Leo Lewis
Encyclopedia
Leo Lewis was a famed American College football
player (Running Back
) for Lincoln University of Missouri
in the 1950s (1951-54), who continued his success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
of the Canadian Football League
(1955-1966).
d the "Lincoln Locomotive". Lewis holds the school records for touchdowns in a season (22), touchdowns in a career (64), rushing yards in a season (1,239) and career rushing yards (4,457).
of the Canadian Football League
. He was named All-Pro six times and eventually earned a spot in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
. Lewis was a member of an amazing four Grey Cup
winning Blue Bombers teams. During his 11-year career in the CFL, thanks to strong offensive lines led by tackle Frank Rigney
from 1958 to 1966, he rushed for 8,861 yards with a 6.6 yard average. He also was a remarkable kick-returner, averaging 29.1 yards on kickoff returns in his CFL career. Bud Grant
, legendary Blue Bombers' (and later head coach of the Minnesota Vikings
), considered Leo Lewis the best player he had ever coached, whether in Canada or the United States. Lewis was voted one of the CFL's top 50 players (#29) in a poll conducted by Canadian sports network TSN.
His career rushing total of 8,861 yards stood as a Winnipeg Blue Bomber record for 41 years until it was passed by Charles Roberts in 2007. His career totals in return yardage, and yards per carry, still stand as Blue Bomber records. If he had received as many carries at Mike Pringle
, the leagues all-time leading rusher, with Lewis' 6.6 yards per carry average, he would have surpassed Pringle's career total yardage by almost 4,000 yards.
Lewis was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 1973. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
in August 2005. Also in 2005, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the team the Blue Bombers named their 20 All-Time Blue Bombers Greats, of which Lewis was a member.
He had three children, two of whom played professional American football
(one for the Minnesota Vikings - Leo Lewis III - and the other for the USFL Denver Gold and Oakland Invaders and the CFL's Ottawa Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders)- Marc Lewis.
Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
in 2005.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player (Running Back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
) for Lincoln University of Missouri
Lincoln University (Missouri)
Lincoln University, a historically black college, is located in Jefferson City, Missouri. In 2007, according to U.S. News and World Report, Lincoln University was ranked #3 for economic diversity, #5 for campus ethnic diversity, and #9 for most international students among master's level...
in the 1950s (1951-54), who continued his success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(1955-1966).
College
As a running back at Lincoln University Lewis was nicknameNickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d the "Lincoln Locomotive". Lewis holds the school records for touchdowns in a season (22), touchdowns in a career (64), rushing yards in a season (1,239) and career rushing yards (4,457).
Blue Bombers
After a stellar college career, Lewis signed with the Winnipeg Blue BombersWinnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was named All-Pro six times and eventually earned a spot in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
. Lewis was a member of an amazing four Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
winning Blue Bombers teams. During his 11-year career in the CFL, thanks to strong offensive lines led by tackle Frank Rigney
Frank Rigney
Frank Rigney was an offensive tackle for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League.-College:Rigney played college ball with another Blue Bomber great, quarterback Ken Ploen at the University of Iowa.-CFL:...
from 1958 to 1966, he rushed for 8,861 yards with a 6.6 yard average. He also was a remarkable kick-returner, averaging 29.1 yards on kickoff returns in his CFL career. Bud Grant
Bud Grant
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
, legendary Blue Bombers' (and later head coach of the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
), considered Leo Lewis the best player he had ever coached, whether in Canada or the United States. Lewis was voted one of the CFL's top 50 players (#29) in a poll conducted by Canadian sports network TSN.
His career rushing total of 8,861 yards stood as a Winnipeg Blue Bomber record for 41 years until it was passed by Charles Roberts in 2007. His career totals in return yardage, and yards per carry, still stand as Blue Bomber records. If he had received as many carries at Mike Pringle
Mike Pringle (football player)
Mike Pringle is an American former professional gridiron football player. A running back, he had a highly successful career in the Canadian Football League , during which he set or tied almost every significant league records for the position...
, the leagues all-time leading rusher, with Lewis' 6.6 yards per carry average, he would have surpassed Pringle's career total yardage by almost 4,000 yards.
Lewis was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
in 1973. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
in August 2005. Also in 2005, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the team the Blue Bombers named their 20 All-Time Blue Bombers Greats, of which Lewis was a member.
He had three children, two of whom played professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
(one for the Minnesota Vikings - Leo Lewis III - and the other for the USFL Denver Gold and Oakland Invaders and the CFL's Ottawa Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders)- Marc Lewis.
Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, dedicated to the history of sport in Manitoba and honouring the best in sport. The organization began in 1980 and in 1993, a museum was opened in The Forks...
in 2005.