At tonight’s CFL Awards in Ottawa, the Canadian Football League announced Eskimos slot back Adarius Bowman as the CFL’s Tom Pate Memorial Award winner for 2017.
The Tom Pate Memorial Award is selected annually by the CFLPA to the player who best exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship and someone who has significantly contributed to his team, his community, and the Association.
The award is named in the memory of deceased CFL player Tom Pate. A 23-year-old rookie with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, on October 11, 1975 he was critically injured in a game against the Calgary Stampeders.
Last January, Bowman created Adarius 4 Autism, a non-profit organization which raises awareness for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Adarius 4 Autism offers children needs-based training to ease the transition to becoming a contributing member of society.
Bowman is the fourth Eskimo to win the honour. David Boone first won in 1982, followed by Hector Pothier in 1988, and Rick Walters in 2001.
