Lovell Coleman
Encyclopedia
Lovell Coleman is a former running back in the Canadian Football League
. He was born in Hamtramck, Michigan
.
Coleman played his college football with the Western Michigan University
Broncos from 1957 to 1959. He rushed for 1918 yards, including 1068 in the 1958 season. His 279 yard game versus Central Michigan University
in 1958 is still a school record.
Drafted in 1960
by the Cleveland Browns
of the National Football League
in the 17th round (199th pick) Coleman opted to play in the CFL.
The Calgary Stampeders
would be his home team for 8 seasons, from 1960 to 1967. Coleman would rush for a 6234 yards over this time, second only to Stampeder great Earl Lunsford
. The highlight of his time in Calgary was the 1964 season, when he rushed 260 times for a league leading 1629 yards (6.3 average per carry.) This won him the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
. His 1965 season was nearly as good, rushing 249 times for 1509 yards (6.1 average) but the only other time he led the league was in 1963, with 1343 yards. He was an All Canadian all star each of these years.
He holds the Stamps record for most rushing yards in one game, with 238 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
on September 15, 1964. He also rushed for 224 yards against the Edmonton Eskimos
on August 18, 1965.
Coleman would move on in 1968 to the powerhouse Ottawa Rough Riders
, where he would win his first and only Grey Cup. He finished his career in 1970 playing 16 games for the British Columbia Lions
.
In total, Coleman would play 123 regular season and 26 playoff games in 10 seasons, rushing 1135 times for 6566 yards (5.8 yard average) and 42 touchdowns, with his longest run being 85 yards.
He was added to the Calgary Stampeders
Wall of Fame as #22 in 1999.
After his playing career, Coleman settled in Vancouver
and ran a home renovation business for 20 years. Presently he and his wife Maureen have retired to a farm in rural British Columbia
.
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 born in Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park...
.
Coleman played his college football with the Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
Broncos from 1957 to 1959. He rushed for 1918 yards, including 1068 in the 1958 season. His 279 yard game versus Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
in 1958 is still a school record.
Drafted in 1960
1960 NFL Draft
The 1960 National Football League Draft Annual Player Selection Meeting in which NFL teams take turns selecting amateur college American football players and other first-time eligible players, was held in secret in order to fend off increased competition for college players from the American...
by the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
in the 17th round (199th pick) Coleman opted to play in the CFL.
The Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
would be his home team for 8 seasons, from 1960 to 1967. Coleman would rush for a 6234 yards over this time, second only to Stampeder great Earl Lunsford
Earl Lunsford
Earl Lunsford , known as the "Earthquake", was a fullback for the Calgary Stampeders and is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame....
. The highlight of his time in Calgary was the 1964 season, when he rushed 260 times for a league leading 1629 yards (6.3 average per carry.) This won him the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
. His 1965 season was nearly as good, rushing 249 times for 1509 yards (6.1 average) but the only other time he led the league was in 1963, with 1343 yards. He was an All Canadian all star each of these years.
He holds the Stamps record for most rushing yards in one game, with 238 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
on September 15, 1964. He also rushed for 224 yards against the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
on August 18, 1965.
Coleman would move on in 1968 to the powerhouse Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
, where he would win his first and only Grey Cup. He finished his career in 1970 playing 16 games for the British Columbia Lions
British Columbia Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
.
In total, Coleman would play 123 regular season and 26 playoff games in 10 seasons, rushing 1135 times for 6566 yards (5.8 yard average) and 42 touchdowns, with his longest run being 85 yards.
He was added to the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
Wall of Fame as #22 in 1999.
After his playing career, Coleman settled in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and ran a home renovation business for 20 years. Presently he and his wife Maureen have retired to a farm in rural British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.