Hall of Fame Blue Bombers player Ken Ploen dies at 88 – Winnipeg Free Press

Legendary defenseman Ken Ploen, who led the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to six Gray Cup appearances — including victories in 1958, '59, '61 and '62 — died Tuesday after a long illness.

He was 88 years old.

“Ken Ploen has been the face of the Blue Bombers for years and has been a part of this community since his playing days,” Winnipeg Football Club president and CEO Wade Miller said in a statement. “He was a four-time Gray Cup champion as a player and a great ambassador for our franchise and city.

“The WFC extends our deepest condolences to Ploen's family and to his many friends and family in Winnipeg, as well as across Canada and the United States.”

In the last few years of Ploen's life, the Winnipeg resident suffered from dementia and could no longer recognize family members.

“At first I couldn't talk about it, but now my heart goes out to anyone with dementia because it's so sad to see your loved ones gone,” wife Janet Ploen told the Free. Click in 2023.

Ploen, who grew up in Clinton, Iowa and played for the Bombers from 1957 until his retirement in 1967, was a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. Glory.

In 2005, he was named one of the Bombers' All-Time 20 Greatest. For many, Ploen remains the best player in franchise history.

His composure under pressure was legendary.

“It was his luck,” former 2023 teammate Nick Miller said. “Most importantly, he led the gathering. A football game can be a zoo at times. The guard is saying, “I can make a hole here.” The phrase “I can make a hole here”; It ends with “I Can Beat My Man”; and the midfielder says, “Sweeping works.”

“But they didn't do that with Kenny. When Kenny entered the circle, only one person spoke, and that was Kenny. He took away all the noise and confusion.”

Ploen arrived in Winnipeg after earning MVP honors in the 1957 Rose Bowl, leading the University of Iowa to a 35-19 victory over Oregon State.

In his 11 CFL seasons, he was a two-way player, so he was named a league all-star three times – twice as a quarterback and once as a defensive back (in 1959, with a then-club record 10 tackles).

In the 1961 Gray Cup game, Ploen ran 19 yards downfield and scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime, a 21-14 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Legendary Winnipeg head coach Bud Grant didn't hesitate to use Ploen in any situation.

“We've used him a lot on defense because he's got great athleticism,” Grant 2022 told the Free Press a few months before his death last year.

“He had great athletic instincts and was a natural, intuitive athlete. He would know what was going to happen many times before they happened. Many of your great football players or basketball players or hockey players have had the same instincts… but what we're talking about here is resilience. He had great stamina and he played both ways. He played both ways in Gray Cup games.”

Ploen retired as the Blue Bombers' all-time leading passer in 1967, catching 1,084 passes for 16,470 yards and 119 touchdowns.

He was inducted into the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 1975, the WFC Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Blue Bombers Ring of Honor in 2016.

“He wasn't a stupid guy, that's for sure,” Grant said. “He set an example. He was instinctively a good footballer and the players were drawn to him because they saw the potential to take him to the promised land.”

After his football career ended, Ploens settled in Winnipeg to raise his family. Manitoba's love of the outdoors was a big reason to stay.

“I remember Ken saying he liked to fish, and he said, 'Where else can you do better than Canada?' Janet said.

“When we were getting married, he said, 'You want to live in Canada for two years?' he asked. I said, “Where you are, where I want to be.” 63 years later, we're still here.”

Ploen and Grant formed a close bond that continued after Grant left to coach the NFL's Minnesota Vikings. Outdoor hunters and fishermen alike often gathered for outdoor excursions.

“I think they're very similar,” Janet said of the coach and her former quarterback. “They were very, very private people, quiet people. Very friendly, would do anything for you, but they enjoyed their privacy. I think their personalities were very similar.”

Ploen developed close relationships with teammates, including Hal Ledyard, who came to Winnipeg in 1961 to compete for the starting quarterback job. Ploen made it a point to invite Ledyard and his wife, Barb, into their home — much to the newcomer's surprise.

“He said: 'Why are you inviting me to your house?'” Janet recalled. “'Well, some fellows are coming over, and we thought you and Barb would like to meet them and their wives.' Hal says, “I don't believe it, I'm here to take your job.”

“'Maybe so, but you can still come. We can be friends.' You know these two were best friends from then on” until Ledyard's death in 1973.

After his playing days, Ploen was a long-time sales manager at CJOB and also served as an analyst on Blue Bombers radio broadcasts with Hall of Famer Bob Irving starting in the 1970s.

“It was impossible not to like Ken,” recalled Irving, who will retire in 2021. “He was as down to earth and grounded as any athletic achiever.

“For me, I'm in my mid-20s and here's the legend of the Blue Bomber and I'm going to be in the same room with him on the trip,” Irving said. “I look back on those days and it was very humbling for me, but Kenny was the best guy in the world.

“He basically had no ego, never talked about himself. I often asked him about those great scoring teams, and he just talked about the team, what great players they have and what great friendships they have.”

Chuck Liebrock, the Blue Bombers' offensive lineman from 1970-77, was able to appreciate the soccer legend while working as a sales manager at CKY-TV and later as a regional manager at CBC.

“He was very personable,” Liebrock said in 2023. “He was just one of those guys. He never, ever acted like he was anything special. He was just trying to do his job.”

Ploen's humility and work ethic made him a great colleague.

“He was a joy to work with,” Irving said. “He wasn't trying to take over, if I may use that term. He was an excellent analyst. I would describe the play and then he would come in with some comments and we would work without interruption.

“I think about it again, and it wasn't surprising, but it was very convenient that we worked well together, because I was new to this, and he helped me in many ways, and he really helped me.”

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