Don Plumley
Sport: Football
Year Inducted: 1982
Two Cornwall brothers, Kent and Don Plumley, played a role in the most successful decade of football Queen’s University has ever experienced.
In the 1960’s, the Golden Gaels played in seven league finals, winning five times. The contribution made by Don and Kent was on offence and defense, a dual role unheard of later on. Kent was a quarterback and defensive safety, while Don played as an offensive end and defensive halfback.
Before arriving at Queen’s, the Plumley brothers played football at Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School.
Kent became an outstanding quarterback in the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Association (EOSSA) and led the CCVS Raiders to an undefeated season in 1955. Unfortunately, the Raiders lost the Championship game to St. Lawrence High School.
At Queen’s, Kent became a starting halfback with the junior varsity team and had an excellent season. Quick and aggressive, he cracked the varsity line-up as a safety in 1958. In 1959, coach Frank Tindall returned to his high school quarterback position. Kent was named team captain. In the Canadian Football League draft, he was claimed in the fourth round by the Hamilton Tiger-cats.
In 1960, with former quarterback, Cal Connor returning to Queen’s, Kent became a defensive safety and halfback, and was named to the Canadian Press College All-Star team in the spring of 1961. He was invited to the B.C. Lions camp.
Kent returned to Queen’s in the fall and had another outstanding year with the Gaels for the second time.
Don played offensive and defensive end for the Cornwall Collegiate Raiders. In 1956, he played Queen’s freshman football. His aggressive play earned him a berth on the varsity team. He played both ways for the Gaels for five more years. As an end, Don was on the receiving end of many touchdown passes from brother Kent. Don also gained a reputation as a tenacious blocker. As a defensive back, his forte was versatility.
In 1960, he attended the B.C. training camp, before returning to Queen’s.
In describing the Plumley brothers, Gaels’ former football coach, Frank Tindall noted: “The 1960’s marked a very successful decade in Queen’s University football. Don and Kent Plumley, two young brothers from Cornwall, contributed a great deal to initiating that era.”