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Hall of Famers

Hall of Famer

HARRY BATSTONE

Inducted in 1975

Member Details

Date of Birth: September 5, 1899
Place of Birth: Hamilton, Ontario
Date of Passing: March 3, 1972
Sport: Football
Member Category: Athlete

Career Highlights

1921

Grey Cup (Dominion) Champions - Toronto Argonauts

1922-1924

Grey Cup - Queen's University Golden Gaels

1922-25,27

Intercollegiate (Union) Champions - Queen's University Golden Gaels

1922-27

Player - Queen's University Golden Gaels

1929-1930

Intercollegiate Champions - Queen's University Golden Gaels

1963

Inducted into Football Hall of Fame

Hall of Famer HARRY BATSTONE
Sport

Story

Football star Harry 'Red' Batstone had "the championship touch." In eleven seasons, he was a member of six consecutive Intercollegiate (Union) Championship teams, participated in five Grey Cup finals, and coached three Intercollegiate Championship teams. Weighing at a mere 155 pounds, Batstone was a sensational halfback who could overcome players twice his size with his exceptional running and kicking skills. Batstone was a member of the Toronto Argonauts from 1919-1921 and was named captain of the team in 1920. Along with multi-sport sensation Lionel Conacher, he led the Argos to a Grey Cup victory in the first ever east-west game in 1921. In 1922, Batstone enrolled in medicine at Queen's University. At a time when university football teams still competed against city teams for the Grey Cup, Batstone shone on the Queen's football field. With teammate Frank "Pep" Leadley, he led the Queen's University Golden Gaels to five Intercollegiate Championships, three straight Grey Cups, and 26 consecutive victories.  His best performance came in the 1923 Grey Cup final against Regina, in which he led the Gaels to a 54-0 thrashing over the Rough Riders. After retiring from the field, Batstone coached the Gaels from 1928-1930, winning consecutive Intercollegiate victories in 1929 and 1930. He went on to practice medicine at the Ontario Hospital in Kingston from 1936-1967. For his exceptional athletic achievements, Batstone was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963.