Norm Fieldgate played junior football in Regina and in 1953 he was offered a trial with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as a quarterback. He chose instead to come out west and try out for the new BC Lions team. While waiting for the season to open in 1954, he played two months with the UBC football team and the semi-pro Vancouver Cubs. Fieldgate was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1979.

An original member of the BC Lions, Fieldgate played for the club at defensive end and linebacker for fourteen seasons. During this time he played in more than 200 league and playoff games, missing only two.

Fieldgate was named the Western Football Conference’s “All Star Linebacker” in 1959, 1960, and 1963. He was named to the All-Canadian team in 1963.

Fieldgate served as co-captain of the BC Lions for many years. He was a perennial favorite with the fans and was awarded the Bobby Bourne Trophy as the Lions’ “Most Popular Player”. He was also the recipient of the “Most Valuable Player” award.

Fieldgate was one of the founding members of the Canadian Football League Players Association.