Winnipeg Blue Bombers name Reid, Walls and Bishop to Hall of Fame

Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Buck Pierce (left) hands the ball off to running back Fred Reid during first quarter CFL football action in Regina on September 4, 2011. Running back Fred Reid, defensive end Gavin Walls and former president Lynn Bishop were all named for induction into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame on Wednesday. The trio will be honoured at Winnipeg’s home game versus Edmonton on Oct. 8 and formally inducted at the Blue Bombers legacy dinner Oct. 11. Reid and Walls will be enshrined as players while Bishop will go in as a builder. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

WINNIPEG — Running back Fred Reid, defensive end Gavin Walls and former president Lynn Bishop were all named for induction into the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Hall of Fame on Wednesday.

The trio will be honoured at Winnipeg's home game versus Edmonton on Oct. 8 and formally inducted at the Blue Bombers legacy dinner Oct. 11. Reid and Walls will be enshrined as players while Bishop will go in as a builder.

"Fred Reid and Gavin Walls were dynamic and consistent players during their years with the club -- Fred as a game-breaking running back and Gavin as a ferocious pass rusher," Winnipeg president Wade Miller said in a statement. "Lynn Bishop oversaw the club during a difficult time for both the Blue Bombers and the Canadian Football League in the mid-to-late 1990s and played a critical role in guiding the organization through tumultuous times.

"I hope our fans are pleased with both inductees and the newest members of our Hall of Fame."

Reid, currently the running back coach with the Ottawa Redblacks, spent five seasons with Winnipeg (2007-11) and was a three-time East Division all-star (2008-10) and CFL all-star (2010). He ranks seventh in all-time rushing (4,505 yards with 23 TDs) and twice cracked the 1,000-yard plateau (1,371 yards in 2009 and CFL-high 1,396 yards in 2010).

Reid set a Bombers' single-game rushing record with 260 yards in 2009 and finished with 99 career catches for 810 yards and 1,167 yards in kickoff returns.

Walls also spent five years with Winnipeg (2005-09), registering 47 sacks in 82 regular-season games. He's tied for fourth in all-time sacks with Elfrid Payton. Walls was the CFL's top rookie in 2005 when he registered 12 sacks.

Walls was dealt to Montreal before the 2010 season but never played for the Alouettes. Despite being traded, Walls remained in Winnipeg after retiring, commuting to Fort McMurray, Alta., while working in the oil and gas sector and is currently the general manager for a local co-op.

Bishop joined Winnipeg's board of directors in 1992, became part of the executive committee a year later before assuming the role of president (1996-97). The Bombers were in financial difficulty at the time and Bishop helped launch the 'Third and Long' business plan that pushed for a bigger season-ticket base while implementing a refinancing plan.

Under Bishop's tenure, the franchise undertook several capital projects at old Canad Inns Stadium. That included the construction of new administration and player facilities, dressing room improvements. theatre-type seating, the installation of an electronic scoreboard, new artificial turf, and a new Bomber store.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2022.