Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 11, 2026

Bruno Bitkowski

Bruno Bitkowski was an all-star Canadian football centre for the Ottawa Rough Riders for eleven seasons. Bitkowski was a Grey Cup champion twice and won the Gruen Trophy as best rookie in the Big Four in 1951. The Rough Riders retired his number (#40).

Last revised
Jul 11, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
184 w
Citations
1
Source
Bruno Bitkowski
No. 40
PositionsCentre, Defensive end
Personal information
Born(1929-11-29)November 29, 1929
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
DiedFebruary 10, 1966(1966-02-10) (aged 36)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Listed height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
CJFLAssumption College Junior
Career history
1951–1962Ottawa Rough Riders
Awards and highlights

Bruno Bitkowski (November 11, 1929 – February 10, 1966) was an all-star Canadian football centre for the Ottawa Rough Riders for eleven seasons. Bitkowski was a Grey Cup champion twice (1951 and 1960) and won the Gruen Trophy as best rookie in the Big Four in 1951. The Rough Riders retired his number (#40).

The Bruno Bitkowski Memorial Trophy was given to the outstanding lineman in the Canadian Inter-university Sport (CIS) Football league and was awarded to the most gentlemanly male athlete, from its inception in 1966 until the award was retired in 1986.

Bruno Bitkowski was appointed as a Naval Cadet (UNTD) in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve serving with HMCS Hunter for the UNTD (University Naval Training Division) from 1950–51.1

Notes

Notes

  1. MacFarlane, John M. "Canadian Naval Football Stars". www.nauticapedia.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-07.