Joseph Antoine Pierre-Marie "Pierre" Guindon

Pierre Guindon may have had a short-lived CFL career, but his ability to realize that many professional careers are short enabled him to enjoy the time he had while playing for two different CFL teams. His will and determination to pursue a law degree while playing also reveals the spirit Guindon possesses.

Born and raised in Apple Hill, Guindon and his family moved to Cornwall when he was eight years old. It was there his father Fern involved himself in the oil business. It is the move to Cornwall which set off the series of events which lead Guindon to the brief success he experienced in the CFL.

Once in Cornwall, Guindon attended St. Lawrence Classical College, a private high school. He became interested in football and played in the Quebec College League where St. Lawrence won the league championships in 1964.During his high school career, Guindon played both offensive guard and defensive tackle. Later on, when the solid six-footer played for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, Guindon handled the place-kicking duties.

Because the private high school was part of Ottawa University and enabled a student to get a university degree, Guindon transferred to Ottawa U. in 1966, where he played with the Gee-Gees until 1968.

Guindon graduated from the Ottawa U with a Bachelor of Arts in 1968, and in February of the same year, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers made Guindon their first selection in the draft and the first pick overall.

As part of his deal with the Bombers, Guindon agreed to report to training camp if he was accepted into law school at the University Manitoba.

The university accepted him, and he signed a one-year contract with the team, which included a $1,000 signing bonus and an annual salary of $5,500. In his second season, he earned $7, 000. During his two seasons with the Bombers, Guindon led the club in scoring – in 1968 with 68 points, and again in 1969 with 64 points.

Following his second season with the Blue Bombers, he was traded in 1970 to the Montreal Alouettes, where he was released after only a few games. After the release, Guindon returned to the University of Ottawa for his law degree while playing for the Ottawa Sooners. The Sooners were a junior team mixed with seniors, and played in the Ontario Senior Football League. They played against London, Toronto, St. Catharines and a team from Michigan. Guindon also experienced success with the Sooners, as they went on to win the Ontario Rugby Football Union championship.

In 1971, Guindon graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in law. He returned to Cornwall in 1975, and is now the senior partner in the law firm Guindon-MacLean-McDonald. He is involved in civil law and is sometimes an active judge in small claims court.

When he retired from football, he didn’t abandon the sport entirely. From 1974 to 1978, Guindon was a color commentator for radio station CJRC, which broadcast the Ottawa Rough Rider games in French. In 1977, he joined Radio Canada, where he was a color commentator during the French telecast of the Grey Cup games.

Although Guindon may be known for his career in football, he is also recognized for hockey. Guindon – a goaltender- received MVP honors in the Cornwall City Jr. B Hockey League in 1964.