Jack Wedley

Jack Wedley
No. 79
Date of birthSeptember 15, 1917
Place of birthEngland
Date of deathSeptember 29, 2003 (aged 85–86)
Place of deathGilford, Ontario
Career information
Position(s)Offensive End/Defensive Halfback
Height5 ft 10.5 in (179 cm)
Weight160 lb (73 kg)
High schoolNorthern Secondary School (Toronto)
Career history
As player
1936Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
1937–1941Toronto Argonauts
1942Toronto Navy Bulldogs
1943Halifax Navy
1944St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy
1945–1950Toronto Argonauts
1951Saskatchewan Roughriders
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star1941, 1945
Honors7x Grey Cup champion - 1937, 1938, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950

Jack Wedley (September 15, 1917 – September 29, 2003) was an all-star and Grey Cup champion Canadian football player, playing from 1937 to 1951.[1]

Born in England, Wedley came to Canada in his youth and played playground football with the city champion Moss Park team.[2] After high school, he graduated to the ORFU's Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers.

Starting in 1936 he went on to a record setting career. His first stint with the Toronto Argonauts lasted 5 seasons and netted him a Grey Cup championship. During World War II he played for several Navy teams; Toronto Navy Bulldogs and Halifax Navy, and in 1944 another Grey Cup with St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy. He returned to the Double Blue in 1945 for six more seasons and four more Cups, having played 90 games, 14 playoff games, and six Cup matches for the Boatmen.[3] He finish his career in 1951 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders where he just missed yet another championship with their close Cup defeat.

In all, Wedley collected seven Grey Cup championships, the most by any player until his record was later tied by Bill Stevenson and Hank Ilesic.[4][5] He was also an all-star in 1941 and 1945 with the Argos.

Wedley would go on to coach junior football, starting with the ORFU Oshawa Raiders intermediate team in 1953.[6]

He died September 29, 2003.

References

  1. ^ CFLAPEDIA entry: Jack Wedley
  2. ^ Cup Hardrocks - 1951 article
  3. ^ 2006 Toronto Argonauts Media Guide
  4. ^ 2012 CFL Media Guide and Record Book
  5. ^ NOTE: many popular sources credit Wdeley with having played in the 1937 Grey Cup victory, making him an all time leader. But, both the CFL and Toronto Argonaut's official yearbooks do not include this game in his records.
  6. ^ Wedley to Coach Oshawa Raiders, Ottawa Citizen, March 25, 1953