Herb Gray
Herbert Eser "Herb" Gray, PC CC QC (May 25, 1931 – April 21, 2014) was a Canadian Member of Parliament for four decades, and cabinet minister under three prime ministers, who served as Deputy Prime Minister from 1997 to 2002. He was Canada's first Jewish federal cabinet minister, and is one of only a few Canadians ever granted the honorific The Right Honourable who was not so entitled by virtue of a position held.
Early life
Gray was born in Windsor, Ontario, the son of Fannie (née Lifitz), a nurse, and Harry Gray, who had a business selling yard goods. His parents were both from Belarusian Jewish families. Gray attended Victoria School and Kennedy Collegiate Institute in Windsor before receiving a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1952 from McGill University. He then attended Osgoode Hall Law School where he received a Bachelor of Laws degree and was called to the bar becoming a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada. On July 23, 1967, Gray married lawyer Sharon Sholzberg, with whom he had two children: Jonathan David and Elizabeth Anne.
Herb Gray (Canadian football)
Herb Gray (June 12, 1934 – January 21, 2011) was an All-American from the University of Texas who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1956 to 1965.
CFL
As a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Herb Gray played defensive end and offensive guard. In 10 years, Gray was a CFL All-Star as a defensive end once and a Western conference all-star 6 times, also the first defensive end to win the Schenley Award as the CFL's most outstanding lineman in 1960. His team won 5 Western Conference titles in 6 years (from 1957 to 1962) and 4 Grey Cup championship games, the 46th Grey Cup of 1958, the 47th Grey Cup of 1959, the 49th Grey Cup of 1961, the 50th Grey Cup of 1962. His team lost the 45th Grey Cup of 1957 and the 53rd Grey Cup of 1965. Gray was the Blue Bombers defensive captain for 9 years.
Awards
For his achievements, Herb Gray won the Dr. Bert Oja most valuable Bomber lineman award in 1965 and named the Blue Bombers Defensive Player of the Half-Century in 1980. Gray was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1983, also into the Winnipeg Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 1995.
