Profile | |
---|---|
Position | Running back |
Personal information | |
Born | Austin, Texas | January 26, 1950
Died | Austin, Texas | May 30, 2024
Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
Career information | |
College | Tyler Junior |
Career history | |
1973 | Montreal Alouettes |
1974–1975 | Memphis Southmen |
1976 | Toronto Argonauts |
1977 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
Awards and highlights | |
|
John Harvey (born January 26, 1950) is a former award-winning Canadian Football League running back.
In 1970, he was a junior college 1st team All-American at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. [1]
Despite being recruited to play at Texas by Darrell Royal, he instead played for Texas-Arlington before going pro. [2] He burst into the CFL with the Montreal Alouettes in 1973. Rushing for 1024 yards, with an incredible 7.5 yards per rush average and 32 pass receptions, he was an all-star and won the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy, being runner up as CFL MVP. [3]
Like many other players lured by the big money, he jumped to the World Football League in 1974, playing 2 seasons with the Memphis Southmen. In his first season, he rushed for 945 yards, caught 21 passes for 275 yards, scored 5 touchdowns, and threw 3 passes (one for a touchdown.) In 1975, rushing behind future NFL Hall-of-Famer Larry Csonka, he gained 137 yards, caught 8 passes for 107 yards, scored 4 touchdowns, and threw 2 passes (1 for a touchdown.) In the short history of the WFL he was 13th on the all-time rushing list, with 1082 yards. [4]
When the WFL folded, he returned to the CFL, playing 10 games for the Toronto Argonauts in 1976 (rushing for 68 yards, catching 26 passes for 459 yards, and 5 touchdowns) and 1 game for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1977.