TSN has reported the passing of a true Blue Bomber legend, the Lincoln Locomotive, Leo Lewis.
http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=430873To men in their 50s such as myself, Leo Lewis was a childhood hero. There's a classic photo from the 1962 Fog Bowl of Leo Lewis charging out of the mist with the ball tucked in and him in full-tilt high-gear. Hard to think of him gone.
Wonderful player from a wonderful era of CFL football. Bombers and the Ti-Cats ruled the early sixties with Ploen and Lewis leading the Bombers. Condolences to his family. Be assured he is still remembered, 'The Lincoln Locomotive'. Wish I had kept my boyhood CFL football cards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! R.I.P. Mr. Leo Lewis!
Got me thinking about the greatest true halfbacks not fullbacks ever in the CFL
Help me add to my list or correct me if one listed was not a true halfback:
I left off these great CFL running backs because my recollection is they were more fullbacks: George Pringle, George Reed, Johnny Bright, Normie Kwong, Lovell Coleman, Willard Reaves. Others??? Help And, again, R.I.P. Leo Lewis.
Long time CFL fans will name Lewis as one of the all time greats.
I believe he came to CFL, as did many others like Jackie Parker, because it paid far more that NFL. My how times have changed hey?
Thanks for the memories.
I was a big fan of Jim Germany in Edmonton during their Grey Cup run. Very underrated imo and left on a rough note...suing Edmonton over "forcing" him to play with injury, shortening his career. Think he won that but it was a sad taint. But boy was he ever reliable.
I remember a newspaper article back when Leo was playing in Winnipeg. A NFL official was quoted as saying Leo Lewis was rated in the top three of Pro Running Backs at that time. I believe the NFL just had twelve teams back then but that position had a lot more star power than now a days.
Leo's son made the NFL but he wasn't near the player his Dad was IMO.
Apparently, Bud Grant called him the best player he'd ever coached.
That's one thing the Bombers and Ti-Cats share. Their glory days were 50 years ago and like their cities, it's been downhill ever since.
Fortunately for Leo Lewis, he died peacefully at the age of 80. We have no peace in Winnipeg and Hamilton.
Bombers were very good in the 80 s and in to the mid 90's then we lost our swagger. 1996 was when it happened, the disaster of a playoff game in Edmonton . We have had some flickers of life since but nothing consistent .
Wow, so it's taken 47 years but someone's finally provided me with a source for that quote!
For a couple of years in the mid-60's the Bombers used to put out a sort of 'yearbook'. Lewis retired midway through the 66 season and they had a ceremony at half time of the Aug 31st game. On the first page of their coverage of that ceremony, there's a picture of Lewis addressing the crowd and the caption:
the last hurrah! ... A legend says goodbye - Leo Lewis "the Lincoln Locomotive" - once more jogged onto Winnipeg Stadium, through the goal posts - this time, the last time, all alone but for the roar of his legions of fans, to centerfield - to say goodbye. Typically, the man said to have been one of the three greatest halfbacks in Pro-Football decided father time had taken away his ability to help the Bombers, and so ended one of the most brilliant, exciting careers in Pro-FootballI always thought the "three greatest halfbacks" line might have been a bit of hyperbole but now, finally, I know where it came from.
BTW, in the pre-game show from Regina, Bob Irving did a telephone interview with Bud Grant and got him to talk about Leo Lewis. Here's a link to it:
[url=https://soundcloud.com/680cjob/former-bombers-coach-bud-grant]https://soundcloud.com/680cjob/former-b ... -bud-grant[/url]As much a I want to challenge you on your final statement......I can't. It has been 23 long years since that 1990 Cup (which I've always felt was a bit of a surprise) and there's little hope on the horizon. At least the Bombers put that classic "W" on their helmets again...that makes me feel a bit better...