Ken Ploen
Encyclopedia
Kenneth "Ken" Ploen [PLAYN], OM
(born June 3, 1935, in Lost Nation, Iowa) was a star quarterback
in American
college football
and for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
of the Canadian Football League
(CFL).
Hawkeyes
starting quarterback. That year, he led his team to its first Big Ten Conference
title in 35 years and a victory in the 1957 Rose Bowl Game
. He was named an All-American
and the Big Ten player of the year
. He was voted the 1957 Rose Bowl's Most Valuable Player
.
brought Kenny Ploen to Canada to play quarterback for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
from 1957 to 1967. He also filled in at halfback
and safety. Thanks to a strong supporting cast, including offensive tackle Frank Rigney
from 1958 to 1967 and running back
Leo Lewis
from 1957 to 1966, Ploen led his team to six Grey Cup
appearances (1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1965), including four victories: 1958
, 1959
, 1961
, 1962
and two losses: 1957
, 1965
. In the 49th Grey Cup
game (1961), he scored one of the most memorable touchdowns in professional football history, eluding numerous defenders on an eighteen yard run into the endzone during overtime to win it (see video below). He was voted the 1961 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
, was selected as a divisional All-Star three times.
Kenny Ploen was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
in 1975, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
in 1987, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1997, and the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
in 2002. In 2005, Ploen was named one of the Blue Bombers 20 All-Time Greats.
.
In 2007, he was awarded the Order of Manitoba
.
In September 2009, he was recognized by fan vote and the CFL Hall of Fame, as the Most Outstanding CFL Player of the 1960s.
In June 2011, the CFL announced that the west entry service road off of Chancellor Matheson Road next to the new Winnipeg Blue Bombers stadium
will be named Ken Ploen Way, to honor the former Blue Bomber quarterback and CFL Hall of Famer. Ploen was also honored at half-time, during the Blue Bombers’ first 2011 home preseason game, where the street sign was unveiled.
Running TD in 1961 Grey Cup overtime victory over Hamilton, 21-14
Winning quarterback in 1962 Grey Cup (Fog Bowl) victory over Hamilton, 28-27
Order of Manitoba
The Order of Manitoba is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Instituted in 1999 when Lieutenant Governor Peter M...
(born June 3, 1935, in Lost Nation, Iowa) was a star quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
and 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....
(CFL).
College football
In 1956, Ploen became the University of IowaUniversity of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
Hawkeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes
The Iowa Hawkeyes are the athletics teams that represent the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The Hawkeyes have varsity teams in 24 sports, 11 for men and 13 for women. The teams participate in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and are members of the...
starting quarterback. That year, he led his team to its first Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
title in 35 years and a victory in the 1957 Rose Bowl Game
Rose Bowl Game
The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...
. He was named an All-American
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
and the Big Ten player of the year
Chicago Tribune Silver Football
The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the Chicago Tribune to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois was the award's first recipient.The winner of the Silver...
. He was voted the 1957 Rose Bowl's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
.
Canadian Football League
After leaving Iowa, head coach Bud GrantBud Grant
Harry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
brought Kenny Ploen to Canada to play quarterback 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...
from 1957 to 1967. He also filled in at halfback
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 safety. Thanks to a strong supporting cast, including offensive tackle Frank Rigney
Frank Rigney
Frank Rigney was an offensive tackle for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League.-College:Rigney played college ball with another Blue Bomber great, quarterback Ken Ploen at the University of Iowa.-CFL:...
from 1958 to 1967 and 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...
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 ....
from 1957 to 1966, Ploen led his 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 (1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1965), including four victories: 1958
46th Grey Cup
The 46th Grey Cup was the championship game of the 1958 season of the Canadian Football League on November 29, 1958. The game was played in Vancouver's Empire Stadium before a crowd of 36,567. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35-28...
, 1959
47th Grey Cup
The 47th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's championship game of the 1959 season on November 28, 1959.The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21 to 7 at Toronto's CNE Stadium before a crowd of 33,133-Game summary:...
, 1961
49th Grey Cup
The 49th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's championship game of the 1961 season on December 2, 1961. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21 to 14 at CNE Stadium in Toronto before 32,651 fans. It is considered to be one of the 10 greatest Grey Cup Games of all...
, 1962
50th Grey Cup
The 50th Grey Cup, also known as the Fog Bowl, was the 1962 Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship game played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium. It remains the only Grey Cup game ever suspended during play. The Blue Bombers won...
and two losses: 1957
45th Grey Cup
The 45th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football Council's championship game of the 1957 season, which was played on November 30, 1957. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 32–7 at Varsity Stadium in Toronto....
, 1965
53rd Grey Cup
The 53rd Grey Cup, also known as the Wind Bowl, was hosted at CNE Stadium in Toronto, Ontario on November 27, 1965. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 22-16.-Weather conditions and change in punting rule:...
. In the 49th Grey Cup
49th Grey Cup
The 49th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's championship game of the 1961 season on December 2, 1961. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21 to 14 at CNE Stadium in Toronto before 32,651 fans. It is considered to be one of the 10 greatest Grey Cup Games of all...
game (1961), he scored one of the most memorable touchdowns in professional football history, eluding numerous defenders on an eighteen yard run into the endzone during overtime to win it (see video below). He was voted the 1961 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
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:...
, was selected as a divisional All-Star three times.
Kenny Ploen 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 1975, 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 1987, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1997, and the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
Iowa Sports Hall of Fame
The Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Des Moines Register, honors outstanding athletes and sports contributors. To be eligible, members must have either been born in Iowa or gained prominence while competing for a college or university in Iowa....
in 2002. In 2005, Ploen was named one of the Blue Bombers 20 All-Time Greats.
After football
After Ploen retired from football, he and his wife made Winnipeg their home. He worked as a sales representative and as a colour commentator for a local radio stationRadio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
.
In 2007, he was awarded the Order of Manitoba
Order of Manitoba
The Order of Manitoba is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Instituted in 1999 when Lieutenant Governor Peter M...
.
In September 2009, he was recognized by fan vote and the CFL Hall of Fame, as the Most Outstanding CFL Player of the 1960s.
In June 2011, the CFL announced that the west entry service road off of Chancellor Matheson Road next to the new Winnipeg Blue Bombers stadium
New Winnipeg Blue Bombers Stadium
New Winnipeg Blue Bombers Stadium is an approved football stadium planned for Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.The stadium is being built on the grounds of the University of Manitoba campus at the intersection of Chancellor Matheson Road and University Crescent next to the existing University Stadium...
will be named Ken Ploen Way, to honor the former Blue Bomber quarterback and CFL Hall of Famer. Ploen was also honored at half-time, during the Blue Bombers’ first 2011 home preseason game, where the street sign was unveiled.
Video clips
Key pass in 1959 Grey Cup victory over Hamilton, 21-7Running TD in 1961 Grey Cup overtime victory over Hamilton, 21-14
Winning quarterback in 1962 Grey Cup (Fog Bowl) victory over Hamilton, 28-27