Two-way players were the norm in football’s old-school era but Keith Spaith took matters one step further.

One of the first stars in Stampeders franchise history, Spaith was deployed in all three phases of the game — on defence, as the quarterback on offence and as the punter on special teams.

Accordingly, he was on the field for every second of the Stamps’ victory over the Ottawa Rough Riders in the 1948 Grey Cup, the franchise’s first championship. Spaith contributed mightily in every role as he threw a touchdown pass, made an interception and punted no fewer than 16 times in the low-scoring affair, won 12-7 by the Stamps as Calgary completed an undefeated season.

The native of Dinuba, Calif. — a town in the state’s interior located southeast of Fresno — that season became the first of four Stamps quarterbacks to win the Grey Cup in his first season as Calgary’s starter. He was later joined by Doug Flutie (1992), Marcus Crandell (2001) and Bo Levi Mitchell (2014).

Viewed through modern eyes, Spaith’s passing numbers were underwhelming but it’s important to remember that this was a very different era with a very different mindset. The sport in the 1940s wasn’t that far removed from its rugby roots and coaches during this time definitely subscribed to the philosophy that three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad.

In four full seasons as the Stamps’ No. 1 quarterback (1948-51) Spaith launched 836 passes. Compare that to the 2,382 throws Flutie attempted during his four seasons in Calgary during the pass-happy 1990s.

Only when you understand the differences in eras and look at other criteria can Spaith’s excellence as a quarterback be fully appreciated.

For instance, Spaith was named the most valuable player in the Western Interprovincial Football Union — the predecessor of the CFL’s West Division — in both 1948 and 1949. During those two MVP seasons, the Stamps posted a combined regular-season record of 25-1 and made two trips to the Grey Cup.

The team’s fortunes plummeted in 1950 as the Stamps fell all the way into the West basement and were never again a serious contender for the remainder of Spaith’s career, which stretched into 1954.

While WIFU didn’t start keeping permanent records until 1950, Spaith’s unofficial total of 8,906 passing yards made him Calgary’s all-time leader in that category until Eagle Day moved into top spot during the 1964 season.

Spaith returned to the U.S. after his playing career and he died in 1976 at the age of 52. However, his son Robert remains an important part of the Alberta scene as his sculptures — particularly his Western-themed work — are widely acclaimed. He and fellow artist Rich Roenisch combined to create “By the Banks of the Bow,” the huge sculpture that features 15 horses and two riders that was unveiled on the Stampede grounds in 2012.