Coming off the heels of an exciting year of festivities and marquee events in 2015, The Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum (CFHOF) has officially announced the Induction Class for 2016 at a celebration event during the 103rd Grey Cup Festival in Winnipeg.
“It is my pleasure to announce the Induction Class of 2016,” said Mark DeNobile, Executive Director of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum. “The Inductees are Doug Brown, Rodney Harding, Derrell Mitchell and James West in the player category. In the Builder category, long time administrator of minor football in Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon Hilltops Don McDonald has been selected.”
The new inductees will bring the total Hall of Fame members to 283 members already included in the Hall’s Zone of Champions, which features busts of each member of the Hall.
Mookie’ Mitchell enjoyed an 11-year CFL career, spending eight season with Toronto Argonauts (1997-03 and '07) and three with the Edmonton Eskimos (2004-06). Mitchell broke on to the CFL scene in 1997 for his first stint with the Argonauts and immediately made an impact. As a rookie, the Miami, Fla. native snatched 77 passes for 1,457 yards and a career-high 17 touchdowns en route to being named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Rookie and helping the Boatmen to hoist the second of back-to-back Grey Cup wins.
Following his outstanding rookie season, Mitchell set the CFL record for receptions in a single-season (160) for 2,000 yards – the third-best single-season receiving yards total in CFL history.
Rodney Harding played 12 CFL seasons (1985-96), most notably with the Toronto Argonauts (1985-94). Known as one of the most dominant defensive lineman in the CFL from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, he registered over 253 defensive tackles, 105 career QB sacks, 14 fumble recoveries and five interceptions in 201 career games.
In his 10 seasons with the Double Blue, the Oklahoma City native inscribed his name in the Argonauts record books as the club’s all-time leader in sacks (92) and sacks in a single-game (5). Harding still ranks second all-time in Double Blue history with 18 sacks in a single-season.
Linebacker West started his career with three seasons in Calgary, including a 1983 campaign which saw him earn West Division All-Star honours. He played a total of 37 games for the Stamps from 1982-84 and recorded 13.5 sacks as well as four interceptions and six fumble recoveries.
West went on to play nine more seasons - eight for Winnipeg and one for BC - and was named a Division All-Star a total of four times.
Brown spent his entire illustrious 11-year career as a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, placing second on the team's all-time tackles list with 429 and third on the team's all-time sack list with 52. The seven-time All-Star played in 188 career games and earned CFL Most Outstanding Canadian honours in 2001.
Entering the Hall of Fame in the builder's category is McDonald, a long time administrator of minor football in the Province of Saskatchewan and for the Saskatoon Hilltops.
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum operates as a non-profit registered charity. Located in Hamilton, Ont. since 1963, and in its current location next to Hamilton City Hall since 1972, the Hall is home to more than 30,000 Canadian football artefacts, ranging from equipment and trophies to photos and
videos. The CFHOF is open to the public year-round.
(CFL.ca)
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