John Ferraro (Canadian football)

For other uses, see John Ferraro (disambiguation).

Johnny Ferraro
Date of birth1910
Place of birthBuffalo, New York
Date of death(1981-09-28)September 28, 1981 (aged 70)
Place of deathBridgewater, New Jersey
Career information
Position(s)Halfback/Kicker
US collegeCornell
Career history
As player
1934–1935Hamilton Tigers
1936–1937Montreal Indians
1938Montreal Nationals
1939Montreal Westmounts
1940Montreal Bulldogs
Career highlights and awards
CFL All-Star1935, 1937 1938, 1939
AwardsImperial Oil Trophy (1938)
Career stats

John James Ferraro (1910 – September 28, 1981) was American gridiron football player. He was an all-star football player in the Ontario Rugby Football Union and the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1966 and the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978.[1][2]

A graduate of Cornell University in 1934 with a degree in hotel administration, he captained both the football and basketball teams and was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. He came to Canada in 1934 and played two seasons with the Hamilton Tigers of the IRFU and played in the Grey Cup. Ferraro then moved to Montreal where he played for 4 teams. Starting in 1936, he suited up for the Montreal Indians, Montreal Nationals, Montreal Westmounts and Montreal Bulldogs. He was also playing coach of the Tigers and Indians.[3]

Ferraro won the Imperial Oil Trophy in 1938 as MVP in the ORFU. He donated the trophy to the widow of Ormond Beach, a previous MVP who lost his life in an accident. The donors of the award sent a new trophy to Ferraro.[4]

Ferraro was married to Edna Letts, of Scotia, New York.[5] He died aged 70, on September 28, 1981, at the Bridgewater Convalescent Center in Bridgewater, New Jersey.[6]

  1. ^ Canadian Football Hall of Fame profile
  2. ^ Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame - John J. Ferraro
  3. ^ CFLAPEDIA entry: John Ferraro
  4. ^ Generous Gesture Made by Ferraro, Ottawa Citizen February 20, 1939
  5. ^ "Junior Makes His Initial Bow to University", Cornell Daily Sun, Volume 55, Issue 40, 8 November 1934, Page 3
  6. ^ "John J. Ferraro of Bridgewater; star college athlete, pro gridder". The Central New Jersey Home News. New Brunswick, New Jersey. September 30, 1981. p. 3. Retrieved April 28, 2020 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.