Clair Warner

Clair Joseph Warner (March 30, 1903 – November 18, 1970) was an American-born Canadian football player and executive. He played seven seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, before starting an executive career that spanned 37 seasons until his death in 1970. He was a 1965 inductee to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Early life Warner was born on March 30, 1903, in Pierre, South Dakota. His family moved to Canada in 1917, when Warner was 14. He moved to Regina, Saskatchewan, two years later, and played juvenile football that year.

Playing career From 1920 to 1924, Warner played junior football in Regina, before joining the Saskatchewan Roughriders in late 1924. He played the end position, and spent 1924 to 1928, then again from 1931 to 1932 with the team, before retiring in 1933. He appeared in four Grey Cup games with Saskatchewan, but did not win any.

Executive career After retiring, Warner accepted a position as a Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU) executive. He re-joined the Roughriders one year later as general manager, while keeping the other position. In 1941, Warner became the president of the Roughrider organization. He gave his general manager position to Greg Grassick, a former teammate of his, in 1950, but regained the role in 1951. From 1961 until his death in 1970, he served on the Roughrider management committee.

Warner also served for five years on the rules committee of the Canadian Rugby Union, and was WIFU president in 1948.

In 1956, he was awarded the Canadian Rugby Union Plaque for his "outstanding contributions to football." In 1966, Warner was the first recipient of the Regina Sportsman of the Year award.