Ulysses Curtis
Ulysses "Crazy Legs" Curtis was an American professional football player who was a running back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Interprovincial Rugby [Football Union] from 1950 to 1954. He won two Grey Cups with Toronto in 1950 and 1952.
Curtis was long considered the Argonauts' African Americans in the [Canadian Football League|first black player]. On February 2, 2021, it was revealed that Curtis was only their second ever black player after Ken Whitlock, a halfback and kicker who played only four games for the Argonauts in 1948.
Curtis is sixth on the Argonauts all-time career touchdown list with 47 touchdowns, fourth on the Argos all-time rushing list with 3,712 yards on 529 carries, second on the Argos all-time list with most yards in a game with 208 yards, and third on the team list of most 100-yard rushing games with 12.
After retirement from football, Curtis remained in Toronto and raised his family. He owned a cleaning business and later became a teacher and coach in the North York Board of Education. In 1959 he coached the North York Knights, a team that played in the national Canadian Junior Football championships. He also helped coach the York University football team in the 1960s.
He was named to the Toronto Argonauts All-Time Argos List in 2005.
Curtis died October 6, 2013, in Toronto.