After Doug Brown and Greg Mackling decided on a list of the top 15 players in Winnipeg Blue Bombers history, fans have decided on who the top five players are.
The votes have been tallied and here are the results:
1. Milt Stegall / Slot Back / #85 / 1995-2008
The dynamic receiver came in at number one, garnering 32 per cent of the vote.
In his 14 seasons wearing blue and gold, Milt Stegall scored 147 touchdowns — a CFL record. He also holds the league record for most touchdowns in a season with 23 in 2002. His 15,153 career receiving yards rank second all-time in league history behind Geroy Simon. The nine-time CFL All-Star is a member of both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Stegall spent his entire CFL career in Winnipeg, after a brief stint with the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL. Stegall had a number of memorable moments with the Blue Bombers, but perhaps none more jaw-dropping than this last-second 100-yard winning touchdown against the Edmonton Eskimos in 2006:
2. Joe Poplawski / Slot Back / #71 / 1978-1986
“Joe Pop” finished number two overall in voting with 19 per cent of the vote.
Poplawski was a five-time CFL All-Star during his years with the Blue Bombers. He was also a part of the 1984 Grey Cup winning team. Poplawski was the league’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 1978 and won the Most Outstanding Canadian award in 1981 and 1986. Poplawski had more than 1,000 yards receiving in three separate seasons, including the final two years of his Blue Bomber career in 1985 and 1986. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Poplawski was also inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. He was just 29-years-old when he retired from football and still lives in Winnipeg.
3. Ken Ploen / Quarterback / #11 / 1957-1967
The quarterback from Lost Nation, Iowa finished third in voting with 12 per cent of the vote.
Ploen spent 11 seasons with the Blue Bombers, matching his number. While the Bomber organization doesn’t officially retire numbers, Ploen’s number 11 is one of six that the team does not allow players to wear. Ploen racked up 16,470 passing yards in his Bomber career, fourth all time in franchise history. His 119 touchdown passes ranks third all time. He won four Grey Cups with Winnipeg. Ploen was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. Ploen also remained in Winnipeg following his playing career.
4. Ralph (Dieter) Brock / Quarterback / #5 / 1974-1983
The quarterback from Birmingham, Alabama came in at number four with just over nine per cent of the vote.
Brock is the all-time leading passer in Blue Bombers history, putting up 29,623 yards in 10 seasons. He also holds career franchise records for passing touchdowns (187), pass completions (2,167), and pass attempts (3,777). Brock was a CFL All-Star and the league’s Most Outstanding Player in 1980 and 1981. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1995.
5. Chris Walby / Offensive Lineman / #63 / 1981-1996
Chris Walby rounds out the top five with just under nine per cent of votes.
The Winnipeg native spent 16 seasons on the Blue Bombers offensive line, and was a CFL All-Star in nine of those years. Walby was the league’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 1987 and 1993. The CFL Hall of Famer won three Grey Cups with the Blue Bombers. Walby was also the first Blue Bomber player to be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honour.
Click here to listen to the podcast of Greg Mackling and Doug Brown discussing the poll results for Top Five Bombers players.
Stay tuned for the top coaches in Blue Bombers history. That list will be released next week.
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