York Hentschel

Who was York Hentschel?

York Hentschel was a Grey Cup champion defensive lineman with the Edmonton Eskimos.

As a member of the famed "Alberta Crude" defence, Hentschel won 3 Grey Cups with the Eskimos. Many felt that his skills were under-appreciated because he played next to three all-stars: Dave Fennell, Ron Estay and David Boone.

He finished his career in 1981 playing for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Hentschel took an improbable route to pro football. Having played 2 years of junior football with the Red Deer Packers and having played at Drake University, he was discovered by Edmonton coach Ray Jauch while working as a lifeguard in Miami, Florida.

He was admired and respected by his teammates. A man of few words, Tom Wilkinson said: "In all the time he was here, I don't know if he said 20 words." He died of organ failure in Edmonton in March 2006. On November 19, 2008, the CBC Television show The Fifth Estate suggested that Hentschel, who went through years of alcohol and drug abuse and depression, suffered from the effects of years of unreported head injuries from playing professional football. Teammates David Boone and Bill Stevenson are believe to have suffered from the same injuries.