Name Bob Ackles | ||
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Date of birth (1938-09-16)September 16, 1938 Date of death July 6, 2008(2008-07-06) (aged 69) Positions President, General Manager | ||
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Robert Ackles (September 16, 1938 – July 6, 2008) was a Canadian Football League executive for the BC Lions. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
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Bob Ackles was born in Sarnia, Ontario and joined the BC Lions as a water boy in their founding year, 1953, at the age of 15. He worked his way through the ranks of the organization becoming the director of football development in 1966, assistant general manager in 1971 and, from 1975 until 1986 general manager.
After that, he spent time in the National Football League, most notably six years as Vice President of Player Personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, and was instrumental in the development of the XFL.
In 2002, Ackles returned to the Lions as President and CEO, a position he held until his death of a myocardial infarction on July 6, 2008.
Ackles' autobiography, The Water Boy, was published in 2007 and recounted his life and time in all three leagues and the future of the CFL. Ackles was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a Builder in 2002, the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, and is the only non-player to ever be awarded the Schenley Award (1986).