According to the Canadian Press Former Calgary Stampeders player Burke Dales of Collingwood, Ontario, died on Sunday at the age of 46. Dales spent nine seasons in the Canadian Football League. He was with the Stampeders for seven seasons from 2005 to 2011, two seasons with Edmonton from 2012 to 2013 and one season with the Montreal Alouettes in 2013.
Dales had 824 punts for 37,653 yards in nine seasons. He averaged 45.7 yards per punt and punted 86 yards once in his rookie season, in a 32-11 Stampeders loss to the Montreal Alouettes on October 1, 2005. It was the longest punt during the 2005 Canadian Football League season CBC Sports.
During his CFL career, Dales recorded one catch for 11 receiving yards with the Calgary Stampeders in 2006 and one rush for 12 rushing yards with the Edmonton in 2012. He was also part of the Stampeders team that won the Gray Cup in 2008. Calgary defeated the Montreal Alouettes 22-14 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec.
Dales played his college football with the Concordia Stingers of Canadian Interuniversity Sport. He was a CFL All-Star during his time with the Stampeders in 2010 and 2011. The cause of death has not yet been announced.
In other CFL news, the Edmonton Elks have signed quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson. He already has experience with the Toronto Argonauts.
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