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Gerry James

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          Gerry James

Inducted: 1984

Member of Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Inducted 1981)

Running back: 1952-63

Divisional All-Star: 1955, 1957

Canadian Football League Most Outstanding Canadian: 1954, 1957

Dr. Beattie-Martin Trophy (Most Outstanding Canadian, West Division): 1954, 1957

Dave Dryburgh Memorial Trophy (West Division leading scorer) Gerry James: 1957, 1960

Bombers Most Outstanding Player: 1953

Bombers Most Outstanding Canadian: 1954, 1955, 1957, 1960

Ring of Honour: 2016

The Gerry James story has been made into a book, but is certainly worthy of a movie as well. A product of Kelvin High School, James – nicknamed ‘Kid Dynamite’ as his father Eddie ‘Dynamite’ also played for Winnipeg – was wearing a Bomber uniform when he was just 17. Four years after that, he made his National Hockey League debut as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. That ability to shine in both hockey and football made him one of the greatest athletes in Canadian history.

James played 11 years for the Bombers, leading them in scoring in three years and in rushing in three seasons. He still ranks fourth on the club’s all-time touchdown list behind only Milt Stegall, Charles Roberts and Leo Lewis, and fifth on the all-time scoring list after Troy Westwood, Trevor Kennerd, Stegall and Bernie Ruoff.

James was a member of four Grey Cup championship teams in 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962 and was the first winner of the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1954 and then again in 1957 – the year he set a CFL record with 18 rushing touchdowns.