Douglas Mitchell, a former Canadian Football League player who went on to become commissioner of the league as well as a prominent Calgary lawyer and community leader, died on Wednesday at the age of 83.
Mitchell played briefly in the CFL with the B.C. Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats and later went on to serve as league commissioner for five years in the 1980s. He also spent time on the league’s board of governors, as a representative of the Calgary Stampeders, as well as many other accomplishments in sports and the wider community.
Among his loved ones, he leaves behind his wife, former Alberta lieutenant-governor Lois Mitchell.
His family said in an email shared on Thursday that Mitchell died peacefully and suddenly at home.
“We all know Doug was an inspiration to all who knew him and we will continue to share his legacy each and every day,” said Lois Mitchell in an email.
“Doug lived an incredibly happy, accomplished and fulfilled life in his 83 years. Doug made an impression on each of us and we find solace in knowing his life was full of joy. We know he would want us all to live on with strength, purpose and laughter.”
Among his many accolades, he was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2004, inducted to the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2007, inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and most recently inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in June.
He represented the Calgary Flames as the governor of the National Hockey League, sat as chair of the Canadian Athletic Foundation and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Board of Governors.
Mitchell was the national co-chair of the law firm Borden Ladner Gervais and an avid sports enthusiast.
From 1984 to 1988, he took a leave of absence from the firm to serve as the CFL commissioner.
Our deepest condolences go out to the family & friends of Doug Mitchell, who passed away this week. Doug’s dedication to our sport & our community was unwavering, his achievements recognized by an appointment to the Order of Canada & Alberta Order of Excellent. <br><br>Rest in peace.
—@calstampeders
Mitchell was also part of an ownership group that bought the Calgary Stampeders in 2005. In 2012, the Calgary Flames became majority owners of the Stamps.
In a tweet on Thursday, the Calgary Stampeders offered their condolences, saying, “Doug’s dedication to our sport [and] our community was unwavering, his achievements recognized by an appointment to the Order of Canada [and] Alberta Order of [Excellence]. Rest in peace.”
Mitchell was a talented athlete himself. He attended Colorado College on a hockey scholarship where he received a bachelor of arts degree in business administration.
He then attended law school at the University of British Columbia (UBC) where he also played football as a middle linebacker for the UBC Thunderbirds.
I am deeply saddened to learn that UBC Thunderbird and Community and sport leader Doug Mitchell has died at 83. He was an inspiration to many and he will be greatly missed at his Alma Mater | Calgary Herald <a href=”https://t.co/0FykmbfzXa”>https://t.co/0FykmbfzXa</a>
—@ubcprez
In a tweet on Thursday, UBC president Santa Ono said he was “deeply saddened to learn that UBC Thunderbird and community sport leader” Mitchell died.
“He was an inspiration to many and he will be greatly missed at his alma mater,” wrote Ono.
After playing for the Thunderbirds, Mitchell went on to play football for the B.C. Lions.
While in law school, Mitchell married Lois and they eventually moved back to Calgary, where they had four kids and he started a long legal career.
More to come.
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