Pat Mahoney, a former longtime member of the Calgary Stampeders executive who served as the club’s president in 1968, has passed away in North Vancouver, B.C. He was 83.
Mahoney first joined the Stampeders in 1955 as corporate secretary.
At the suggestion of general manager Jim Finks and against the wishes of some of the team’s directors at the time, Mahoney scheduled a home game against the Edmonton Eskimos on Labour Day in 1959. The Labour Day Classic between the provincial rivals is now one of the CFL’s great traditions.
In 1965, Mahoney briefly served as the Stampeders’ acting general manager before Rogers Lehew was hired for the position.
Mahoney also served as the president of the Western Football Conference, the precursor to the CFL’s present-day West Division.
Following his career with the Stampeders, Mahoney was involved in politics and in 1968 was elected as the Member of Parliament for Calgary South. He represented Calgary South until 1972 and to this date remains the last Liberal to be elected to a federal seat from a Calgary riding.
He later served as a federal judge until he retired and settled in North Vancouver.