Hec Crighton

Crighton, Hector Naismith

Hector Naismith Crighton, "Hec," athlete, coach, referee and teacher, author (b 2 April 1900 at Toronto, Ont; d 17 April 1967 at Toronto, Ont) Crighton is best known for his donation of the coveted HEC CRIGHTON TROPHY, presented annually to the Outstanding University Football Player in Canada. Early in his college career, Crighton was a noted athlete, winning the national diving championship in 1920, and participating in 2 intercollegiate sports, basketball and football. He earned degrees from the University of Toronto (BA) and the University of Wisconsin (MSc) and became an educator shortly thereafter. He became well known for contributions to amateur and professional football. He went on to referee 16 GREY CUP games and served as an intercollegiate referee for 20 years. He was named to the Canadian Rugby Union's Rules committee in 1947, an appointment that led to his simplifying the rules. He is considered to be the author of the original CIAU (Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union - today the CIS, Canadian Interuniversity Athletics) rulebook, a project he undertook in 1952.

Shortly after his death in 1967, the College bowl committee presented the CIAU with a trophy in his name, the Hec Crighton Trophy. Crighton is a member of he U of T Hall of Fame as well as the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, where he was installed as a Builder on 17 August 1985.