An excellent hockey player, Durno got into football almost by accident as he was looking for a way to stay in shape in the off season.  Durno worked out with  the Montreal Bulldogs in 1941, played a game with them and was hooked.  Durno didn't give up the hockey though as he sometimes played football in the afternoon and a hockey game that same night.  With World War II in full swing, most of the football being played after 1941 invovled armed forces teams.  Serving in the RCAF, Durno played on the Toronto RCAF Hurricanes who won the Grey Cup in 1942.  Transferred out West, Durno played with a combined Winnipeg Blue Bomber / RCAF team which lost in the Grey Cup to the Hamilton (Fightng) Wildcats in 1943.  Durno returned to football in 1945 when the war was over, playing with the Toronto Indians of the ORFU (Ontario Rugby Football Union).  Durno played two seasons for the Indians (1945-46), winning an ORFU All-Star at tackle and a Second Team All-East selection at tackle in 1945. In 1947, Durno played for the Montreal Alouettes in their second year of existence. Somehow between the Indians and the Alouettes, Durno also squeezed in time with the Cleveland Browns and the Chicago Rockets of the old All-American Conference.  After that, it was two years in Toronto (1948-49) where Durno was nominated for the Jeff Russell Trophy (outstanding player in the East) in 1948 by the Argos. Durno then made a second trip out west as a player-coach for Edmonton in 1950 where he was .named a second team All-Star at tackle for the West.  That trip out West though cost Durno another chance at a Grey Cup, as the Argos won the cup in 1950. In July of 1951, the Ottawa Rough Riders obtained Durno from Edmonton, but Durno didn't want to go to Ottawa and ended up back with the Argos for 1951, and then moved to Hamilton for his final season in 1952.  Ironically, Durno missed another Grey Cup in 1952 as the Argos won it all again.

After retiring from football as a player, Durno continued to be active in the sport, serving as President of the Canadian Junior Football League (1960-76) and President of the Argo Alumni for 27 years from  1965-1992.  Durno was also very much involved in business, mainly in the building area, and as well as with numerous charitable causes. Don Durno passed away at age 92 on October 29, 2011.\

Don Durno on fanbase.com

Short Biography of Dan Durno

Durno Named to ORFU All-Star Team - November 19, 1945

Durno Second Team All East - November 24, 1945

Durno Signs with Toronto Indians - July 18, 1946

Durno Argo Nominee for Jeff Russell Trophy

Durno Balks At Transfer To Riders - July 17, 1951

Argos Mourn the Loss of Don Durno - October 29, 2011

The games played are unofficial.  Durno is recorded as having a convert in 1946 and two points in 1949, one on a convert and one on a single.