Travel has been a common theme in Dwight Edwards' life.
As a football player, Edwards' ability to travel down the sidelines in a very quick manner was his main attribute as a wide receiver. Over a career that spanned a decade, Edwards was able to travel and see the country as a member of five different teams (Toronto, then Saskatchewan, Ottawa, Calgary, Montreal, and finally, back to Toronto). And now in his post-athletic life, Edwards is selling travel in luxury automobiles in his new career as a sales and leasing representative for Laurie Williamson Pontiac Buick in Mississauga.
"If anyone's looking for a car, tell them to come my way," joked Edwards as he recently reminisced about his former teammates. The natural charm and humour that exudes from this former speedster makes him ideal for his current chosen business, and it made him a good-natured target for his teammates during his playing days. Of the many nicknames that he was given, only a couple are printable, one being "Bullet" (for obvious speed reasons), and the other "Lizard".
"I was so skinny, all they could see was veins," said Edwards, whose 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame was only one of the obstacles against him having a professional career. Another was the fact he never played university or college football, and graduated directly from the Central Ontario Senior League's Mississauga Raiders to the Argos.
His impact was immediate, as he led the Eastern Conference in yards per catch with a 23.8 average in his rookie year in 1978. He was also a luxury for the coaching staff, a Canadian non-import that could play a position (wide receiver) usually reserved for flashy imports.
"They were always looking for the Americans to play that position," said Edwards, who was born in Jamaica but grew up in Mississauga, where he went to Erindale Secondary School. While he never played on a Grey Cup winner, Edwards' speed, longevity and attitude made for a fulfilling career that he will always remember fondly.
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