Gerry James
Encyclopedia
Gerald Edwin James is a former professional Canadian football
running back
and professional ice hockey
player. He played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
of the Canadian Football League
and the Toronto Maple Leafs
of the National Hockey League
.
A graduate of Kelvin High School in Winnipeg, he started his career in 1952. James became the youngest player ever to play in the CFL at only 17 years old. As a member of the Bombers' powerful run by committee system, and as a kicker, he helped the team to six Grey Cup
appearances (1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, and 1962), earning four victories (1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962). This committee system over the years included Lorne Benson, Tom Casey, Leo Lewis
, and Charlie Shepard. During his career, James won the league's Most Outstanding Canadian award in 1954 and 1957.
It was in the 1957 season that he scored 19 touchdowns, one short of the year-old league record set by Pat Abbruzzi
of the Montreal Alouettes
. Eighteen of those TD's came on the ground when carried the ball 197 times for 1,192 yards. He played with the Blue Bombers until 1963 (and played in 1964 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
). When he retired from the CFL, he was the second all-time leading Canadian running back with totals of 994 carries for 5,554 yards and 57 touchdowns, behind only Normie Kwong.
James was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 1981 and into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
in 1982. He was also selected as one of the Blue Bombers All-Time Greats. His father Eddie James
also played for the Blue Bombers and also is inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
James was also a professional ice hockey
right winger
who played 174 games in the National Hockey League
for the Toronto Maple Leafs
over 6 seasons in the late 50s (1954-55 to 1959-60), playing in 174 regular season and playoff games, finishing with 41 career points (15 goals and 26 assists).
At the age of sixteen, James played for the Winnipeg Monarchs hockey team in the 1952 Memorial Cup competition. The Toronto Maple Leafs (who owned his hockey rights) were so impressed that they moved him to Toronto to play for their top junior team – the Marlboros. James’s exceptional play led him to turn professional with the Leafs in 1960 and he went on to play in the Stanley Cup final that same season. James is the only player in Canadian history to have played in Grey Cup and Stanley Cup finals.
After his professional career, James played for the Winnipeg Warriors in the old WHL before returning to Saskatchewan to play for the Yorkton Terriers. When his playing days were over, James moved behind the bench with the Melville Millionaires, Yorkton Terriers and Estevan Bruins, all of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). His career SJHL numbers: 249 wins, 191 losses and 14 ties (0.622 winning percentage). Interestingly, his only sub-.500 season was 1979-80 when his Melville Millionaires finished 29–30–1. James also coached one season with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League (24–72–3).
Championship (1955)
CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian (1954 and 1957)
Games Played and Rushing Year Team GP TC Yds Avg TD Long
1952 WPG 10 93 9.3 2
1953 WPG 25 120 4.8 1
1954 WPG 106 576 5.4 4 71
1955 WPG 89 1205 6.4 7 60
1956 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1957 WPG 197 1192 6.1 18 74
1958 WPG 64 372 5.8 2 21
1959 WPG 49 261 5.3 6 44
1960 WPG 165 872 5.3 9 28
1961 WPG 102 505 5 4 26
1962 WPG 84 345 4.1 5 15
1963 WPG 0 0 0 0 0 0
1964 SASK 10 4 13 3.3 0 7
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
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...
and professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He played for 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...
of the Canadian Football League
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 the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
.
A graduate of Kelvin High School in Winnipeg, he started his career in 1952. James became the youngest player ever to play in the CFL at only 17 years old. As a member of the Bombers' powerful run by committee system, and as a kicker, he helped the team to six 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...
appearances (1953, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, and 1962), earning four victories (1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962). This committee system over the years included Lorne Benson, Tom Casey, Leo Lewis
Leo Lewis
Leo Lewis was a famed American College football player for Lincoln University of Missouri in the 1950s , who continued his success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League ....
, and Charlie Shepard. During his career, James won the league's Most Outstanding Canadian award in 1954 and 1957.
It was in the 1957 season that he scored 19 touchdowns, one short of the year-old league record set by Pat Abbruzzi
Pat Abbruzzi
Pasquale "Pat" Abbruzzi was an American college and professional Canadian football running back and high school football coach...
of 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...
. Eighteen of those TD's came on the ground when carried the ball 197 times for 1,192 yards. He played with the Blue Bombers until 1963 (and played in 1964 with 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...
). When he retired from the CFL, he was the second all-time leading Canadian running back with totals of 994 carries for 5,554 yards and 57 touchdowns, behind only Normie Kwong.
James was inducted 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...
in 1981 and into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
The Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, dedicated to the history of sport in Manitoba and honouring the best in sport. The organization began in 1980 and in 1993, a museum was opened in The Forks...
in 1982. He was also selected as one of the Blue Bombers All-Time Greats. His father Eddie James
Eddie James (Canadian football)
Eddie "Dynamite" James was a running back for the Regina Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League. James was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963 and into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2004. The Eddie James Memorial Trophy is...
also played for the Blue Bombers and also is inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
James was also a professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
right winger
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
who played 174 games in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
over 6 seasons in the late 50s (1954-55 to 1959-60), playing in 174 regular season and playoff games, finishing with 41 career points (15 goals and 26 assists).
At the age of sixteen, James played for the Winnipeg Monarchs hockey team in the 1952 Memorial Cup competition. The Toronto Maple Leafs (who owned his hockey rights) were so impressed that they moved him to Toronto to play for their top junior team – the Marlboros. James’s exceptional play led him to turn professional with the Leafs in 1960 and he went on to play in the Stanley Cup final that same season. James is the only player in Canadian history to have played in Grey Cup and Stanley Cup finals.
After his professional career, James played for the Winnipeg Warriors in the old WHL before returning to Saskatchewan to play for the Yorkton Terriers. When his playing days were over, James moved behind the bench with the Melville Millionaires, Yorkton Terriers and Estevan Bruins, all of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL). His career SJHL numbers: 249 wins, 191 losses and 14 ties (0.622 winning percentage). Interestingly, his only sub-.500 season was 1979-80 when his Melville Millionaires finished 29–30–1. James also coached one season with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League (24–72–3).
Awards and achievements
Memorial CupMemorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
Championship (1955)
CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian (1954 and 1957)
Games Played and Rushing Year Team GP TC Yds Avg TD Long
1952 WPG 10 93 9.3 2
1953 WPG 25 120 4.8 1
1954 WPG 106 576 5.4 4 71
1955 WPG 89 1205 6.4 7 60
1956 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1957 WPG 197 1192 6.1 18 74
1958 WPG 64 372 5.8 2 21
1959 WPG 49 261 5.3 6 44
1960 WPG 165 872 5.3 9 28
1961 WPG 102 505 5 4 26
1962 WPG 84 345 4.1 5 15
1963 WPG 0 0 0 0 0 0
1964 SASK 10 4 13 3.3 0 7