Leo Cantor
{{Short description|American football player (1919–1995)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Leo Cantor
| image = Leo Cantor 1945.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Cantor, circa 1945
| number =
| position = Running back
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1919|2|28}}
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1995|6|4|1919|2|28}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lbs = 195
| high_school = Los Angeles (CA) Theodore Roosevelt
| college = UCLA
| draftyear =
| draftround =
| draftpick =
| pastteams = * New York Giants ({{NFL Year|1942}})
- Chicago Cardinals ({{NFL Year|1945}})
| highlights =
}}
Leo "the Lion" Cantor (February 28, 1919 – June 4, 1995) was a Jewish American football player.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RCzxAqM4smQC&q=%22Leo+Cantor%22&pg=PA89|title=Goal Dust: The Warm and Candid Memoirs of a Pioneer Black Athlete and Actor|first1=Woody|last1=Strode|first2=Sam|last2=Young|date= 1993|publisher=Madison Books|isbn=9781461730521|via=Google Books}} He was the 1937 Los Angeles All-City quarterback recipient, played college football for the UCLA Bruins, and played in the National Football League for the New York Giants in 1942 and the Chicago Cardinals in 1945.
Biography
Cantor was born on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CantLe20.htm|title=Leo Cantor Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40344733/brins-land-leo-cantor/|title=Brins Land Leo Cantor|date=March 16, 1938|pages=29|work=The Los Angeles Times }} His older brother was UCLA football player Izzy Cantor and his younger brother was USC football player Albert Canter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/40344310/another-angle-on-leo-cantor-case/|title=Another Angle on Leo Cantor Case|date=March 18, 1938|pages=30|work=The Los Angeles Times }} He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles, where he was the 1937 Los Angeles All-City quarterback recipient and leading scorer, playing in the Northern League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballarchives.com/playerc/cant00200.html|title=Leo Cantor |website=Pro Football Archives}}
USC Trojans football coach Howard Jones recruited Cantor to attend USC and after briefly attending Spring practice at Troy, Cantor transferred to UCLA. He was the only prep football player coach Howard Jones ever personally recruited. It was at UCLA that Cantor played in the same famed backfield as Kenny Washington, Jackie Robinson, and Woody Strode. Cantor would go on to be a three-year letter winner at UCLA and played for the UCLA Bruins from 1938 to 1941.
Wilbur D. Jones, Jr. (2009). [https://books.google.com/books?id=0EkyXxoyJcoC&dq=%22Leo+Cantor%22&pg=PA141 "Football! Navy! War!"; How Military "Lend-Lease" Players Saved the College Game and Helped Win World War II]{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfl.com/players/leo-cantor/?campaign=sf:fanshare:facebook|title=Leo Cantor Stats, News & Video - DB|website=NFL.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://scjewishsportshof.com/cantor.html|title=LEO CANTOR; Football - 1996 |website=Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame}}
Cantor played for the New York Giants in 1942 and, after serving in the US Army Air Corps during World War II, for the Chicago Cardinals in 1945.{{Cite web|url=https://www.profootballhof.com/connect/ww-ii-honor-roll/|title=WW II Honor Roll - Online Exhibits|website= Pro Football Hall of Fame }}{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/C/CantLe20.htm |title=Leo Cantor Stats |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |date= |access-date=2018-05-03}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/leocantor/2511023/profile |title=Leo Cantor, DB |work=Nfl.com |date= |access-date=2018-05-03}} In 1945 he led the Cardinals in interceptions (5 for 70 yards) and rushing touchdowns (5) and yards/passing attempt (6.44), was second in rushing (83 times for 291 yards) and kick returns (6 for 123 yards), and was third in receptions (15 for 159 yards). Cantor also was player of the game in helping snap the Chicago Cardinals 29-game losing streak by upsetting Sid Luckman and the Chicago Bears at Wrigley Field on October 14, 1945.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/stats.nsf/Annual/1945-chc|title=1945 Chicago Cardinals Stats}}
In 1945 and 1946, Cantor played for the Hollywood Bears of the Pacific Coast Professional Football League (PCFL), and in 1948 he played for the Los Angeles Bulldogs of the PCFL.
In 1996 Cantor was inducted into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cantor, Leo}}
Category:Players of American football from Chicago
Category:United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
Category:American football defensive backs
Category:UCLA Bruins football players
Category:New York Giants players