| Name: | Jim Charters |
| Birth date (M/D/YY): | 03/18/35 |
| School/Jr. Football: | Westdale Secondary School |
| Position(s): | Centre, Defensive End |
| Years with Tiger-Cats: | signed with cats 1961 |
| 1. | Tell us about how you got started in football and your amateur career. |
| Played Junior and Senior football Westdale Secondary School,junior ball with Hamilton East Lions, Tiger-cat B's |
| 2. | How did you get started in the CFL? (draft, free agent, trade etc) |
| Signed by Jake Gaudaur to TC contract 1961. Traded to Ottawa Rough Riders after Canadian training camp that year.Meet with George Terlep Ottawa coach offered contract.Company I worked for would not transfer me to Ottawa, declined contract and ended my playing. |
| 3. | Do or did you hold any records? |
| Played on teams that won Championships, high school Westdale city champs.Tiger-CatB's Canadian Intermediate CRU Champions 1956, Intermediate ORFU Champions 1956,59 and 60.Inducted into the Honour Roll of the Brantford Sports hall of recognition with my team mates of the 1959 Tiger-CatB's. |
| 4. | Do or did you have a nickname? |
| Jimbo |
| 5. | Tell us about some of your fondest memories with the Tiger-Cats or in the CFL. |
| 6. | Who were some of the team-mates and opponents you admired the most and why? |
| Russ Jackson and Ron Howell,athletic in more then one sport. Frank Cosentino a hard running QB in the open field. Gino DiNoble, Puge Chandler both two way players. |
| 7. | Which coach did you respect or enjoy playing for the the most and why? |
| Bill Murmylyk and Bob Garside both patient and willing to let you learn. Jim Trimble, a players coach. Ralph Sazio a master at understanding the game. |
| 8. | Tell us about some of your favourite Grey Cup memories. |
| 9. | Tell us about your life and career after playing/working with the Tiger-Cats or CFL? |
| Football provided me an intro into the steel industry.Spent 45 years in the business. Starting as a sales trainee advanced to Corporate marketing manager with Lyman tube after 28 years with company.When company was sold went back to school York University courses in computer technology for business. Then became General manager of NT Steel for 3 years. My last 10 years in the steel industry as a sales and marketing consultant with Richmond Steel.Been married to the same lady for 53 years. We have son and daughter, and 2 grandsons. |
| 10. | Tell us about your interests, hobbies, your passion or anything else you would like to share about yourself. |
| I like to paint, mostly in oils but some of my canvases are in acyclic.Been interested in photography for many years 35 MM till the advent of digital cameras. History buff, military history mostly WW II history. |
| 11. | Share with us some of the places you've been or things you have experienced. |
| My wife Audrey, son and daughter have traveled extensively in North America going as far north as the Arctic and south to the Keys. We spend 5 months of the year at our summer place in Muskoka and 3 months at a condo in Playa Del Coco Costa Rica. In Costa Rica we work with a community group helping single mothers in developing craft skills to produce items to sell to tourists. |
| 12. | What aspects of the Canadian game do you like the most? |
| The bigger field, 3 downs, no fair catch, a yard off the ball at scrimmage and lots of motion. |
| 13. | Is there any aspect of the game you would change if you could? |
| Increase the number of Canadians a team can have on it's roster. |
| 14. | What advice do you have to either young players or those just starting out in the CFL? |
| Most football careers are short, enjoy but prepare for life after football. Get a good education and plan your strategy for the field you enter after football. |
| 15. | Is there anything else you would like to share? (thoughts, advice, stories, memories) |
| There is nothing quite like being a national champion, no matter what the sport. |