THE CANADIAN PRESS
HAMILTON — Ron Lancaster made a career out of battling adversity as a CFL quarterback on the football field.
But the Canadian Football Hall of Fame member is facing yet another tough battle off the field.
Lancaster, 69, is battling lung cancer.
The native of Fairchance, Pa., was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago and will now begin radiation and chemotherapy treatment.
"All of a sudden, something was discovered," Lancaster told Hamilton radio station AM900 CHML. "I’ve had every test done that you do now.
"Now it’s time for the treatment to start."
Lancaster will step away from his job as a colour analyst on Ticats radio telecasts but is hopeful that he will be able to return to the broadcast booth.
In 2004, Lancaster battled bladder cancer.
Lancaster began his illustrious CFL career in 1960 with the Ottawa Rough Riders. He was dealt to Saskatchewan in 1963, spending 16 years there and leading the Roughriders to their first-ever Grey Cup title in 1966, which came against Ottawa.
He captured the Schenley Award as the CFL’s outstanding player in 1970 and ’76.
Lancaster became Saskatchewan’s head coach immediately after the 1978 season but was let go after consecutive 2-14 seasons.
Lancaster then joined the CBC, where he worked as a colour analyst for the network’s CFL broadcasts. He also served as a basketball colour commentator at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
Lancaster returned to football in 1991 as the Edmonton Eskimos head coach. He spent seven seasons there, winning a Grey Cup in 1993.
Lancaster became the 17th head coach in Ticats’ history on Nov. 26, 1997.
He served as the club’s coach from 1998 to 2003, leading the Ticats to Grey Cup appearances in 1998 and ’99, winning the latter.
He returned to the sidelines as Hamilton’s interim head coach in ’06 after Greg Marshall was fired.
Lancaster’s 142 regular-season wins place him fifth on the CFL’s career list.
He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1985.
