Tom Pullen
Encyclopedia
Tom Pullen is a retired Canadian Football League
player.
Pullen was born in Ottawa
, Canada
in approximately 1945. He attended Glebe Collegiate Institute
, a high school in Ottawa, where played football, basketball and ran track and field. He was selected as Glebe's most outstanding football player in 1961, set records in the high jump, hurdles and sprints, and led the basketball team to the Ontario provincial finals. He also played goalie for the Ottawa Montagnards and was also one of the first players in Canadian Little League history to pitch a no-hit shut-out.
Pullen attended the University of Michigan
as the first Canadian to receive a full football scholarship from the school, and he became the first Canadian to letter with the Michigan Wolverines football
team. He played principally at the end position for the 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team
. Pullen graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in science and education.
He later played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League
with the Ottawa Rough Riders
, Montreal Alouettes
, and Toronto Argonauts
. He had his best season in 1971 when he caught 34 passes for 487 yards as a member of the Alouettes. He was a member of three consecutive Grey Cup
championship teams. After retiring from football, Pullen became a teacher and basketball and track coach at Glebe Collegiate in Ottawa. He also held coaching positions with the Carleton Ravens (three years as receivers coach), Midget Nepean Rams (one year as assistant coach), and Ashbury (one season as the goalie coach). He later became a vice-president of business development for Innovative Financial Group Inc.
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....
player.
Pullen was born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in approximately 1945. He attended Glebe Collegiate Institute
Glebe Collegiate Institute
Glebe Collegiate Institute is a high school in the Glebe neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Administered by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, Glebe Collegiate Institute has approximately 1,500 students; students and sports teams are referred to as "Gryphons".The school offers many...
, a high school in Ottawa, where played football, basketball and ran track and field. He was selected as Glebe's most outstanding football player in 1961, set records in the high jump, hurdles and sprints, and led the basketball team to the Ontario provincial finals. He also played goalie for the Ottawa Montagnards and was also one of the first players in Canadian Little League history to pitch a no-hit shut-out.
Pullen attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
as the first Canadian to receive a full football scholarship from the school, and he became the first Canadian to letter with the Michigan Wolverines football
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
team. He played principally at the end position for the 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team
1965 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1965 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1965 college football season. The team's head coach was Bump Elliott...
. Pullen graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in science and education.
He later played seven seasons in 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....
with the 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...
, Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, and Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
. He had his best season in 1971 when he caught 34 passes for 487 yards as a member of the Alouettes. He was a member of three consecutive 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...
championship teams. After retiring from football, Pullen became a teacher and basketball and track coach at Glebe Collegiate in Ottawa. He also held coaching positions with the Carleton Ravens (three years as receivers coach), Midget Nepean Rams (one year as assistant coach), and Ashbury (one season as the goalie coach). He later became a vice-president of business development for Innovative Financial Group Inc.