31 Facts About Vic Chapman

Victor Garbutt Chapman was a Canadian press secretary who worked for Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and the British royal family.

Vic Chapman previously played professional football with the Calgary Stampeders, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, and Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Vic Chapman enrolled University of British Columbia and played right end for the UBC Thunderbirds football team, but left the team after one game and joined the Vancouver Blue Bombers junior football team.

Vic Chapman signed with the Calgary Stampeders in 1952, but was released on September 5 and rejoined the Blue Bombers.

Vic Chapman was the team's punter and averaged 38 yards on 100 punts.

Vic Chapman was resigned for the 1955 season and averaged 42.3 yards per punt while playing wingback.

In 1957, Vic Chapman averaged a Western Interprovincial Football Union-leading 42.4 yards per punt, scored three receiving touchdowns, and intercepted four passes, including a pick six against the Stampeders.

Vic Chapman played for the Western Interprovincial Football Union team in the 1957 All-Star Game.

Vic Chapman was the team's punter and averaged 40.7 yards on a career-high 132 punts.

Vic Chapman averaged 40.7 yards per punt again in 1960 and was a member of the Eskimos team that played in the 48th Grey Cup.

In 1961, Vic Chapman caught 17 passes for 299 yards, but lost the punting job to Bobby Walden.

Vic Chapman returned to Edmonton for the 1962 season and had 2 catches for 21 yards and averaged 42.5 yards on 73 punts.

Edmonton needed a roster spot to make room for Gino Fracas, who was coming off of the injury list, and saw Vic Chapman, who did not play much on offence, as expendable.

Vic Chapman chose to retire, as he did not want to move or commute to Montreal.

In 1964, Vic Chapman joined CFRN-TV as a salesman and sports announcer.

Vic Chapman was a color commentator for the CFL on CTV's western broadcast crew.

Vic Chapman worked for the John Turner campaign during the 1968 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election.

Vic Chapman organized the logistics for the prime minister's official tours and campaign trips.

Vic Chapman accompanied Trudeau when the Prime Minister met with President Richard Nixon at the Moses-Saunders Power Dam in 1969 and the White House in 1970.

Vic Chapman was loaned out to the Department of External Affairs for Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin and Queen Elizabeth II visits to Canada.

Vic Chapman resigned from the prime minister's office effective February 4,1974, to join a newly-formed public relations firm, Intertask Ltd.

Vic Chapman managed a variety of aspects of Habitat I, organized a series of conferences to explain the Anti-Inflation Act, and produced a series of films on government practices for the National Film Board.

Vic Chapman left Intertask in December 1976 to start his own consulting business.

Vic Chapman helped promote the 1979 Can-Am Bowl, a college all-star game pitting seniors from the United States against seniors from Canada played at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

Vic Chapman was the media organizer for British royal family during their tours of Canada.

Vic Chapman handled Prince Charles' 1977 and 1979 trips, Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee tour, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's 1979 visit, Princess Margaret's 1980 tour, and Elizabeth II's 1982 visit.

In 1982, Vic Chapman was named assistant press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, a post traditionally filled by an appointee from a Commonwealth country.

Vic Chapman served as the press secretary for the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Vic Chapman was let in after intervention from British Embassy staff.

Vic Chapman resigned in 1987 after he was diagnosed with cancer.

In December 1987, Chapman entered the Ottawa Civic Hospital cancer clinic for treatment for lung cancer.