Former EWSC, CFL coach Murphy passes away

Was legendary in Canadian football

FROM STAFF AND NEWS

SERVICE REPORTS

Cal Murphy, who went from the sidelines at Woodward Field as a graduate assistant coach for the Eastern Washington State College Savages in the 1960s to become a Canadian Football League Hall of Fame coach, passed away last Friday in Regina, Sask. He was 79.

Murphy had been in poor health for some time after breaking ribs in a fall at his home, according to the Vancouver Sun.

Murphy was a graduate assistant and full-time assistant football coach at Eastern before embarking upon a highly-successful Hall of Fame coaching career in the Canadian Football League. 

After spending two seasons as a grad assistant at Eastern, he became a full-time coach in 1967 under legendary Eastern head coach Dave Holmes. That team finished 11-1 and finished as the runner-up in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Murphy coached under Holmes at the University of Hawaii before embarking upon his career in the CFL.

He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2004. He won 10 Grey Cup titles as head coach for the British Columbia Lions (1975-76), Winnipeg Blue Bombers (1983-86, 1993-96) and the Saskatchewan Roughriders (1999). He also served as the Bombers' general manager during his 14-year stint with the club and also spent time as an assistant coach with Edmonton, Montreal and Saskatchewan.

Murphy had been a scout for the Indianapolis Colts since 2001.

In 1992, Murphy underwent a heart transplant but returned as the Bombers coach/GM in 1993. Later that year, he received the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation for Canada in recognition of significant contribution to compatriots, community and Canada.