MONTREAL -- Gerry Dattilio, the award-winning Canadian quarterback relegated behind American starters during five years with Montreal, was traded to the Calgary Stampeders Monday in a 4-player deal.
Dattilio, who won Schenley award in 1980 as the outstanding Canadian player in the CFL, was traded as the Alouette 'to be named' in the deal that brought former Calgary quarterback Ken Johnson toMontreal earlier this year.
But to obtain Dattilio, Calgary had to sweeten the transaction by trading veteran outside linebacker John Palazeti and a player to be named to the Alouettes.
'Gerry's career in Montreal has been in limbo for some time,' Alouette General Manager Bob Geary said. 'Our coaches couldn't decide whether he was a starter or not.
Dattilio, 29, was called upon to bail out high-priced import Vince Ferragamo several times last season but was sent to the bench again when Johnson arrived in Montreal for the last three regular-season games.
The Montreal native, a local favorite with the fans, completed 65-of-113 passes for 1,042 yards, and threw four touchdown passes and seven interceptions in 1981 in his backup capacity.
The demotion to the bench was a bitter disappointment to Dattilio, who in 1980, finally won the starter's role from Joe Barnes, and proceeded to compile impressive passing statictics, throwing 179 completions in 311 attempts for 2,892 yards and 19 TDs.
'(Calgary head coach) Jack Gotta always liked him,' said Geary. 'Maybe Gerry will be able to realize his ambitions in Calgary.'
Palazeti, a Canadian with six years experience in the CFL, will be part of the Alouettes' effort to rebuild the defensive wall that collapsed in the team's disastrous 3-13 season. The Alouettes had Canadian Wally Buono and American Willie Hampton as linebackers in 1981.
