Stampeders great Wayne Harris dies at 77

The Calgary Stampeders are mourning the loss of longtime linebacker Wayne Harris, who died Thursday at the age of 77.

Harris played with the Stamps from 1961-72. He was named a CFL All-Star eight times and won the Grey Cup in 1971 over the Toronto Argonauts.

CFL commissioner Jeffrey L. Orridge issued a statement regarding the loss:

It has been said that those who can see farther can do so because they stand on the shoulders of giants, the men or women who came before them. In our league today, when we see a bright future ahead for the CFL, it is because we stand on the shoulders of the greats who built this league.

There is no doubt that Wayne Harris was one of our greats, one of our giants. He was a superb talent and by all accounts, a wonderful gentleman, who leaves behind a community in Calgary that cherished him, many fellow Canadians that remember him, and most importantly, I am sure, a family that loved him and always will.