No love left for Willie Fleming among CFL fans?

[Foxhound]

There is a fantastic Facebook group site called "Nostalgic/Sentimental
Vancouver."



Willie was brought up by someone a few weeks ago and it received lots of comments, pics, likes etc.

And fully deserved I'd say!

[Foxhound]

The Star Weekly had a weekly full page photo of star CFL players like Parker, Hal Patterson - All WR, Sam the Rifle Etcheverry, Johnny Bright, Rollie Miles, Normie Kwong, Jackie Parker, Kenny Ploen (QB, half and DB!).

Like these from 1958?





Or like these from1963?



They were a great feature in those bygone days when coloured pictures of sports stars were seldom to be found.

Are you also familiar with the CFL player photo pages that were included in the Weekend Magazine supplement to Saturday newspapers from 1957-59?

Like us kids these players (even stars) played more than one position and kickers weren't specialists.

Oh so very true!

[TheLionKing]

Unlike today's athletes, you can actually read the signature back then.

[Mr Bee]

I'm in Vancouver for my first ever Grey Cup game about to cheer on my hometown Blue Bombers. As a kid I was a huge Lion's fan and nostalgically remember 60 years past and the Lions '64 win over Hamilton. I remember Willie Fleming's 46 yd TD run where he turned Garney Henley inside out several times. Willie was my hero and I try to read anything I can about him now. I realize he is 85 yrs old and living in Ohio at present. I have seen pics of him from 2018 attending a 60 yr reunion of the Iowa Hawkeyes and he looks fit and healthy. Willie was arguably the most exciting back ever to play in the CFL and certainly from the early years. HIs 109 yd run cannot be broken. HIs 9.1 yd seasonal average probably won't be broken. HIs 7.1 lifetime average run probably won't be broken. How about the numerous long bombs from Joe Kapp that went for TD's. Every time he touched the ball he was a danger to score. I remember the way he seemed to glide on the field with amazing lateral movement, speed and agility. He was poetry in motion. I admire him for moving to a different country to pursue his dream at a time when racism was common in sport. And doing this when he was just a kid.

In the early 60's I would visit my mom in the summer......she lived in Richmond. I looked up Willie's address in the phone book and had my mom drive me by his place hoping to just get a glimpse of my hero. No luck. My mom would take me to a Lion's game at old Empire Stadium and my eyes never came off of Willie. Many years later I watched a sporting event on tv in Winnipeg with a few Bomber friends at that time. Talk got to Leo Lewis being the greatest rb ever. I respectfully brought up Willie's name as the most electrifying back ever. A Bomber lineman at that time agreed with me. HIs name was Bob Swift and was a Lion's fb his first years and a team mate of Willie's.

I believe Willie tried out for the Vikings in 1967 when Kapp was there. But does anyone know what Willie did after football? He appeared to retire while still in his prime. Had the Lion's given up on him as the game changed? Does anyone know if he had injuries that prevented him from continuing or did he just quit while ahead. Possibly a good decision as he seems well now in his mid 80's. I've joined this forum hoping to hear more of Willie. It was a thrill to see his helmet on display at the Convention Centre this week and to see his number 15 hanging from the rafters. So many great memories provided by a young man who had exceptional athletic ability but the courage to pursue his love.

[mws]

Howdy Mr. Bee,
Right you are. IMHO, 15 is the most exciting player of all time.
Blessed to have grown up at Empire.
Enjoy your 1st Grey Cup!

[Toppy Vann]

I'm 79 and all the players in this thread like Willie Fleming were household names across Canada. I had those pictures on my wall including Hal Patterson.
It was in the 70s I sat down with a university friend and Lion ST holder up to this year - and he could name the starting line up of the Lions and the great Eskimo teams.

CFL was THE game except the NHL was big on TV Saturday night at 5 pm when most TVs with families tuned in to hear the Esso themed song.

There were not many channels.

Those who had brief encounters with Fleming as kids like mine at 15 when my mom running a fashion show for Nor-Westers Track Club at the then Delbrook HS in North introduced me to him. All I remember was he was like others low key, friendly, and warm. He also owned the Lions Den Men's clothing strore on Granville (in the same on the west side as Eatons when it replaced those stores). I remember one thing he said after I shook his hand. His joke that 'you Canadians sure have a strong handshake kind of statement. '

This is a good story from 2006 by my older brother's class mate Len Corben who started writing for the local paper in HS.

Have you heard the latest B.C. Lions' scuttlebutt? They're bringing in an entirely new lineup when hosting the Edmonton Eskimos Friday night.

Actually, it will be an old lineup, but a great one. "Willie the Wisp," "Peanut Butter Joe," "Mouse," "Old 88," "Sonny" and "The Headhunters."

These days those might be names of musical groups. However, in 1964-42 long years ago-they belonged to football heroes named Fleming, Kapp, Fieldgate, Bailey, Homer and the defensive line. They reigned supreme in Vancouver and across the country as Grey Cup champions.

Sonny Homer, Norm Fieldgate, By Bailey and Tom Brown when he joined the Lions - all lived on the North Shore as did Ken Sugarman and others. Al Pollard NFL former FB was Sports Director for CKLG who were just blocks from our place,

Now it's all did you see those Canucks?


https://web.archive.org/web/20061017180 ... 06nn1.html

[PigSkin_53]

If you want to view "The wisp" in action and see why the Lion's went to back-back Grey Cup games you have only to rerun the 1963 and 64 GC games on https://www.cfl.ca/grey-cup-on-demand-list/ and see for yourself why he was considered to be among the greatest running backs of his era.

He was one of the main reason that turned my allegiance from the early Tiger Cat fan, to life long Lion's fan. Take a closer look and you will discover why

[TheLionKing]

Hands down Willie Fleming is the greatest running back to play in the CFL. He was a threat everytime he touches the pigskin.

[Mr Bee]

The great Willie Fleming just turned 86 on Feb 2nd, 2025. Where does time go? I'm just grateful that my memory is still intact and I can remember all those exciting plays by Willie. I recently read Joe Kapp's book, "The Toughest Chicano" and really; enjoyed the chapter on his years in the CFL and especially with the Leos. I was able to contact Joe's son and co author of the book, JJ Kapp. He was born in Vancouver during Joe's playing days and is very proud of his duel heritage. He confirmed that Willie and Joe remained friends, usually by phone until late in Joe's life. I'm currently collecting any pictures I can find of Willie's days with the Lions and Iowa State. I can't find a team picture of the '61 Lions. Can anyone help?