Fratmen History
The Fratmen have roots in the Alpha Kai Omega Fraternity which began as a social club in 1929 by a group of Windsor high school students. In addition to social functions the AKO Fraternity became community leaders in fundraising and charitable endeavors. The evolution of the fraternity turned to sponsorship of local sports and then eventually Junior Sport which gave birth to the AKO Fratmen Football program.
The Fratmen franchise is one of the oldest in Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) history and played their first season in 1945 as the Windsor AKO Fratmen. In their inaugural season the Fratmen played in the Western Ontario Junior Ontario Rugby Football Union and were undefeated in a short schedule finishing the year 4-0.
The AKO Fraternity financed several improvements to Rossini Park which was renamed AKO Community Park in 1953 serving as the practice facility and clubhouse for the Fratmen until 2014. Over the years the Fratmen have utilized several venues for games including Windsor Stadium, Jackson Park, Stodgell Park, EJ Lajeunesse High School and Alumni Field at the University of Windsor.
In 1952 the Fratmen had their best campaign to date going 6-0 during the regular season and outscoring their opponents 237-26 in the process. In the post season they would defeat the Toronto Parkdale Lions 22-16 and the Lakeshore Flyers 22-6 to win the right to host the Canadian championship which was at that time called the Leader-Post Trophy. In front of 4,300 fans the Fratmen won their first national title after beating the Edmonton Wildcats 15-12.
After another undefeated regular season in 1953 the Fratmen lost the Canadian championship game in a valiant effort to defend their title.
In 1954 the Fratmen hosted the Winnipeg Rods and beat them 13-9 for their second Leader-Post Trophy in three years.
In 1955 the Fratmen capped four straight years in the National Championship title game but were on the wrong side of a 19-13 result in a rematch with the Winnipeg Rods.
In 1968 the AKO Fraternity was honoured by the Recreation Association of Canada when they received their highest recognition for youth leadership, monetary contributions, and provisions for better recreational opportunities for the citizens of Windsor.
Due to declining player availability the Fratmen did not field a team in the junior ranks for three seasons from 1971-73 and did not win a conference championship again until 1987.
The Fratmen are also the last Ontario team to win the CJFL Canadian Bowl which came in 1999. This great moment was played and celebrated at Windsor Stadium after they defeated the Okanagan Sun by a score of 32-29.
In the Fratmen’s 72-year season history they have compiled an incredible 396-151-14 overall regular season record in addition to a 73-60-1 record in the post season. In all, the Fratmen have won three national titles along with an incredible 24 Conference championships and 29 regular season first place finishes.
The Fratmen were also the first CJFL team to be honoured in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as one of the longest running junior football programs in the country. As a result of this recognition the Fratmen have been featured in the Museum's locker room exhibit.
In 2004 the AKO Fratmen became one of only nine area teams that have been given Special Award recognition by the Windsor Essex County Sports Hall of Fame.
In January of 2014 Mike Morencie purchased the rights to the Fratmen Football program from the AKO Fraternity and served as the principal owner and General Manager for six years. The first three seasons under Morencie’s ownership the Ontario Football Conference (OFC) played with an older age bracket than the CJFL which meant the Fratmen could only compete for a provincial title where they won two championships and reached the final game in the other. The OFC rejoined the CJFL in 2017 and the Fratmen won the provincial title and the right to host the Canadian Bowl where they were defeated by the Saskatoon Hilltoppers. The Fratmen reached the next two OFC title games but the provincial trophy has since eluded their grasp.
On February 21st, 2020 another exciting and historical moment in the Fratmen history took place when the organization was purchased by the St. Clair College Saints Student Athletic Association Inc. This begins a new chapter in the Fratmen history that will be played in green and gold coloured uniforms at the newly constructed Acumen Stadium which is part of St. Clair’s $26 million SportsPark.
Throughout their history the Fratmen have had some outstanding players represent the area and most notable might be Conference All-Star Tommy Grant who helped Windsor to the National title game in 1955. Grant went onto play in fourteen CFL seasons where he reached the Grey Cup nine times while capturing four rings. He ended his professional career with 54 touchdowns, 6,542 yards on 329 receptions and was fittingly inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 1995.
Bob Dawson played three years from 1950-52 for the Fratmen leading them in total yards each season and was a key figure in their first National Championship in 1952. That spring boarded him to a seven-year career in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1953-59 where he won the 1953 and 1957 Grey Cup and played in two other finals.
After a single season with the Fratmen in 1953, Zeno Karcz played ten years (1957-66) with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and is a 3-time Grey Cup Champion (1957, 1963 & 1965) but reached the final game eight times. He was an East Conference All-star selection in 1962 and 1965 and won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1965. After retiring from professional play Karcz went on to become the Head Coach of the Fratmen for three seasons from 1967-1969 and led them to a Conference Championship in his final season at the helm.
