John Harvey (Canadian football)
John Harvey (born January 26, 1950) is a former award-winning Canadian Football League running back.
| Born: | January 26, 1950 Austin, Texas |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Status | Retired |
| CFL status | American |
| Position(s) | RB |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| College | Tyler Junior |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1973 | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1974–1975 | Memphis Southmen |
| 1976 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1977 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| CFL All-Star | 1973 |
| CFL East All-Star | 1973 |
| Awards | 1973 Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy |
In 1970, he was a junior college 1st team All-American at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas.[1]
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.[2]
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.[3]
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.