship.
Left: Winnipeg Tribune, Nov 6, 1948.
Right: Calgary Stampeders / stampeders.ca
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1955-64 |
The 1952 yearbook tells us that “Ron won the Leadership award; played football, baseball, hockey and basketball; was on the Sodality and School Council, and was President of the room. Ron also went to school in what time he had left over.”
Latourelle, nicknamed “Pepe,” participated in four Grey Cup victories with the Bombers.
Left: Ron Latourelle yearbook photo, 1952. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Right: Winnipeg Tribune, 1955.
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1961-69 |
Hamelin helped the Bombers to Grey Cup victories in 1961 and 1962, and was inducted into the Manitoba Football Hall of Fame in 2013. His 1959 yearbook write-up reads “Crusader All Star, also Team’s Co-Captain. His ambition: Big Blue and Gold.”
Left: Roger Hamelin yearbook photo, 1958. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Right: Roger Hamelin ca. 1960s, Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame & Museum Inc.
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1969-71 |
Ross Richardson was a well-rounded member of the St. Paul's community during his time at the school, playing both competitive and intramural football as well as basketball, on the sodality executive, and evening winning the school's talent contest in his graduating year.
Richardson played for the Fort Garry Lions and at the University of North Dakota before being signed by the Blue Bombers.
Left: Ross Richardson yearbook photo, 1962. St. Paul's High School Archive.
Right: Ross Richardson trading card, c. 1970. COMC.
| Saskatchewan Rough Riders | 1974-75 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1976 |
The list of Lee Benard's contributions at St. Paul's is almost outrageously long: student council, film club, drama, glee club, sodality, basketball, hockey, and, of course, football.
Left: Lee Benard Yearbook photo, 1967. St. Paul's High School Archive.
Right: Winnipeg Tribune, Sept 20, 1976.
| Calgary Stampeders | 1989 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 1990 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 1992-93 |
Jim Jauch was named Crusader Football Rookie of the Year as the only Grade 9 Crusader in 1981; in 1983, he won the award for Crusader Spirit. Jauch's father and brother both also played professional football. After his career as a player, Jauch became an NFL scout.
Left: Jim Jauch yearbook photo, 1983. St. Paul's High School Archive.
Right: Jim Jauch trading card, c. 1990. COMC.
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 1994-96 |
According to the 1987 yearbook, "'Old Faithful' spent three years saying how much he hated the school and ended up the recipient of the Crusader Spirit Award."
Kevin Robson's father, Paul, was also a Blue Bomber from 1964-72 and general manager for the team from 1983-86.
Left: Kevin Robson yearbook photo, 1987. St. Paul's High School Archive.
Right: Kevin Robson trading card, 1996. Trading Card Database.
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 1998-99 |
A much beloved player at St. Paul’s and Harry Hood Award recipient, Pronyk is described in the yearbook as “the runaway freight train” and “a terror on and off the field.” Pronyk died unexpectedly in 2001 of a heart attack.
Left: Daniel Pronyk Yearbook photo, 1992. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Right: Trading Card Database, 1998.
| Montreal Alouettes | 2007-2008 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 2009-2010 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 2011-2013 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 2014 |
Donovan Alexander won a number of awards during his time at the school including the Harry Hood and the Fr Barry Connolly Award. He was also involved in Maroon and White. More recently, Alexander has returned to St. Paul's as part of the coaching team.
Left: Donovan Alexander yearbook photo, 2003. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Right: Donovan Alexander with the Edmonton Eskimos, 2013. CFL.
| Edmonton Eskimos | 2012-13 |
| BC Lions | 2014-18 |
| Ottawa Redblacks | 2019 |
After several years playing away from his hometown, Benson signed with the Blue Bombers in February 2021.
Left: Mike Benson yearbook photo, 2005. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Right: Mike Benson with the BC Lions. Winnipeg Blue Bombers website.
| Montreal Alouettes | 2017, 2019 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 2019 |
DJ Lalama was a popular student at St. Paul's who seems always to have valued community alongside sports.
Left: DJ Lalama yearbook photo, 2011. St. Paul's High School Archive.
Right: DJ Lalama playing with the Blue Bombers. Winnipeg Free Press, 2019.
Another set of talented brothers in the tradition of Paul and Harry Cholakis, both Ty and Cody are currently signed with the Montreal Alouettes.
Ty Cranston '12
| Montreal Alouettes | 2018-Present |
Cody Cranston '15
| Montreal Alouettes | 2019-Present |
Left: Ty Cranston yearbook photo, 2012. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Centre: Cody Cranston yearbook photo, 2015. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Right: Cody and Ty Cranston training with the Alouettes, 2019. Courtesy of Cody Cranston.
| Ottawa Redblacks | 2019-Present |
Samson's first athletic passion was soccer. It wasn't until he was approached by the coaching team at St. Paul's that he discovered a talent for football, and particularly for playing defence.
Left: Samson Abbott yearbook photo, 2014. St. Paul's High School Archives.
Right: Samson Abbott training with the Ottawa Redblacks, 2019. Photo by Julie Oliver via Postmedia.