Jerry Kauric was a Fratmen placekicker for four seasons from 1982-85 that played on the national stage in the CFL for four seasons with the Edmonton. His crowning achievement would come in 1987when he kicked a 49-yard field goal in the dying seconds of the 75th Grey Cup giving his Edmonton team a 38-36 win over Toronto. Three years later Kauric kicked for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL in the 1990 season. The Browns only won three games that season but two of those victories came courtesy of a game winning kick by Kauric.
Ed Philion played for the Fratmen in 1989 before accepting a scholarship to Ferris State University where in his senior year he was selected as a team co-captain, All-American, Mid-American All-Star and earned Team MVP honours. He was the 11th overall pick by the Calgary Stampeders in the 1994 CFL Entry Draft but chose to sign with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills after earning a roster spot. Philion stayed with the Bills for the 1994 and ’95 NFL seasons appearing in six games over that span. Following his time in Buffalo he had a brief stint with the Carolina Panthers and played a single season with the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe.
Philion’s CFL rights were acquired by Montreal and he returned to Canada in time for the 1999 season which began an eight-season career with Alouettes. He went on to play in five Grey Cups which was highlighted by a championship in 2002. During his CFL career he had four straight East Division All-Star selections from 2003-06. Philion moved to the sideline after his playing career and became the defensive line coach for the Toronto Argonauts in 2013 and then for the Edmonton Eskimos from 2014 to 2015. He moved on to be the Saskatchewan Roughriders Defensive Line Coach from 2016-18 but most recently became the Defensive Coordinator for Concordia University in 2019.
Shawn Gallant was a 1995 Conference All-Star and Rookie of the Year for the Fratmen but moved on to an impressive collegiate career at Eastern Kentucky, where he was named the school’s Defensive Back of the Year in 1998. He was then drafted in the second round of the 2000 CFL Entry Draft and played eleven seasons in the CFL from 2000 to 2010 with Saskatchewan, Ottawa, Winnipeg (twice) and Montreal. Gallant played mainly on special teams but also saw action at safety and linebacker. His best season defensively came in his second season in 2001 with Saskatchewan when he recorded a career high 36 tackles and three interceptions including one returned for a touchdown. Gallant is now a Police Constable in Winnipeg.
Brett Romberg was a Conference All-Star and All-Canadian selection for the Fratmen in 1997 before moving on to the University of Miami. He was an NCAA All-American selection and Remington Award winner helping Miami to the 2000 BCS National title anchoring an offensive line that is generally regarded as one of the greatest in U.S. college football history. Romberg would sign with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars as part of an exceptional nine-year career that included stops with the St. Louis Rams and Atlanta Falcons. He was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 for his football accomplishments.
Walter Spencer was an All-Canadian All-Defensive Selection for the Fratmen in 1998 before becoming a 3rd round draft pick out of the University of Indianapolis and played ten CFL seasons from 2004 to 2013 during his professional career with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Montreal Alouettes, Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts. Spencer is a 3-time Grey Cup Champion (2009, 2010 Montreal Alouettes and 2012 Toronto Argonauts) playing in four total title games. He was the Alouettes Most Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2007.
The Fratmen currently have two alumni on CFL active rosters including Dillon Grondin (LB) of the Hamilton Tiger Cats and Llevi Noel (WR) who won a Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts in 2017. Grondin was a two-time Conference All-Star in 2014 and 2015 helping the Fratmen to a pair OFC Championships. Noel was also a part of the 2015 OFC Championship team as a Conference All-Star while being named the Special Teams’ Player of the Year and the league’s top Return Specialist.
Several Fratmen players have moved on to great pursuits beyond football including Mike Hurst who served as a City Councilor for four years before being elected the City of Windsor’s 32nd Mayor for twelve years from 1991 to 2003. A lawyer and later named a Justice of the Peace working out of the Provincial Court in Windsor, Hurst played for the Fratmen in 1969.
Ed Lumley donned the Fratmen jersey and later moved into politics as a Member of the Canadian Parliament for Stormont-Dundas (1974–1984). He was also the Chancellor of the University of Windsor, Vice-chairman of BMO Nesbitt Burns, Lead Director of Magna International, and a board member of Bell Canada Enterprises, Canadian National Railway and Air Canada.
Terry Lyons played four years for the Fratmen (1982-85) and was a three-time Conference All-Star selection in addition to earning Defensive Player of the Year honours in his final season. Lyons went on to become the Director of Education for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board after serving as Executive Superintendent of Human Resources.
Ron Seguin was a defensive back for the Fratmen in 1981 and his professional career moved to St. Clair College where he currently holds the post of Vice President of International Relations, Campus Development and Student Services.