PLAYER #77 - LEON MCQUAY (1971-73, 77)

It's time for another special week on Ancient Mariners, as we salute the members of arguably the most popular team in Argo history, the 1971 squad.

During last Saturday's home game against Ottawa, a 28-21 Argo victory that pushed their mid-season record to 8-1, the team honoured 12 former members of the 1971 team, as well as coach Leo Cahill. On previous Ancient Mariners segments, we have already profiled Cahill and the following players from that team: Mike Eben, Ed Harrington, Jim Stillwagon, Bill Symons, Peter Paquette, Gene Mack, Jim Corrigal, Ellison Kelly, Danny Nykoluk and Peter Martin.

This week we will take time out to remember five more players from the Grey Cup-appearing squad: flashy imports Leon McQuay, Joe Theismann and Mel Profit, and homebrew veterans Dick Aldridge and Dave Cranmer.

While the Argos made it to the title game for the first time in 19 years, one nightmare play has haunted the team ever since, so it's good to get it out of the way first. Of course, we are talking about running back Leon McQuay's fumble late in the game on the Calgary six-yard line, with the score 14-11 in the Stampeders' favour. As coach Leo Cahill would later say, "Leon slipped, and I fell!", and it was apropos, as the coach was let go after the disastrous 1972 season that followed.

For McQuay, he will unfortunately always be remembered for that play, despite the fact he was one of the best running backs to ever play in a Double Blue uniform.

But sports isn't always fair, just like in life, and McQuay seemed to be a victim on both ends. After moving back to his native Florida to become a minister, he died suddenly last year at the tender age of 45.

"In all the years I've been watching and playing football, he was the most talented halfback I've ever seen," said Cranmer, who lined up to the side of him at slotback. "25 years ago, he ran a 4.3 (second) 40 (yards), and that was just unheard of."

A prized recruit out of the University of Tampa in 1971, McQuay was on the way to smashing every Argo rushing record before a knee injury slowed him down late in the year. Nevertheless, he finished with 977 yards on 138 carries for a 7.1 yard average and the Eastern nominee for the Schenley most valuable player award.

"I don't think I've ever seen a guy who could go up into the line of scrimmage, then go to the right at full speed, just like that," said Peter Martin, who was the radio voice of the Argos for almost two decades. "He could really run, but he was kind of wacky in a way. You didn't know which Leon McQuay was going to show up."

In 1972, the Argos slumped to a 3-11 record, and so did Leon, to 745 yards on 148 carries. The next year, McQuay was sent out west to Calgary in a trade, but returned for a final time with the Argos in 1977, where he gained 307 yards on 76 carries. McQuay, like the team itself, sadly never realized his full potential, in football and in life.