Johnny Bright: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:09, 13 June 2006

Revision as of 03:29, 14 June 2006

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Bright was the first pick of the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] in the first round of the 1952 [[National Football League]] draft. Bright spurned the NFL, electing to play for the [[Calgary Stampeders]] of the [[Canadian Football League]]. Bright was the first, first-round NFL draft pick to bypass the NFL for the CFL.

Bright joined the [[Calgary Stampeders]] as a fullback/linebacker in 1952, eventuallyleading playingthe [[Calgary Stampeders|Stampeders]] and the [[Canadian Football League West Division|CFL Western Conference]] in rushing with 815 yards his rookie season. Bright played fullback and linebacker with the [[Calgary Stampeders|Stampeders]] for the [[1952 CFL season|1952]], [[1953 CFL season|1953]], and part of the [[1954 CFL season|1954 seasons]]. In 1954, the [[Calgary Stampeders]] dealt Bright to the [[CFL]]'s [[Edmonton Eskimos]] in a mid-season trade. Bright would enjoy the most success of his professional football career as a member of the [[Edmonton Eskimos]].

Though Bright played strictly defense as a linebacker in his first year with the [[Edmonton Eskimos|Eskimos]] (1954), he played both offense (as a fullback/quarterback) and defense for two seasons (1955-56), and played offense (fullback) permanently after that (1957-64). Bright led the [[Canadian Football League West Division|CFL Western Conference]] in rushing four times and was a [[Canadian Football League West Division|CFL Western Conference]] All-Star five straight seasons from 1957 to 1961. Bright's [[Edmonton Eskimos|Eskimo]] teammates included [[CFL]] stand outs [[Rollie Miles]], [[Normie Kwong]], and [[Jackie Parker]]. Bright helped lead the [[Edmonton Eskimos]] to successive [[Grey Cup]] titles in [[1954 Grey Cup|1954]], [[1955 Grey Cup|1955]], and [[1956 Grey Cup|1956]]. In 1958, Bright rushed for 1,722 yards. In 1959, following his third straight season as the [[CFL]]'s rushing leader, Bright won the [[CFL's Outstanding Player Award]], the first [[African-American]] or [[African-Canadian]] athlete to be so honored.