Canadian sporting legend Gerry James, who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1964, died on Tuesday. He was 89.
A son of early-era Regina Roughriders star Eddie (Dynamite) James, “Kid Dynamite” made his professional football debut in 1952 — when he was only 17 — and starred for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the better part of a decade.
He returned to the gridiron in 1964, after a one-year hiatus, and played in 10 games with the Roughriders. Based in his birthplace of Regina, he was used primarily as a kicker with the Green and White.
As a Blue Bomber, he was named the league’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 1954 and 1957.
In 1955, James rushed for a career-high 1,205 yards. He gained 1,192 yards along the ground in 1957, when he rushed for 18 touchdowns (then a league record) and added another major on a reception.
He scored on a kickoff return against Saskatchewan in the 1953 and 1954 playoffs.
James exceeded 100 points in a season in 1957 (131), 1960 (114) and 1962 (116).
His versatility extended beyond the football field.
Over a period that spanned 1955 to 1960, James played right wing in 149 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, scoring 14 goals and adding 26 assists.
He is the only person to play in a Grey Cup Game and a Stanley Cup Final in the same sporting season (1959-60).
After his playing career, he remained involved in hockey as a coach.
In that capacity, he worked with three junior A teams — the Yorkton Terriers, Melville Millionaires and Estevan Bruins.
He won SJHL titles with Yorkton (in 1983) and Estevan (1985).
In December of 1987, he was hired away from Estevan by the Moose Jaw Warriors and was the WHL team’s head coach for 11 months.
James has been enshrined in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (in 1981), Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame (1982), Blue Bombers Hall of Fame (1984), Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1994), Yorkton Sports Hall of Fame (1998) and Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame (2022).
Eddie James was among the Canadian Football Hall of Fame’s charter inductees in 1963. He played junior football for the Regina Pats before suiting up for the Roughriders in 1928, 1929 and 1931, appearing in the Grey Cup Game each year.
The Blue Bombers learned of Gerry James’ death just hours after the passing of another one of the team’s all-time greats, Ken Ploen, had been announced.
He also died on Tuesday, at age 88.
Ploen and James were teammates for six seasons, beginning in 1957. They shared in Grey Cup championships in 1958, 1959, 1961 and 1962.
