Former CFL commissioner Mitchell passes away at age 83

Doug Mitchell, a former CFL player who later served as league commissioner, has died. He was 83.

Two sources confirmed that Mitchell died on Wednesday. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because there has been no public confirmation of his death.

Mitchell, a Calgary native, attended Colorado College on a hockey scholarship and completed a bachelor of arts degree in business administration. He then attended the University of British Columbia, where he played football while earning a bachelor of law degree in 1962.

Mitchell played both offence and defence at UBC and played briefly in the CFL with the B.C. Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

He served as CFL commissioner from 1984 to '88. He also spent time on the league's board of governors, as a representative of the Calgary Stampeders.

Ticats owner Bob Young took to social media to praise Mitchell.

""Everyone loved Doug," Young tweeted. "He was the very definition of a gentleman.

"The CFL and the world has lost a giant. We are all very grateful for his many contributions to making Calgary and Canada a better place."

Mitchell made several significant contributions to athletics, including the creation of the U Sports athlete of the year awards honouring the top Canadian collegiate performers. The honour — formerly known as the Howard Mackie, BLG and Lieutenant Governor Athletic Awards — were recently renamed The Honourable Lois Mitchell and Doug Mitchell U Sports athlete of the year awards.

U Sports named one of its national semifinal football games, the Mitchell Bowl, in his honour.

"My condolences to the Mitchell family on the passing of their patriarch Doug at the age of 83," tweeted Jim Mullin, the president of Football Canada. "Few have contributed more to the