John Stewart
Via: http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/1292895–mr-argo-lived-with-passion
The man often seen standing on the sidelines at the Gordon Graydon Memorial Secondary School field didn’t attract much attention from the Mississauga Football League or Graydon Hawks’ players practicing or playing there.
Charlie Camilleri would often stroll over to the field from his longtime home near the high school because he loved to watch football — any kind of football.
Had the players known who he was, a two-time Grey Cup champion with the Toronto Argos as a backup quarterback in 1946 and 1947 before a broken pelvis forced an early retirement, they might have insisted on hearing the great stories Camilleri could tell.
And those stories wouldn’t have just been about his football career.
After joining Columbia Records of Canada (later CBS) in 1958, Camilleri promoted some of the biggest names in entertainment over the next three decades including Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Burton Cummings, Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Wynton Marsalis.
Camilleri, who lived in Mississauga since 1960, died just before Christmas of congestive heart failure. He was 88.
Camilleri’s son, Ron, who would follow in his father’s footsteps in the record business, says the celebration of his father’s life held on Jan. 28 brought together his father’s friends from his two worlds for the first time.
“It was a nice chance for everybody to meet,” says Camilleri.
All-time Argo great, receiver Zeke O’Connor, was among some 40 ex-players including Bill Symons, Michael (Pinball) Clemons and Mississauga’s Steve Ackroyd and Fred Doty who attended the event.
In his remarks to about 140 attendees, O’Connor said that, “no one really deserved the title of Mr. Argo as much as Charlie. He did have the passion and the love and the trueness. Friendship is a mutual trust and respect and we are all lucky to have known him. He had that for everyone.”
Ron Camilleri says his father “organized all the lunches, made all the phone calls and got everyone on the same page for the Argo alumni. He represented the old boys’ network” of Argos.
In a testimonial sent to the family, former Argo coach Leo Cahill said, “he was a true Argo who always had a word of support for me.”
When the late Joe Krol was named to The Sports Network’s all-time Argo team a few years ago, “he would only show up if dad was there,” says Ron.
Charlie Camilleri inspired unshakeable trust in both his teammates and in the many musicians whose careers he launched in Canada. Many became close, personal friends.
Camilleri’s twin sons Ron and Rick both became top executives with Columbia and Sony Music Canada, respectively.
“He took us to all the shows when we were just young,” says Ron, who particularly remembers a concert by Bruce Springsteen at the Seneca College field house on a bitterly cold night on Dec. 21, 1975.
“Ever since we were little guys, we were hanging out with the stars. That might be why we followed in his footsteps,” says Camilleri, a musician himself who has an Elton John tribute band with his brother.
“He wasn’t a celebrity as such, but everybody in the business knew him and every time they came to Canada, they would ask, ‘Where’s Charlie?’ He was very good at what he did and so well-liked. There was everybody else in the business — and then there was my dad. He was at an entirely different level.”
As well as his Grey Cup rings, Camilleri also won a Canadian softball title with People’s Credit Jewellers.
The World War II veteran played for the Canadian Navy football team, which was coached by Applewood Acres resident Teddy Morris. It was Morris who later brought Camilleri to the Argos when he became their coach.
A longtime volunteer with the Variety Club, Camilleri was honoured with both its Heart Award and its International Award.
CBS Records established a Charlie Camilleri Award upon his retirement from the company.
Camilleri is survived by his wife, Peggy, his sons and grandson, Spencer.
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