Vic Washington
Encyclopedia
Victor Arnold Washington (born March 23, 1946 in Plainfield, New Jersey
, died December 31, 2008 in Allentown, Pennsylvania
) is a former American football
running back
/safety. After attending the University of Wyoming
, he played nine professional seasons, three in the Canadian Football League (CFL)
and six in the National Football League (NFL)
.
from 1968 to 1970, winners of back-to-back Grey Cup Championships
in 1968
& 1969
against the Calgary Stampeders
and the Saskatchewan Roughriders
, respectively. In the first of the two title matches, Washington received the Most Valuable Player award
for his game-winning 80-yard
touchdown
run from scrimmage
, establishing a Grey Cup record that still stands. In 1968 and 1969, he was helped considerably by the potent passing attack led by quarterback Russ Jackson
. In those three years, he was considered to be the most dangerous runner from scrimmage in the CFL, so good that at a young age the NFL beckoned.
, he rushed for 811 yards with a 4.2 average, was named to his only Pro Bowl
and helped to lead the team to the National Football Conference
finals in 1971
. In yet another 49ers loss to the Dallas Cowboys
in the playoff
s the next season
, he returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. He finished his professional football career with the Houston Oilers
and Buffalo Bills
.
Plainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
, died December 31, 2008 in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
) is a former 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...
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...
/safety. After attending the University of Wyoming
University of Wyoming
The University of Wyoming is a land-grant university located in Laramie, Wyoming, situated on Wyoming's high Laramie Plains, at an elevation of 7,200 feet , between the Laramie and Snowy Range mountains. It is known as UW to people close to the university...
, he played nine professional seasons, three in the Canadian Football League (CFL)
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....
and six in the National Football League (NFL)
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...
.
CFL
Vic Washington first starred with the CFL's Ottawa Rough RidersOttawa 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...
from 1968 to 1970, winners of back-to-back Grey Cup Championships
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...
in 1968
56th Grey Cup
56th Grey Cup was played November 30, 1968, and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Calgary Stampeders 24 to 21 before 32,655 fans at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium...
& 1969
57th Grey Cup
57th Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League's championship game, was played November 30, 1969 and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 29 to 11 before 33,172 fans at Montreal's Autostade.-Box Score:First Quarter...
against 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...
and the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
, respectively. In the first of the two title matches, Washington received the Most Valuable Player award
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:...
for his game-winning 80-yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
run from scrimmage
Line of scrimmage
In American and Canadian football a line of scrimmage is an imaginary transverse line beyond which a team cannot cross until the next play has begun...
, establishing a Grey Cup record that still stands. In 1968 and 1969, he was helped considerably by the potent passing attack led by quarterback Russ Jackson
Russ Jackson
Russell Stanley "Russ" Jackson, OC is a former professional Canadian football quarterback. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League...
. In those three years, he was considered to be the most dangerous runner from scrimmage in the CFL, so good that at a young age the NFL beckoned.
NFL
After signing with the NFL's San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, he rushed for 811 yards with a 4.2 average, was named to his only Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
and helped to lead the team to the National Football Conference
National Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
finals in 1971
1971 NFL season
The 1971 NFL season was the 52nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl VI when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Miami Dolphins...
. In yet another 49ers loss to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in the playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
s the next season
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
, he returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown. He finished his professional football career with the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
and Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.