Joe Zuger, former star quarterback and general manager for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, had died. He was 84.
The team announced his death in a news release Monday night.
“Joe was a hero to so many of us growing up in Hamilton. He was one of the most celebrated players in franchise history and an integral part of four Grey Cup championships,” said Ticats “Caretaker” Bob Young. “Ralph Sazio, Joe’s coach, once told me that Joe’s artistic and creative approach was the source of his remarkable success. I, the Tiger-Cats organization and Ticats fans everywhere mourn Joe’s passing and we offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends for their loss.”
Zuger played 10 seasons (1962-71) in Hamilton as a quarterback, defensive back and punter.
The Homestead, Pa., native helped the Ticats capture three Grey Cups (1963, 1964 and 1967) while earning Grey Cup Most Valuable Player honours in 1967.
After retiring from playing, Zuger joined Hamilton’s front office and was named general manager in 1981.
He remained in that role for over a decade, and oversaw the club’s 1986 Grey Cup championship team.
Zuger was inducted into the Hamilton Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 and the Tiger-Cats Wall of Honour in 2007.
The Tiger-Cat Alumni Association said, in a post on its Facebook page, that “Joe joined the Tiger-Cats in 1962 and turned heads immediately when in his first game as the starting quarterback when he threw for a team record 572 passing yards and a league record eight touchdown passes in a 67–21 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders.”
The post said that “a small private service will be held after the holiday season.”