Dick Thornton

Dick Thorton's twelve year career from 1961 to 1972 was one that spanned the transition from players who went both ways to the specialized offensive and defensive squads used today. Thornton was a versatile player, who while used mainly at defensive back, but also backed up at QB and as a receiver. Punter injured? Thornton could fill in. Need someone to run back kickoffs and punts? Thornton could do it. Thornton split his career exactly in half with Winnipeg (1961-66) and Toronto (1967-72). He won 5 divisional All-Star awards, 1962, 1963 and 1965 with Winnipeg in the West and 1969 and 1971 with Toronto in the East. In three of those years, he was named All-Canadian (1963, 1965 and 1971). Thornton finished with a career total of 4 intereptions of which he returned 7 for touchdowns. In 1963, he had three interception returns for touchdowns and added another on a fumble return.

Thornton was an All-American at Northwestern University and was drafted by both the NFL and AFL in the 1961 college drafts. The Cleveland Browns selected Thornton in the sixth round and then traded hisrights to St. Louis while the Dallas Texans drafted him in the AFL. Thornton, however ended up in theCFL with Winnipeg where he would play in two Grey Cups, 1965 with Winnipeg and 1971 with Toronto, but unfortunately was on the losing end both times. Thorton was named to the Winnipeg Blue Bomber Hall of Fame in 1988.

Thornton did play one more season of professional football after the CFL, with the Memphis team in the WFL in 1974. Thornton did have ashort career as a coach and Athletic Director at Southwestern University before going into the food and beverage industry.

Dick Thornton passed away on December 19, 2014 from lung cancer at the age of 75..

Dick Thornton in Wikipedia

Article on Dick Thornton by Scott Murray
"Legends" article on Dick Thornton on the CFL web site

The CFL mourns the loss of Tricky Dicky Thornton

Games Played and Interceptions
Year Team GP Int Yds Avg TDInt Long
1961 WPG
0 0 0 0 0
1962 WPG
4 41 10.3

1963 WPG
6 200 33.2 3 65
1964 WPG 4 0 0 0 0 0
1965 WPG 16 2 117 58.5 0 64
1966 WPG 13 1 0 0 0 0
1967 TOR 14 6 23 3.8 0 10
1968 TOR 14 4 71 17.8 0 63
1969 TOR 14 7 159 26.3 2 52
1970 TOR 10 4 96 24 0 38
1971 TOR 14 7 79 11.3 2 43
1972 TOR 14 3 61 20.3 0 39
Passing
Year Team PA PC % Yds TD Int
1961 WPG 12 6 50 81 1 0
1962 WPG 5 3 60 44 0 0
1963 WPG 9 4 44.4 57 0 0
1964 WPG 0 0 0 0 0 0
1965 WPG 55 16 29.1 314 2 5
1966 WPG 23 9 39.1 115 1 3
1967 TOR 9 3 33.3 38 0 2
1968 TOR 2 1 50 19 0 0
1969 TOR 1 1 100 9 0 0
1970 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
1971 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
1972 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
Rushing
Year Team TC Yds Avg TD Long
1961 WPG 3 26 8.7 0 26
1962 WPG 2 49 24.5 1 29
1963 WPG 10 72 7.2 0 14
1964 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1965 WPG 37 130 3.5 2 20
1966 WPG 9 51 5.6 0 15
1967 TOR 6 75 12.5 0 30
1968 TOR 5 57 11.4 1 38
1969 TOR 14 106 0 0 0
1970 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1971 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1972 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
Receiving
Year Team Rec Yds Avg TD Long
1961 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1962 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1963 WPG 2 55 27.5 0 30
1964 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1965 WPG 2 7 3.5 0 22
1966 WPG 1 16 16 1 16
1967 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1968 TOR 1 6 6 0 6
1969 TOR 1 1 1 0 1
1970 TOR 1 44 44 0 44
1971 TOR 13 195 15 1 45
1972 TOR 2 14 7 0 8
Kickoff Returns
Year Team KOR Yds Avg TD Long
1961 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1962 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1963 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1964 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1965 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1966 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1967 TOR 7 152 21.7 0 32
1968 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1969 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1970 TOR 1 13 13 0 13
1971 TOR 4 54 13.5 0 22
1972 TOR 6 64 10.7 0 24
Punt Returns
Year Team PR Yds Avg TD Long
1961 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1962 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1963 WPG 2 12 6 0 11
1964 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1965 WPG 1 7 7 0 7
1966 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1967 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1968 TOR 1 18 18 0 18
1969 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1970 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1971 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1972 TOR 1 8 8 0 8
Fumbles
Year Team F FL
1961 WPG 0
1962 WPG 2
1963 WPG 0
1964 WPG 0
1965 WPG 6
1966 WPG 1
1967 TOR 1 0
1968 TOR 0
1969 TOR 0
1970 TOR 0
1971 TOR 0
1972 TOR 0
Fumble Returns
Year Team FR Yds Avg TD Long OFR FF
1961 WPG 0 0 0 0 0 0
1962 WPG 0 0 0 0 0 0
1963 WPG 3

1 0 0
1964 WPG 1

0
0
1965 WPG 0 0 0 0 0 0
1966 WPG 0 0 0 0 0 0
1967 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
1968 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
1969 TOR 1 25 25 0 25 0
1970 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
1971 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
1972 TOR 0 0 0 0 0 0
Punting
Year Team P Yds Avg Long S
1961 WPG 13 461 35.4 54 0
1962 WPG 15 424 28.2 54 1
1963 WPG 62 2358 38 62 1
1964 WPG 5 178 35.6 48 0
1965 WPG 0 0 0 0 0
1966 WPG 6 222 37 43 0
1967 TOR 1 42 42 42 0
1968 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1969 TOR 52 2012 38.7 68 2
1970 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1971 TOR 0 0 0 0 0
1972 TOR 1 3 3 3 0
1970 OPC