One of the Gaels’ most famous alumni, Hal “Moose” McCarney, passed away Tuesday night at Kingston General Hospital from complications resulting from a broken leg.
McCarney started his outstanding athletic career at Loyola College in Montreal (now Concordia University), where he starred on both the football and basketball teams and earned an honours degree in philosophy and English. Concordia still recognizes its outstanding offensive and defensive linemen each year with the Hal McCarney Trophy.
In 1948, he came to Queen’s to play football and complete a second honours degree in economics and politics. He played for the Gaels until 1951 and won the Jenkins Trophy, which is awarded annually to Queen’s outstanding male graduating athlete.
After completing his playing career, McCarney served as an assistant coach to the legendary Frank Tindall for 22 years, earning numerous plaudits for his outstanding motivational skills and inventive tactics. He helped lead the Gaels to eight provincial titles and the 1968 Vanier Cup during that span.
In 1973, he retired from coaching but was a frequent presence at games and practices up until this year when his health prevented it. He was inducted into the Queen’s Football Hall of Fame in 1991 as both a player and a builder and was inducted into the Queen’s Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003.
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