By Perry Lefko, Sportsnet.ca
This could be a big year for the Getzlaf brothers. The pair have a chance to score a rare double in professional sports history.
Earlier this year Ryan won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. Now, his older brother Chris has a chance to be part of a Grey Cup winner with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Although he likely won’t be part of the active roster for Sunday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Chris Getzlaf is fortunate to even be in a position to be involved in this position.
He was drafted as a slotback by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats this year in the fifth round out of the University of Regina, but never saw the field. In mid-August the lowly Tiger-Cats included Getzlaf in the trade that brought all-purpose player Corey Holmes, one of the all-time favourites in Rider history, back to the franchise in a trade for receiver/returner Jason Armstead on Aug. 19.
There are examples of brothers who played in professional hockey and Canadian professional football who have won the Stanley Cup and Grey Cup, but not in the same year.
The immortal Lionel Conacher was the hero of the 1921 Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts and played for the 1933-34 Chicago Black Hawks when they won the Stanley Cup. His brother Roy played for the Chicago Bruins in 1938-39 and ’40-41 and won the Cup both times. Another brother, Charlie, won the one Stanley Cup and finished runnerup six times.
