By Todd Saelhof
He was an outstanding person off the field.
And an outstanding football player on it.
So much so that Harvey Wylie was named the CFL’s most outstanding Canadian in 1962.
“I’ll remember mostly the respect Harv received from all, given he was a Canadian,” said Wylie’s younger brother, Bill, in speaking of his sibling who died last week at age 86 from a heart attack after battling an all-consuming infection.
“Mostly, though, what an outstanding career he had.”
Indeed, Wylie was a star-studded Stampeders player for nine seasons — from 1956-64 — and his career — entirely with the Stamps — has been immortalized in both the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame & Museum and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Both honours came in 1980.
The Calgary native was a stellar defensive back — named to the all-Western Division team for five consecutive seasons beginning in 1949 and twice saluted as an all-Canadian, in 1962 and ’63.
But those all-star nods didn’t come based solely on his defensive prowess.
He was also a threat on offence, both running and catching the rock.
And Wylie was a special-teams demon, returning 151 kickoffs for 4,293 yards and five touchdowns. His longest kickoff runback was 110 yards, and he led the loop in returns for three straight seasons.
Defensively, Wylie recovered 20 fumbles and came down with 35 interceptions from his spot in the secondary.
“I’ll remember the highs of running back kickoff returns for a touchdown to losing to Winnipeg when he failed to kick the ball out of the endzone in I think 1963 or 1964,” his brother said. “I play golf with one fella, and he said, ‘Geez, I really enjoyed watching him play.’
“He was 5-10, 170 lb. and ran back kicks, and he was tough. He had a positive influence on our entire family.”
Wylie is survived by brothers Bob and Bill, son Wes and daughters Barbara and Courtney.
“After football, he went on to become a very successful businessman (including being president of Beaufort-Delta Oil Project Limited) and spent a number of years in Dubai,” Bill said.
Wylie was an outstanding athlete who excelled in more than one sport. The star with the NCAA’s Montana State Bobcats received a baseball tryout with Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox and played Junior ‘A’ hockey in Calgary.
“I know him through his history with the Stampeders and the fine playing career he had in the CFL,” said fellow Stampeders legend John Helton. “At best, I know he was a fine man. Also, he had notable achievements over his career. I feel for the people who knew him (family and people he worked with). Athletes who play the game of sport know his stature as a player and moreso the fine human being he will be remembered for.”
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