Bob Simpson (Canadian football)

{{Short description|Canadian football player (1930–2007)}}

{{Other people||Robert Simpson (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox Canadian Football League biography

| name = Bob Simpson

| image =

| alt =

| caption = Upload a copyright-free image.

| birth_date = {{birth date|1930|04|20}}

| birth_place = Windsor, Ontario

| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|11|28|1930|04|20}}

| death_place = Ottawa, Ontario

| team =

| number = 70

| status =

| import = no

| position1 = FW

| position2 = tight end

| position3 = defensive back

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 205

| playing_years1 = {{CFL Year|1949}}

| playing_team1 = Windsor Rockets

| playing_years2 = {{CFL Year|1950}}–{{CFL Year|1962}}

| playing_team2 = Ottawa Rough Riders

| career_highlights = *2× Grey Cup champion (1951, 1960)

| CFLEastAllStar = {{CFL Year|1951}}, {{CFL Year|1952}}, {{CFL Year|1953}}, {{CFL Year|1956}}–{{CFL Year|1959}}

| awards = {{plainlist|

• Most Outstanding Canadian runner-up - 1956
• Ottawa Rough Riders #70

}}

| records = Ottawa Rough Rider record, most career touchdowns (70)

| CFHOF = robert-bob-simpson

| CFHOFYear = 1976

}}

Robert L. Simpson (April 20, 1930 – November 28, 2007) was a professional Canadian football player for the Ottawa Rough Riders, and was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1976. He was an IRFU all-star at four different positions throughout his career and was a two-time Grey Cup champion, winning with Ottawa in 1951 and 1960. He also represented Canada in basketball at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/bobby-simpson-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418120059/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/bobby-simpson-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |title=Bob Simpson Olympic Results |access-date=June 17, 2018}}

He was the Rough Riders nominee for the Schenley Most Outstanding Player in 1956, Schenley Most Outstanding Canadian Award three times, and was Most Outstanding Canadian runner-up in 1956.{{cite web|url=http://cfhof.ca/index.php?module=page&id=24&player=Simpson,%20Robert%20(Bob)|title=Robert (Bob) Simpson|work=Hall of Famers|publisher=Canadian Football Hall of Fame|access-date=April 28, 2008}} Over his career with the Rough Riders, Simpson caught 274 passes for 6,034 yards and 65 touchdowns. On defense, he recorded 18 interceptions for 192 return yards and three touchdowns while on punt returns, he had 53 returns for 376 yards (7.1 yard average) and one touchdown.{{cite web|url=http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/s/simpson_bobby.htm|title=Bobby Simpson|website=www.cflapedia.com|access-date=July 9, 2017}} He was the first Rough Riders player to record 1000 receiving yards in a season, doing so in 1956.2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, {{ISBN|978-0-9739425-4-5}}, p.239

He was named to the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame in 1967{{cite web|url=http://www.ottawasportshalloffame.com|title=Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame|work=Inductees |access-date=April 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527103305/http://www.ottawasportshalloffame.com/ |archive-date=2008-05-27|url-status=usurped}} and the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame Museum in 1982.{{cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=4d153dc4-b18e-4fcb-a4f5-56613f8664e0 |title=Windsor gridiron great Bob Simpson dies |last=Caton |first=Mary |date=November 28, 2007 |publisher=Windsor Star|access-date=April 28, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103184853/http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=4d153dc4-b18e-4fcb-a4f5-56613f8664e0 |archive-date=November 3, 2012}}

Simpson represented Wellington Ward on Ottawa City Council from 1960 to 1963.