View source for Annis Stukus

{{Short description|Canadian football player and coach (1914–2006)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox gridiron football person
| name = Annis Stukus
| image = AStukus82591.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Stukus in 1954
| birth_date = {{Birth-date|October 25, 1914}}
| birth_place = [[Toronto]], Ontario, Canada
| death_date = {{Death-date and age|May 20, 2006|October 25, 1914}}
| death_place = [[Canmore, Alberta]], Canada
| team = 
| number = 
| status = 
| import = no
| position1 = Quarterback
| position2 = Kicker
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 205
| administrating_years1 = {{CFL Year|1954}}–{{CFL Year|1955}}
| administrating_team1 = [[BC Lions]]
| coaching_years1 = {{CFL Year|1949}}–{{CFL Year|1951}}
| coaching_team1 = [[Edmonton Eskimos]]
| coaching_years2 = 1953
| coaching_team2 = Vancouver Cubs
| coaching_years3 = {{CFL Year|1954}}–{{CFL Year|1955}}
| coaching_team3 = [[BC Lions]]
| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|1935}}–{{CFL Year|1941}}
| playing_team1 = [[Toronto Argonauts]]
| playing_years2 = 1942
| playing_team2 = [[Toronto Indians|Toronto/Oakwood Indians]]
| playing_years3 = 1943
| playing_team3 = [[Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers|Balmy Beach]]
| playing_years4 = 1944
| playing_team4 = [[HMCS York]] Bulldogs
| playing_years5 = 1945–1946
| playing_team5 = Toronto Indians
| playing_years6 = {{CFL Year|1949}}–{{CFL Year|1951}}
| playing_team6 = [[Edmonton Eskimos]]
| career_highlights = 
* 2× [[Grey Cup]] champion ([[25th Grey Cup|1937]], [[26th Grey Cup|1938]])
| CFLAllStar = {{CFL Year|1938}}, {{CFL Year|1943}}
| honours = Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (1991)
| CFHOF = annis-stukus
| CFHOFYear = 1974
}}
'''Annis Paul Stukus''' (October 25, 1914&nbsp;– May 20, 2006) was a [[Canadian football]] player, journalist, coach, broadcaster, and executive. He was the first head coach of the [[Edmonton Elks|Edmonton Eskimos]] and the [[BC Lions]] of the Western Interprovincial Football Union (now the [[West Division (CFL)|West Division]] of the [[Canadian Football League]]) and the first general manager of the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)|Winnipeg Jets]] of the [[World Hockey Association]].

==Playing==
Stukus was born in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]. He played for the [[Toronto Argonauts]] from 1935 to 1941, leading the team to [[Grey Cup]] victories in 1937 and 1938 (playing 45 regular season and 14 playoff games).<ref>2008 Toronto Argonauts Media Guide</ref> He then played for the Oakwood Indians (1942), Balmy Beach (1943), HMCS York Bulldogs (1944) and the Toronto Indians (1945, 1946), all Toronto-based teams. He played alongside his brothers [[Bill Stukus|Bill]] and [[Frank Stukus|Frank]] on the Argonauts and Indians and the trio played together in the offensive backfield of the [[26th Grey Cup|1938 Grey Cup]] champion Argonaut team.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-11-22|title=Home of The Game|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/2007/11/22/home_of_the_game.html|access-date=2021-06-08|website=thestar.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=A Chat With Annis Stukus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1K0uAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA15&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=November 30, 1945}}</ref> After his playing career ended, Stukus became a sportswriter for the ''[[Toronto Star]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=West Will Give The East Real Battle For Grey Cup |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mjRkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA26&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=November 12, 1948}}</ref>

==Coaching==
In 1949, Stukus was hired as the head coach of the [[Edmonton Eskimos]], which were reentering the Western Interprovincial Football Union after a ten year absence. He was chosen over [[Cincinnati Bearcats football]] coach [[Ray Nolting]] due to his knowledge of the Canadian game.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stukus To Coach Edmonton |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ujRkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA1&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=February 22, 1949}}</ref> Stukus not only assembled a roster from scratch, but promoted the sport throughout the city, leading to the growth of junior and high school football in Edmonton.<ref>{{cite news |title=Esks' Backfield Solid, But Line Worries Stuke |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8zlkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA23&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=August 13, 1949}}</ref><ref name="Leader-Post" /> Edmonton complied a 4–10 in its inaugural season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stukus Returned As Eskimo Coach |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6zRkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA21&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=November 22, 1949}}</ref> The following year, Edmonton went 7–7 and beat the [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]] 24 to 1 in the Western Semi-Final. Edmonton defeated the [[Winnipeg Blue Bombers]] 17 to 16 in the first game of the Western Finals, but dropped the final two of the best-of-three series.<ref>{{cite web |title=1950 Edmonton Eskimos Game-by-Game Results |url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/results/t-CFLEDM/y-1950 |website=Stats Crew |publisher=Stats Crew |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref> Edmonton finished the 1951 season with an 8–6 record and were eliminated from the postseason by the Roughriders after losing the third game of the Western Finals by a single point.<ref>{{cite web |title=1951 Edmonton Eskimos Game-by-Game Results |url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/results/t-CFLEDM/y-1951 |website=Stats Crew |publisher=Stats Crew |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref><ref name="Leader-Post" /> Stukus left at the end of the season to return to the ''Toronto Star''.<ref name="Leader-Post">{{cite news |title=Stuke to Write About Roughriders |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u-xTAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA27&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Leader-Post |date=November 23, 1951}}</ref>

