They nicknamed him the “Big Ci” and it was not only because of his large frame. The “Big Ci” also recognized Douglas John Smylie’s sporting accomplishments. Doug made a significant contribution to Canadian sport, leaving his mark in four different areas: hockey, boxing, track and field and, of course, football. He was also a better-than-average golfer with a four handicap.

     Football was where Doug’s natural talent and considerable skills elevated him to the top. During an illustrious football career, he played on three Grey Cup winning teams. In 1951, Smylie also set a Canadian Football League kickoff runback record of 95 yards, a mark which weathered the test of times well and was not surpassed for three decades until 1981.

     Before becoming a football star, Smylie was successful in several other sports. He played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey Association and was good enough to be considered a professional prospect. He rejected an offer to join the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) serving as a bombardier and Army Services Corps instructor. He also laced on boxing gloves and won the RCAF heavyweight title. It was during his Second World War years that he made his mark on the track and field scene, winning five gold medals in the RCAF championship. Following his RCAF days, Smylie turned his attention to football, showing his skills first at Cornell University, then joined the Toronto Argonauts for the 1945 season. It was quite a remarkable season for the Argos that ended with a Grey Cup victory. In 1946, he played with the Montreal Alouettes, then was a member of the Ottawa Trojans squad that won the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) championship crown in 1947. Smylie’s two touchdowns in the title tilt against Hamilton went a long way helping Trojans capture their first ORFU championship in 45 years. After spending the 1948 season with the Ottawa Rough Riders, Smylie returned to the Argos from 1948 to 1953, contributing to a pair of Grey Cup triumphs. In the famous Varsity Stadium “Mud Bowl” of 1950, Argos whitewashed Winnipeg Blue Bombers 13-0. Two years later, Smylie and his Argo teammates were back at Varsity Stadium defeating the Edmonton Eskimos 21-11 to win another Grey Cup, which proved to be the club’s last win until 1983.

     Smylie shares a common bond with several fellow Mississauga professional football players. Charlie Camilleri and fellow Mississauga Sports Hall of Famers Nick Volpe, Nobby Wirkowski and Fred Doty all played with him at one stage or another in Argo uniform. A resident of Mississauga for a long time until his death at the age of 62 in 1983, Smylie was posthumously inducted into the Mississauga Sports Hall of Fame for 1983. He is also an honoured member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.