Bob was an outstanding football player during his Ridley days. A devoted Ridleian, he also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors from 1973-77. After graduation, he moved on to Queen’s University where he became captain of the Varsity football team, winning the Johnny Evans trophy for team MVP in 1947. Years later, when he was inducted into the Queen’s Football Hall of Fame, Bob was lauded “as one of the best middle wings in the country,” playing in a position similar to today’s offensive tackle.
After graduating from Queen’s, numerous CFL teams came calling—but Bob’s father wasn’t keen on the idea of his son playing professional football. “He basically read him the riot act,” recalls Bob’s son, John. “Do you want to be a lawyer, or do you want to go and play football?” Today, it’s impossible to gauge the true answer to that question, but Bob followed his father’s counsel and went on to a successful career practising law.
Still, Bob's passion for football found a new outlet in his role as avid and devoted fan. John notes that when his parents married, his mother had symphony tickets and his father had Argonauts tickets—but the symphony subscription didn’t last. During CFL and NFL seasons, “it got to the point where one television wasn’t enough to watch all the games." Bob bought a second TV for the bedroom to keep up with his beloved sport.