ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of All-Time Argo Ed ‘Hercules’ Harrington who died Saturday after a courageous battle with Cancer.
ArgosTV caught up with Ed Harrington in 2010 at his home in northern Ontario as he reflected on some of his greatest memories, the Toronto community and what the man they call ‘Hercules’ has done after football.
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Harrington, nicknamed Hercules for being named the Oklahoma State Weightlifting Champion three years in a row, played nine seasons in Double Blue and was named an East Division All-Star four times and a CFL All-Star on three occasions. #54 dressed in eight (8) post-season games and suited up in one Grey Cup game for Toronto, a loss to Calgary in 1971. His two career touchdowns by fumble return as an Argonaut are still tied for most in club history, and twice he led the team in fumble recoveries in 1968 and 1969.
Last season, Harrington was given the ultimate honour that any individual player could receive as a part of the Boatmen as he was named the most recent inductee to the All-Time Argos list.
Harrington attended Langston University in his home state of Oklahoma where he met future Argos teammate, and fellow Oklahoma-native, Granville Liggins. His rights were first acquired by legendary Argos coach and general manager Leo Cahill who brought him to the Toronto Rifles of the Continental Football League and later to the Argonauts.
In addition to being a great football player, Harrington was also a dedicated community ambassador who spent his downtime mentoring youth in Toronto. In 1967, while still playing football, he began working at the local YMCA with underprivileged teens. He was later named Physical Director of the Toronto YMCA, a position he held for several years. Harrington retired from football and worked in the Ontario Ombudsman office for 12 years. He also worked as a patient advocate at both the Whitby, Ontario and North Bay, Ontario Psychiatric Hospitals.