Biography

Ernest Lamour 'Wheels' Wheelwright was born in Columbus

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 on November 28, 1939 and attended Southern Illinois University

Southern Illinois University

Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...

. He had several careers but is chiefly remembered as an American Football player who played as a running back for the New York Giants

New York Giants

The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

(1964–65), Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

(66-67) and the New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....

(67 -70).

He was also an actor who appeared in a number of films including: The Longest Yard

The Longest Yard

The Longest Yard is a 1974 American comedy sports-drama film about inmates at a prison who play American football against their guards. Burt Reynolds portrayed Paul "Wrecking" Crewe in the original, and the coach Nate Scarborough in the 2005 remake...

(1974), Trackdown (1976), The Greatest

The Greatest

The Greatest may refer to:* Muhammad Ali, former American heavyweight boxing champion* The Greatest , a 2005 compilation album by Ian Brown* The Greatest , a 2006 album by Cat Power...

 (1977) & Wildcats (1986.) Immediately before he began his career as a running back he had served in the 101st Airborne Division

101st Airborne Division

The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...

(aka the Screaming Eagles).

Running back career

• Statistics
• Rushing Stats
• year team league games ATT YDS AVG TD LNG
• 1964 NYG NFL 11 100 402 4 0 26
• 1965 NYG NFL 13 24 96 4 0 16
• 1966 ATL NFL 14 121 458 3.8 3 63
• 1967 NOR NFL 12 59 198 3.4 0 13
• 1968 NOR NFL 12 21 99 4.7 1 15
• 1969 NOR NFL 13 25 85 3.4 4 17
• 1970 NOR NFL 4 16 45 2.8 0 9
• 7 year NFL career 82 387 1426 3.7 9 0
• Receiving Stats
• year team league games REC YDS AVG TD LNG
• 1964 NYG NFL 11 14 204 14.6 3 33
• 1965 NYG NFL 13 2 17 8.5 0 12
• 1966 ATL NFL 14 15 137 9.1 3 35
• 1967 NOR NFL 12 9 61 6.8 0 18
• 1968 NOR NFL 12 1 -9 -9 0 -9
• 1969 NOR NFL 13 8 68 8.5 1 20t
• 1970 NOR NFL 4 1 7 7 0 7
• 7 year NFL career 82 54 531 9.8 7 0
• Fumble Recovery Stats
• year team league games TOT OWR OPR YDS TD
• 1964 NYG NFL 11 2 0 0 0 0
• 1965 NYG NFL 13 1 1 0 0 0
• 1966 ATL NFL 14 2 0 0 0 0
• 1967 NOR NFL 12 4 0 0 0 0
• 1968 NOR NFL 12 1 1 0 0 0
• 1969 NOR NFL 13 1 0 0 0 0
• 1970 NOR NFL 4 1 0 0 0 0
• 7 year NFL career 82 12 2 0 0 0

Actor and singer

Ernie Wheelwright was also owner of one of Atlanta's premier nightclubs in the 60's, the Pick Pussycat Club 'Wheels' hosted many visiting black artists and had the opportunity to cut a record 'Beggin You Back' for the local Gaye label owned by Johnny Brooks.J T. Brooks who was also an engineer and record producer had opened his own facility in Atlanta in 1964.Wheelwright's disc was one of at least eight on Gaye. In addition Brooks was owner of the gospel label Sounds of Atlanta whose roster included Little Jimmy Dempsey, Big Chief Weatherington, the Soul Searchers and The Blackwood Singers.

Wheelwright's nightclub ownership bought him into contact with the Mafia and ultimately this curtailed his Football career. In 1970 the NFL asked Wheelwright, then with the New Orleans Saints, to sell his interest on the grounds that continuing ownership would bring the NFL into disrepute.

Wheelwright then worked as a moderately successful actor where his athletic 6' 3" frame was ideal for sports type characters. He married twice and his grandson is another famous football player Ernie Wheelwright

Ernie Wheelwright

Ernest Lamour Wheelwright is an American football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Minnesota.-External links:**...

 IV currently with the Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...

.

Ernie Wheelwright died of cancer in Las Vegas on May 1, 2001 aged 61.