Argos great Andrusyshyn dead at 76

"The Big Z" is gone.

The Toronto Argonauts mourned the passing of longtime kicker Zenon Andrusyshyn on Tuesday.

The two-time CFL East All-Star died on Monday at the age of 76.

"We mourn the passing of Zenon Andrusyshyn, who for a decade wore the Double Blue with pride, and whose name is etched the Argos record book," the team said in a statement. "His contributions to the team and the sport will never be forgotten. Our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

Born in Gunzburg, Germany, Andrusyshyn's family relocated to Oakville, Ont. where he excelled in track and field. Attending UCLA on scholarship, an elbow injury made Andrusyshyn attempt to make the football team as a walk-on kicker. He would make the team as its punter and kicker and go on to be named an All-American on two occasions.

Taken in the ninth round of the 1970 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, Andrusyshyn was waived before the season started and returned to southern Ontario with the Argos for the first of two stints. He played seven seasons with the Boatmen and in 1977, his 108-yard punt against Edmonton broke the all-time record for punt length and still stands to this day.

After an NFL return with the Kansas City Chiefs where he appeared in all 16 games with the team in 1978, Andrusyshyn played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1979 before returning to the Argos for three more seasons from 1980 to 1982. He went on to play for Edmonton in 1982 before a three-year stint with the USFL's Tampa Bay Bandits. He finished his career with the Montreal Alouettes in the 1986 season.