George Reed: A Legendary Life

1939: Born on Oct. 2 in Vicksburg, Miss. — where Ron Lancaster’s younger brother, Bill, later resided. 

1942: Moved with his family to the Seattle suburb of Renton, where he was raised. At Renton High School, he played football, basketball and baseball. 

1958: Enrolled at Washington State University but was unable to play NCAA football that year because freshmen were then ineligible.  

1959: Debuted with the Washington State Cougars; rushed 62 times for 224 yards and two touchdowns. 

1960: Suffered a severely dislocated ankle that forced him to miss the entire season. 

1961: Married Angie (maiden name: Levias) on Aug. 19 … rushed for 489 yards and eight TDs. 

1962: Rushed for 503 yards and nine TDs as a senior and team captain at Washington State; named the Cougars’ most inspirational player … played in the Hula Bowl and East-West Shrine Game after his graduating season … rushed for a TD in the Hula Bowl, in which one of his North teammates was a soon-to-be fellow Roughrider, Hugh Campbell … played linebacker in East-West game. 

1963: Signing with Roughriders was announced June 8 (his CFL rights were initially held by B.C.) … in his first game with the Roughriders, on Aug. 5, he rushed 16 times for 74 yards and one touchdown in a 19-16 road victory over Edmonton … rushed for 751 yards as a rookie … scored the winning touchdown in Saskatchewan’s classic comeback win against Calgary in the finale of the two-game, total points Western Conference semi-final. Saskatchewan lost 35-9 in Calgary before winning 39-12 in Regina two days later. The two-game tally: Roughriders 48, Stampeders 47. The enduring label: “Little Miracle of Taylor Field.” 

1964: Exceeded 1,000 rushing yards for the first of 11 times as a CFLer … teamed up with Ed Buchanan (1,390 yards) to give Saskatchewan its only 1,000-yard backfield tandem … Reed threw the only TD pass of his career — a six-yarder to Dick Cohee on Sept. 19 versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers; also rushed for two scores in that game … caught seven passes for 130 yards and one TD in a Nov. 7 playoff game at Calgary. 

1965: Rushed for 268 yards, still a franchise record, as the Roughriders defeated the host B.C. Lions 30-14 … 1,768 rushing yards is still a single-season Roughriders standard … named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player — the first Roughrider to receive that honour. 

1966: Hired by Molson in Regina, beginning a long association with the brewery … took off on the longest run of his career (71 yards; Oct. 2 versus Winnipeg) … rushed for 133 yards, 31 of which came on a fourth-quarter TD, as the Roughriders downed the Ottawa Rough Riders 29-14 in the 1966 Grey Cup game. He gained 101 yards in the second half as Saskatchewan won its first championship. 

1967: Erupted for 204 rushing yards in a playoff victory over Calgary. Never before had a CFLer rushed for 200-plus yards in a post-season game. 

1968: Named the Western Conference’s Most Outstanding Player … rushed for a career-high 16 TDs, including four in one game (Oct. 30 vs. Edmonton). 

1969: Eclipsed Normie Kwong’s CFL record for rushing TDs (78) … caught three passes for 109 yards in a playoff game versus Calgary (Nov. 15) … recognized as the West’s MOP for the third time in a span of five seasons. 

1970: Helped the Roughriders register a team-record 14 victories … sat out four games with a fractured left tibia … enduring considerable pain, he had been playing with the injury for two months before it was diagnosed. 

1971: Broke Dick Shatto’s CFL career TDs record (91) and Johnny Bright’s all-time league rushing-yardage record (10,909). 

1972: Assumed the presidency of the CFL Players’ Association, beginning a long and accomplished tenure in that position … scored his 99th, 100th and 101st career TDs on Sept. 12 at B.C. … rushed for 156 yards in the West final at Winnipeg, helping the Roughriders rally from a 24-7 deficit and win 27-24. 

1973: Became pro football’s all-time leading rusher, passing Jim Brown (who gained 12,312 yards for the Cleveland Browns) … Oct. 7 was designated as George Reed Day. The date was changed to Oct. 34, by order of the provincial government … rushed for 168 yards in the West final at Edmonton. 

1974: Played an instrumental role in the formation of Special Olympics Saskatchewan … won his sixth CFL rushing title … named a league all-star for the ninth time. 

1975: Rushed for 1,454 yards — his third-best total as a Roughrider — en route to making the West All-Star team for the 10th time … became the first pro football player to rush for nine miles in a career … rushed for 101 yards and one TD in his final home regular-season game (Oct. 19) and home playoff game (Nov. 8) … the latter contest was his 74th career 100-yard rushing game, playoffs included … played in final CFL game on Nov. 15, at Edmonton, and scored a one-yard TD in West final. 

1976: Signed a contract extension in January … experienced a change of heart and, on May 31, announced his retirement from football. He finished with 16,116 career rushing yards, 134 rushing TDs, and 137 majors in all … inaugural recipient of the Tom Pate Memorial Award … jersey number (34) was retired on Oct. 24, during a halftime ceremony at Taylor Field. 

1978: Became a Member of the Order of Canada. 

1979: Entered Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame. 

1980: Entered Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. 

1981: Received an honorary doctorate from the University of Regina. 

1984: Inducted into Canadian Sports Hall of Fame … moved to Calgary as part of his role with Molson. 

1987: Entered the SaskTel Plaza of Honour in its first year of existence, alongside Lancaster, Ron Atchison, Dean Griffing, Eagle Keys, Bob Kramer, Ken Preston, Al Ritchie and Fred Wilson. 

1992: Attended Summer Olympic Games, at which his daughter Georgette competed in shot put in Barcelona, Spain. 

2001: Underwent successful surgery after suffering a brain aneurysm. 

2006: In a TSN poll, Reed was named the CFL’s second-greatest player of all time. Doug Flutie was listed at No. 1. 

2009: George and Angie Reed moved back to Regina after living in Calgary for 25 years, shortly after George was hired by the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation as its director of guest and community relations. 

2010: Received the Distinguished Canadian Award from the U of R’s Centre for Continuing Education. 

2011: Entered Renton High School Hall of Fame … An autobiography — George Reed: His Life and Times — was released in collaboration with writer John Chaput. 

2012: Reed’s image appeared prominently on a postage stamp that was released in conjunction with the 100th Grey Cup. 

2013: Presented with the province’s highest honour — the Saskatchewan Order of Merit … CFL Alumni man of the year … entered Gridiron Greats Hall of Fame. 

2014: Recipient of the Saskatchewan African Canadian Heritage Museum’s Lifetime Achievement Award … The George Reed Centre for Accessible Visual Communications was established at the U of R. 

2016: Appeared in the closing ceremonies on Oct. 29, following the Roughriders’ final game at historic Mosaic Stadium. 

2017: Statues of Reed and Ron Lancaster were unveiled on Sept. 3, outside new Mosaic Stadium. 

2019: The stretch of pavement outside and leading around Mosaic Stadium was renamed George Reed Way on Nov. 13. The stadium’s address: 1734 George Reed Way. 

2023: Passed away at his home in Regina on Oct. 1, one day shy of his 84th birthday.