Carroll College Athletics

As a fullback in the late 1910s, Bernard “Jack” Carignan was described as the biggest, fastest, toughest guy on the field, and carried the ball on nearly every play. The 1917 school paper described him as a “line-crusher” and a “sleep-producing fullback.” He also played tackle on defense, kicked and returned kicks. Carignan played basketball as well, at which his skill sets included “accurate passing” as an assist-leader, and on defense for his ability to “wrestle the ball” away from opponents.

After leaving Helena, he played football in Washington state, before gridding for the Edmonton Eskimos (Elks) of the old Canadian Football League. In 1922, Carignan was a member of Edmonton’s Grey Cup team, when the Eskimos became the first program from the western provinces to reach the finals.