In February 1953, Stukus signed a three-year contract to become the first head coach and general manager of Vancouver's expansion football club – the [[BC Lions]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Stuke Takes Job To Run City Grid |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VxxlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA14&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Vancouver Sun |date=February 25, 1953}}</ref> As the Lions would not begin play until 1954, Stukus spent his first in Vancouver promoting the sport. This included putting together an amateur to play a series of exhibition games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2006/06/10/the__loquacious_lithuanian_/|title=The Loquacious Lithuanian|date=June 10, 2006|first=Lyndon|last=Little|publisher=CFL / Vancouver Sun}}</ref> The Lions went 1–15 in 1954 and 5–11 in 1955.<ref>{{cite web |title=1954 BC Lions Game-by-Game Results |url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/results/t-CFLBC/y-1954 |website=Stats Crew |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1955 BC Lions Game-by-Game Results |url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/results/t-CFLBC/y-1955 |website=Stats Crew |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref> 

==Journalism==
Stukus' contract was not renewed after 1955 season and he became a football writer for the ''[[Vancouver Sun]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stuke Was Never Fired |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fj5lAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA24&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Vancouver Sun |date=November 18, 1955}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Swangard |first1=Erwin |title=Reporter Stukus Off To First Assignment |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ET5lAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA3&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Vancouver Sun |date=November 10, 1955}}</ref> In 1958, he became a foreign correspondent for the paper and covered the [[Second Taiwan Strait Crisis]] from [[Kinmen|Quemoy]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Stukus Reports From Quemoy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k0llAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA1&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Vancouver Sun |date=October 16, 1958}}</ref> In 1961, he returned to Toronto as a sportswriter for the ''[[Toronto Telegram|Telegram]]'' and a commentator for the [[CFL on CTV]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Rote, Stukus Feud Burning |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aWlkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA49&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=November 1, 1962}}</ref> In 1967, he appeared in an episode of ''[[Quentin Durgens, M.P.]]'' as a member of parliament from Manitoba.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shiels |first1=Bob |title=Bob Shiels...on television |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EGlkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA51&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=January 11, 1967}}</ref>

==Front office==
In 1967, Stukus signed a four-year contract as general manager of the [[Vancouver Canucks]] of the minor pro [[Western Hockey League (1952–1974)|Western Hockey League]]. The team was preparing to move into the new [[Pacific Coliseum]] and was making a push for entry into the [[National Hockey League]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Familiar situation faces Annis Stukus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3TFgAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA14&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Phoenix |date=September 12, 1967}}</ref> He was fired on June 28, 1968 for "services unsatisfactory" and sued for wrongful termination.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stukus sues Canucks |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-aUtAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA21&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Montreal Gazette |date=September 26, 1968}}</ref> Following his dismissal, Stukus was the sports director at [[CFTE|CFUN/CKVN]] and was an unsuccessful candidate for the [[British Columbia Social Credit Party|Social Credit Party]] in [[North Vancouver-Seymour]] during the [[1969 British Columbia general election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Stukus Bounces Back On Radio |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cmhkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA8&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=February 22, 1969}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Trail Candidate Quits Stormy Nomination Meet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lWlkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA3&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=July 29, 1969}}</ref>

From 1971 to 1974, Stukus was the general manager of the [[Winnipeg Jets (1972–96)|Winnipeg Jets]] of the newly-formed [[World Hockey Association]]. He was responsible for team operations, public relations, and season ticket sales.<ref>{{cite news |title=Stuke comes out fighting |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eT1mAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA21&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Sun |date=December 3, 1971}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Stukus quits Jets' post |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A-FYAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA97&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Windsor Star |date=July 9, 1974}}</ref>

==Later life==
After leaving the Jets, Stukus returned to CFUN.<ref>{{cite news |title=Annis Stukus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IptlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA30&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Vancouver Sun |date=September 26, 1974}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Tom Larscheid]] in 1983.<ref>{{cite news |title=CFUN hires Larscheid |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=maFlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA29&dq |access-date=16 August 2024 |work=The Sun |date=September 7, 1983}}</ref>

The [[Annis Stukus Trophy|CFL's annual award for coach of the year]] is named in his honour.  He was elected into the [[Canadian Football Hall of Fame]] and the [[Canadian Sports Hall of Fame]].

He died at his home in [[Canmore, Alberta]], at age 91.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = Position created | title = General Manager of the original Winnipeg Jets | years = [[1972–73 WHA season|1972]]–[[1973–74 WHA season|74]] | after = [[Rudy Pilous]]}}
{{s-end}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stukus, Annis}}
[[Category:1914 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:British Columbia Social Credit Party candidates in British Columbia provincial elections]]
[[Category:Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Canadian Football League announcers]]
[[Category:Canadian football quarterbacks]]
[[Category:Canadian radio sportscasters]]
[[Category:Canadian sportswriters]]
[[Category:Canadian war correspondents]]
[[Category:Canadian people of Lithuanian descent]]
[[Category:Edmonton Elks coaches]]
[[Category:Edmonton Elks players]]
[[Category:Ontario Rugby Football Union players]]
[[Category:Players of Canadian football from Ontario]]
[[Category:Canadian football people from Toronto]]
[[Category:Toronto Argonauts players]]
[[Category:Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers players]]
[[Category:Toronto Star people]]
[[Category:Vancouver Sun people]]
[[Category:Winnipeg Jets (1972–1996) executives]]