Black Players in the CFL and the Argos

[argos1873]

Never cared about any Argo's skin colour. But good for them.

[jerrym]

Another early Black quarterback for the Argos was Sandy Stephens, who despite being a second round NFL draft pick and #5 overall draft pick in the American Football League in 1962,he chose to sign with the CFL because the two American leagues wouldn't let him play quarterback despite a great college career. In 1963 (or 1964 depending on which website you look at) he was claimed on waivers (likely because his salary was so high - Gayle Sayers one of the NFL's greatest RBs signed for $25,000 a year for 4 years with a $50,000 bonus in 1966) by the Argos where he completed 65 of 126 passes for 988 yards, 8 TDs and 13 interceptions. He also ran the ball 13 times for 78 yards, caught 8 passes for 151 yards, kicked 9 extra points, and 2 FGs for the Argos and he also did all of these for the Alouettes. (https://www.justsportsstats.com/foot...id=stephsan002) He was injured in a car accident in 1964 and out of football for two years because of that. After that he made it to the NFL but they never let him play QB.

College
Stephens was the first black man to play quarterback at the University of Minnesota and remains the only quarterback to take the Gophers to the Rose Bowl (1961 and 1962). He was one of the first "National Recruits" for the University of Minnesota, along with Judge Dickson and Bill Munsey.^[1] The mayor of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, had served in the Navy with John Mariucci, the coach of the Gopher Hockey team.^[2] Mariucci tipped off the University of Minnesota football coach, Murray Warmath about the players.
In 1960, along with Uniontown (PA) High School teammate Bill Munsey, Stephens led the University of Minnesota to an 8-1 regular season record and the national championship. Minnesota defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 27-10 when both teams were undefeated, one of biggest games in the Iowa–Minnesota football rivalry. Stephens became the first African-American major-college All-American quarterback and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. In 1961, Stephens received the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Conference.

Pro Career
Stephens was a second-round NFL draft choice of the Cleveland Browns and the fifth overall selection in the AFL draft by the New York Titans. Both teams said that they wouldn’t use him as a quarterback and he never played a down in either league. The Canadian Football League (CFL) welcomed him as a quarterback, as the Montreal Alouettes offered a reported $25,000 signing bonus and a three-year contract at $30,000 per year.^[3]
After playing for the Alouettes in 1962 and 1963, he was claimed on waivers by the Toronto Argonauts in 1964. Upon leaving the CFL, Stephens tried out as a walk-on with the Minnesota Vikings. In his CFL career, he threw 22 touchdowns with 38 interceptions on 2,823 yards, while rushing for 487 yards on 88 carries and 8 touchdowns. He also caught 12 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. He was also used as an occasional kicker, making 12 out of 19 extra points and 4 out of 8 field goals, with three punts for a 20-yard average.^[4] On September 20, 1964, he was involved in a near fatal accident.^[5] The car is which he was riding with Ted Dean, a Minnesota Vikings player, struck a tree in South Minneapolis. Two years after the accident Stephens signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as a fullback. He was willing to play any of the back positions and continued to dream of playing as a quarterback in the NFL, but to no avail. He ended his active football career in 1968.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Stephens

[doubleblue]

Another early Black quarterback for the Argos was Sandy Stephens, who despite being a second round NFL draft pick and #5 overall draft pick in the American Football League in 1962,he chose to sign with the CFL because the two American leagues wouldn't let him play quarterback despite a great college career. In 1963 (or 1964 depending on which website you look at) he was claimed on waivers (likely because his salary was so high - Gayle Sayers one of the NFL's greatest RBs signed for $25,000 a year for 4 years with a $50,000 bonus in 1966) by the Argos where he completed 65 of 126 passes for 988 yards, 8 TDs and 13 interceptions. He also ran the ball 13 times for 78 yards, caught 8 passes for 151 yards, kicked 9 extra points, and 2 FGs for the Argos and he also did all of these for the Alouettes. (https://www.justsportsstats.com/foot...id=stephsan002) He was injured in a car accident in 1964 and out of football for two years because of that. After that he made it to the NFL but they never let him play QB.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Stephens

I remember Sandy Stephens, who came up to the CFL with the Alouettes, signing for an unheard of salary of 100,000 3 year contract. Back then Canadian TV viewers just got to see NCAA players in on of three New Years Bowl Games, with the Rose Bowl probably the most viewed. Sandy was a star in the Rose Bowl and thus a big name to CFL fans.
Sandy was always a little on the heavy side. I believe he was listed at 6'0 220 as a rookie with the Als but kept growing. When he was picked up by the Argos after two years with Montreal he was listed at 240. As a run first pass second guy that kind of cut down on his production.
Always remembered former Sports Writer Milt Dunnell of the Star writing a little poem about Sandy after he arrived in Toronto.

Sandy Stephens he's no fun,
He can't pass and he can't run,
But when it comes to getting pay,
He's an all star all the way.

[jerrym]

I remember Sandy Stephens, who came up to the CFL with the Alouettes, signing for an unheard of salary of 100,000 3 year contract. Back then Canadian TV viewers just got to see NCAA players in on of three New Years Bowl Games, with the Rose Bowl probably the most viewed. Sandy was a star in the Rose Bowl and thus a big name to CFL fans.
Sandy was always a little on the heavy side. I believe he was listed at 6'0 220 as a rookie with the Als but kept growing. When he was picked up by the Argos after two years with Montreal he was listed at 240. As a run first pass second guy that kind of cut down on his production.
Always remembered former Sports Writer Milt Dunnell of the Star writing a little poem about Sandy after he arrived in Toronto.

Sandy Stephens he's no fun,
He can't pass and he can't run,
But when it comes to getting pay,
He's an all star all the way.

To be fair to Stephens he struggled like a lot of college QBs, even stars one, at the start of his career. He wouldn't be the first player to have weight problems either. Furthermore, not too many players or other people would show the determination and perseverance to return to a field as physically demanding as football after a car accident that took two years to recover from. Doctors considered it a near death experience that would leave him unable to walk for life. He not only recovered, he played in the NFL after that for two years.