 Aside from hockey , Gardiner excelled in Canadian football , and had joined the Winnipeg Tammany Tigers junior club in 1920 . As a defender , Gardiner quickly gained attention for his skill , and helped the Tigers reach the Western Canadian junior rugby championship in Regina , Saskatchewan , though they lost the championship game . The following year he changed positions and played as a right outer wing ; the Tigers went through the season undefeated and again played in the Western Canadian championship game ; held in Regina like the previous year , the team again lost . 
