Tracy Ham
Encyclopedia
Tracy Ham is a retired Canadian Football League
quarterback
for the Edmonton Eskimos
, Toronto Argonauts
, Baltimore Stallions
, and the Montreal Alouettes
. He was known for his abilities as a dual threat quarterback. In his college career with Georgia Southern he became the first quarterback to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 5,000 yards in a career.
and Damon Allen
and was a member of their Grey Cup
winning team that season. With the departure of Dunigan to the BC Lions
and injuries to Allen, Ham established himself the their new starting quarterback. He passed for 2840 yards and ran for another 628. In 1989 he won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award
in leading the Eskimos to a 16-2 record, throwing for 4366 yards on 268 completions out of 517 attempts with 30 touchdowns to 18 interceptions. Plus Ham became the first CFL passer to rush for over 1000 yards with 1005 on 125 carries and with 10 touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Eskimos they lost the division final to the 9-9 Saskatchewan Roughriders, who went on to win the Grey Cup.
In 1990 Ham added another 1000 yard rushing season with 1096 and passed for 4286 yards leading the Eskimos to the Grey Cup. However the team was handily beaten by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
55-10. The next year Ham ran for 998 yards and passed for 3862. Ham endured an injury plagued season in 1992 but played well enough to pass for 3655 yards and to run for 655. He moved on to the Toronto Argonauts
for 1993 and suffered through a 3-15 record. He threw for only 2147 yards and ran for 605, struggling to adapt to the Run & Shoot offense.
With the CFL expanding into the United States
, Ham joined the Baltimore team in 1994. He gained his last plus 4000 yard passing season with 4348 and ran for 613 yards. Ham led the team, not yet named the Stallions, to the Grey Cup, where they were defeated by the Lions. Finally, in 1995, Ham led the Stallions to the only Grey Cup win by a US-based team in a 37-20 defeat of the Calgary Stampeders
; he won Grey Cup MVP
honours for his efforts. In the regular season he passed for only 3357 yards and ran for 610.
With the demise of the US-based teams, the core of the Stallions franchise was transferred to Montreal where they became the third incarnation of the Alouettes. The team's offence was geared to the running attack, especially when Mike Pringle returned from the NFL midway through the 1996 season. Ham would spend two seasons as the clear-cut starting quarterback, but in 1998 he began to share passing duties with Anthony Calvillo
and he retired after the 1999 season.
In his career from 1987 to 1999 Ham accumulated 40,534 passing yards which currently ranks seventh all-time. He threw 4943 times with 2670 completions, 164 interceptions and 284 touchdowns. His 8043 rushing yards presently puts him in tenth all time and second among quarterbacks, behind only Damon Allen
. He tallied 1059 carries with 62 touchdowns. In 2007 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
and in 2010 into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
.
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....
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for 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...
, 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...
, Baltimore Stallions
Baltimore Stallions
The Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
, and the 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...
. He was known for his abilities as a dual threat quarterback. In his college career with Georgia Southern he became the first quarterback to rush for 3,000 yards and pass for 5,000 yards in a career.
Career
After his college days he signed with the Edmonton Eskimos in 1987 serving as the third string quarterback behind Matt DuniganMatt Dunigan
Matt Dunigan is a former quarterback, coach, and executive in the Canadian Football League who is currently a CFL sportscaster for Canadian sports television channel TSN...
and Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
and was a member of their 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 team that season. With the departure of Dunigan to the BC Lions
BC 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...
and injuries to Allen, Ham established himself the their new starting quarterback. He passed for 2840 yards and ran for another 628. In 1989 he won 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...
in leading the Eskimos to a 16-2 record, throwing for 4366 yards on 268 completions out of 517 attempts with 30 touchdowns to 18 interceptions. Plus Ham became the first CFL passer to rush for over 1000 yards with 1005 on 125 carries and with 10 touchdowns. Unfortunately for the Eskimos they lost the division final to the 9-9 Saskatchewan Roughriders, who went on to win the Grey Cup.
In 1990 Ham added another 1000 yard rushing season with 1096 and passed for 4286 yards leading the Eskimos to the Grey Cup. However the team was handily beaten by 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...
55-10. The next year Ham ran for 998 yards and passed for 3862. Ham endured an injury plagued season in 1992 but played well enough to pass for 3655 yards and to run for 655. He moved on to the 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...
for 1993 and suffered through a 3-15 record. He threw for only 2147 yards and ran for 605, struggling to adapt to the Run & Shoot offense.
With the CFL expanding into the United States
CFL USA
The term CFL USA refers to the abortive expansion of the Canadian Football League into the United States in the early-to-mid 1990s. The 1993 CFL season saw the addition of the first American team to the league, the Sacramento Gold Miners...
, Ham joined the Baltimore team in 1994. He gained his last plus 4000 yard passing season with 4348 and ran for 613 yards. Ham led the team, not yet named the Stallions, to the Grey Cup, where they were defeated by the Lions. Finally, in 1995, Ham led the Stallions to the only Grey Cup win by a US-based team in a 37-20 defeat of 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...
; he won Grey Cup MVP
Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award is awarded annually to the player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's championship game.-Grey Cup Most Valuable Player Award winners:...
honours for his efforts. In the regular season he passed for only 3357 yards and ran for 610.
With the demise of the US-based teams, the core of the Stallions franchise was transferred to Montreal where they became the third incarnation of the Alouettes. The team's offence was geared to the running attack, especially when Mike Pringle returned from the NFL midway through the 1996 season. Ham would spend two seasons as the clear-cut starting quarterback, but in 1998 he began to share passing duties with Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo
Anthony Calvillo is a Canadian Football League quarterback, currently playing for the Montreal Alouettes. He is the all-time professional football passing yards leader and first in all-time CFL passing yards...
and he retired after the 1999 season.
In his career from 1987 to 1999 Ham accumulated 40,534 passing yards which currently ranks seventh all-time. He threw 4943 times with 2670 completions, 164 interceptions and 284 touchdowns. His 8043 rushing yards presently puts him in tenth all time and second among quarterbacks, behind only Damon Allen
Damon Allen
Damon Allen is a former professional quarterback in the Canadian Football League, most recently with the Toronto Argonauts. He is currently second in all-time professional football passing yards and second in all-time CFL passing yards after he was surpassed for first place by the Montréal...
. He tallied 1059 carries with 62 touchdowns. In 2007 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...
and in 2010 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...
.
External links
- http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=90125