During Black History Month this February, we once again salute some of the players who have played significant roles in the Blue Bombers’ long history.
Today: Greg Battle; linebacker: 1987-93; 1997-98
Greg Battle spoke most often with his helmet and shoulder pads, with his football savvy and pure athletic gifts. And his timing — with a thunderous hit or by snatching an enemy pass out of the sky — was almost always perfect while roaming the middle of the Blue Bombers defence.
Battle was occasionally overshadowed by some of the characters on defence during his days in blue and gold, willingly conceding the spotlight to gregarious sorts like James West and Tryone Jones, Chris Walby, Rod Hill, Less Browne and others.
But on game day he delivered.
Battle had two stints with the Blue Bombers, beginning in 1987, when the Arizona State product came north to Winnipeg after an NFL shot with the Denver Broncos.
He was named the club’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player for four straight seasons — 1989-92 — at a time when he was also the most-dominant defender in the Canadian Football League, twice earning CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award honours while being a runner-up on a third occasion.
A two-time Grey Cup champion with the Blue Bombers after wins in 1988 and 1990, it was his performance in the 1990 championship game that will live on in franchise folklore. That day Battle authored one of the most-dominant performances in Grey Cup history in a game in which he had four tackles and two interceptions, one of which was returned 56 yards for a touchdown as Winnipeg slaughtered Edmonton 50-11.
Battle left the Blue Bombers in 1994 for the expansion Las Vegas Posse and had stints with the Ottawa Rough Riders, Memphis Mad Dogs and Saskatchewan Roughriders before finishing his career in 1998 back in Winnipeg.
He finished his career third on the CFL’s all-time tackles list with 766 and remains the club’s all-time leader in tackles with 587.
Battle was inducted into the Winnipeg Football Club Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
Black History Month Archives: