William Bass (1921 – September 28, 1967) was an all-star and Grey Cup champion running back in the Canadian Football League and one of the first players to break the colour barrier in Canadian football.
[4] As a squad captain, Bass was a key figure in the Argonaut teams that won the 1950 and 1952 Grey Cup titles.
After import player rules cost him his position with the Boatmen, he played 1954 with the Ottawa Rough Riders[5] and was player coach with the amateur Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers in his final season.
Bill Bass was one of the first group of African-American players to break the colour barrier in Canadian football, following the path blazed by Herb Trawick.
He settled in Ontario, and for the last six years of his life was physical education supervisor at Delhi District Secondary School.