Don Holtby was a Canadian football coach and executive who served as general manager of the Ottawa Rough Riders and president and head coach of the Ottawa Sooners.
17 Facts About Don Holtby
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Don Holtby attended High School of Commerce and was quarterback of the football team.
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Don Holtby played five seasons of junior football and tried out for the Ottawa Rough Riders as a receiver and defensive back in 1958.
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Don Holtby began his coaching career in 1961 as an assistant with the Ottawa Sooners.
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Don Holtby served as the team's head coach from 1962 to 1964 and again from 1967 to 1970.
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Don Holtby led the team to the Little Grey Cup national championship game in 1968 and 1969, but they lost to the Saskatoon Hilltops both times.
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Don Holtby was the Sooners' president and from 1971 to 1980.
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In 1964, Don Holtby became the Ottawa Rough Riders' co-ordinator of Canadian player development.
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Don Holtby signed hundreds of Canadian players to the team, including Jeff Avery, Ian Beckstead, Rick Sowieta, Bob Stephen, and Mark Seale.
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From 1974 to 1982, Don Holtby served as the Rough Riders' radio colour commentator.
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In January 1983, Don Holtby was promoted to general manager following the resignation of Jake Dunlap.
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Allan Waters sold the Rough Riders after the 1986 season and Don Holtby resigned to work for Waters' radio station - CFRA.
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In 1990, Don Holtby was inducted into the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame.
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In 1977, Don Holtby became the general sales manager of the CFRA.
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Don Holtby resigned from the station in 1983 to become Rough Riders general manager, but returned in 1987.
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Don Holtby later became the vice president and director of sales for CHUM Limited.
17.
Don Holtby left CHUM in April 2004 due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.