PLAYING CAREER
TORONTO ARGONAUTS  1989 – 2000

AWARDS AND HONOURS
CFL MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER  1990
ALL-CANADIAN SPECIAL TEAMS  1990, 1997
ALL-EASTERN SPECIAL TEAMS    1990, 1993, 1994, 1997
TOM PATE AWARD  1993, 1996
ORDER OF ONTARIO  2001

GREY CUP PARTICIPATION    1991, 1996, 1997, 2004 (COACH)
GREY CUP WINNING TEAMS    1991, 1996, 1997, 2004 (COACH)

MICHAEL CLEMONS, A WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE ECONOMICS GRADUATE, HE SIGNED AS A FREE AGENT WITH THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS IN JUNE 1989.  IN HIS FIRST GAME AS AN ARGO, HE WAS NAMED PLAYER-OF-THE-GAME WITH TWO KICKOFF RETURNS FOR 62 YARDS AND FIVE PUNT RETURNS FOR 46 YARDS.   IN 1997, HE RECORDED 3,840 COMBINED YARDS.  THIS AND HIS MOST CAREER

HIS COACH, BOB O’BILLOVICH, STARTED CALLING HIS DYNAMIC RUNNING BACK AND RETURNER “PINBALL” BECAUSE OF HIS KNACK FOR BOUNCING OFF WOULD-BE TACKLERS. IN 1997 HE AMASSED 3,840 COMBINED YARDS. THIS AND HIS MOST CAREER COMBINED YARDS OF 25, 438 ARE BOTH PRO-FOOTBALL RECORDS.

IN 1999 HE PASSED THE 5,000 YARD MARK IN FOUR SEPARATE CATEGORIES: RUSHING (5,341), RECEIVING (7,015), KICK OFF RETURNS (6349), AND PUNT RETURNS (6025) – THE ONLY PERSON IN PRO-FOOTBALL TO DO THIS.  AT THE TIME OF HIS RETIREMENT IN 2000, HE HELD THE PRO-FOOTBALL RECORD FOR MOST COMBINED YARDS IN SEASON WITH 3,840 AND MOST CAREER COMBINED YARDS WITH 25,438. 

AFTER A PHENOMENAL CAREER, PINBALL RETIRED IN 2000 AND IMMEDIATELY STEPPED INTO THE HEAD COACHING POSITION WHICH HE HELD UNTIL NOVEMBER, 2001. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD AS THE CLUB’S PRESIDENT, CLEMONS AGAIN TOOK OVER THE HEAD COACHING JOB FROM 2002 – 2007. HE HAS ALSO SERVED AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS.

INDUCTED 2008 - PLAYER

Class of 2008 John Bonk, Doug Flutie, Mike Pringle, Tom Shepherd