Murray Pezim - New World Harborside Hotel - Ballroom 2 - BC Lions Press Conferrence - April 8, 1992

Colourful Vancouver stock promoter Murray Pezim died of a heart attack early Wednesday morning (November 11, 1998). He was 77 and has been ill for a number of months.
Pezim was once considered the most powerful man on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. At one point his companies were involved in a about a quarter of all trades.

His two biggest gold discoveries were Hemlo in northern Ontario and Eskay Creek in northwestern British Columbia.

He was also a former owner of the B.C. Lions football team.

1992
The team entered training camp in Kelowna with promise. Despite the loss of Doug Flutie, Danny Barrett had led Calgary to the Grey Cup in 1991, and was an excellent quarterback. But in the season opener against Edmonton, Danny struggled and was replaced by Tony Kimbrough in the second half. The Eskimos went on to a 37-26 victory. The next week, the Lions travelled to Toronto and in the first five minutes of the game marched down the field scoring on an impressive drive. Unfortunately, it was the only bright spot of the evening for B.C. as the Argonauts handed the Lions one of their worst defeats ever – 61-20. In the third game of the year against Doug Flutie and the Calgary Stampeders, the Lions were holding their own when Danny Barrett went down in the third quarter with a seperated shoulder. Flutie then guided Calgary to a 37-19 win and the Lions went downhill from there. The team lost eight straight before finally edging out Ottawa 33-27 on September 3 with Danny Barrett back at the helm. In fact, B.C. looked strong and confident in doing so. Unfortunately off-season problems emerged to swing focus from football to ownership. Team owner Murray Pezim and his company Prime Sports, declared bankruptcy and the League and Commissioner Larry Smith stepped in as the interim owners and the search for a new owner was launched. Three weeks later the new owner was found. Bill Comrie, owner of the Brick chain of furniture stores stepped in, saved the team and ushered in a new era. Unfortunately, the team didn't respond, losing the final seven games of the year after winning three straight, finishing the season with a 3-15 record. That spelled the end for Head Coach Bob O'Billovich. On December 12 a new General Manager – Eric Tillman – was announced and he in turn brought in Dave Ritchie, the Defensive Coordinator of the Ottawa Rough Riders, as his new Head Coach.

WESTERN DIVISION EASTERN DIVISION
W L T F A Pts W L T F A Pts
Cal. 13 5 0 607 430 26 Wpg. 11 7 0 507 499 22
Edm. 10 8 0 552 515 20 Ham. 11 7 0 536 514 22
Sask. 9 9 0 505 545 18 Ott. 9 9 0 484 439 18
B.C. 3 15 0 472 667 6 Tor. 6 12 0 469 523 12
Semi-Finals - Saskatchewan 20 - Edmonton 22 Semi-Finals - Ottawa 28 - Hamilton 29
Finals - Edmonton 22 - Calgary 23 Finals - Hamilton 11 - Winnipeg 59
Grey Cup - Calgary 24 - Winnipeg 10