Frank Dunlap

Francis Egan "Judge" Dunlap (August 10, 1924 - September 26, 1993) was a championship and all-star Canadian Football League player. He spent 8 years playing professional football, including with the Ottawa Rough Riders and Toronto Argonauts.

Frank Dunlap was born August 10, 1924 in Ottawa, Ontario. He was the second of four children born to Henry and Anne Dunlap of the Glebe. Frank Dunlap attended St. Patrick’s College (high school) in Ottawa, Ontario where he played halfback on the football team and also starred at right wing on the school’s hockey team. In 1940, Dunlap won the Doran Memorial Trophy, which was awarded to the best all around student, which included being good academically, athletically and also being recognized socially at the school. During this time, Dunlap lettered in football, hockey and debating. The following year, Frank won the Gerry Boucher Memorial trophy for senior interscholastic football. He was the first person to ever win this trophy. He received a scholarship to attend the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana to play football. However, in that same year the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. With the United States entering the war, the scholarship was canceled and Frank was unable to go to Notre Dame.

Frank decided to go St. Michael’s College in Toronto, where he studied commerce and finance. In addition to going to school, Frank was a member of the St. Michael’s Majors (Toronto St. Michael's Majors) hockey team of the Ontario Hockey Association where he played for two seasons, helping his team reach the playoffs in both years. In 1942/43 he registered 8 goals and 6 assists in 11 games. In 1943/44, he registered 11 goals and 14 assists in 15 games. In that same year he was also called up to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) where he would play 15 games. During his time in Toronto he only played in home games because he was enrolled in school full time. During his hockey playing days he earned two nicknames. He was known to his teammates as “Judge” or “Biff”.

Frank returned to Ottawa where he finished his degree at St. Patrick’s College (University) and played football for the Ottawa Trojans. Once the war ended, Dunlap then joined the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) where he mainly played quarterback and halfback. Dunlap played with the Rough Riders for three years, from 1945 until 1947. He was named an all-star in 1946. He played with his younger brother, Jake Dunlap, during his years with the Rough Riders.

In 1948 Frank was accepted to Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto and played for the Toronto Argonauts in both 1948 and 1949 while enrolled. He then returned Ottawa to finish his football career. In 1950 under head coach Wally Masters, he played half back instead of quarterback. The final year of his career came in 1951 as he captured a Grey Cup under head coach Clem Crowe.

During his football career in Ottawa, Frank continued to play hockey. In 1944-1945 he split the season between two teams. He played 24 games for the Ottawa Commandos where he scored 16 goals and registered 18 assists. He played the final 7 games for the Ottawa Navy. Both teams were part of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL). The following year, he played for the Hull Volants of the QSHL, scoring 17 goals and 19 assists. From 1946-1947 he played for the Ottawa Senators before playing for the Pembroke Lumber Kings and the Renfrew Lions of the Upper Ottawa Valley Hockey League. He stopped playing hockey after the 1948 season, however he continued to play football.

Once his athletic career was over, Frank Dunlap practiced law in Ottawa with his brother, Jake, in their firm, Dunlap & Dunlap. On August 4th 1947 he married Kathryn Heney of Pembroke and later had four sons: David, Michael, Patrick and Daniel. In 1957 he ran for the Federal Liberal Party as a Liberal Candidate in the Ottawa-Carleton area. The principles he was working for included: providing the armed forces with good training programs; giving children of service members and veterans educational assistance; giving farmers a voice in agricultural marketing; and working towards establishing adequate hospital facilities in the Ottawa-Carleton area. Frank however was not elected, losing to Progressive Conservative, Dick Bell. In 1967 Frank was appointed a Judge, where he remained until his sudden death on September 26th, 1993.