| Date of birth | (1936-09-02)September 2, 1936 (age 88) |
|---|---|
| Place of birth | East Canton, Ohio, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| Status | Retired |
| CFL status | International |
| Position(s) | RB |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| US college | Miami (Ohio) |
| NFL draft | 1958 / round: 27 / pick: 324 |
| Drafted by | Cleveland Browns |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1958–1964 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1965–1966 | Toronto Argonauts |
| CFL East All-Star | 1959,1960,1963–1966 |
| Career stats | |
David Thelen (born September 2, 1936)[1] is a formerCanadian Football League (CFL)running back for theOttawa Rough Riders and theToronto Argonauts. He was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1989.
Dave Thelen played semi-pro baseball and was drafted by theCleveland Indians ofMajor League Baseball and by theCleveland Browns of theNational Football League before joining theOttawa Rough Riders of theCanadian Football League in 1958.[2][3][4]
During his 9-year career, Thelen rushed for 8,463 yards on 1,530 carries and scored 47 touchdowns. His best years were 1959 to 1961, when he rushed for over 1,000 yards for 3 straight years. He was the CFL’s leading rusher in 1960 with 1407 yards (5.7 yards/rush) and the eastern conference leader in 1959 and 1965. In one game in 1960, he carried 33 times for 209 yards against theToronto Argonauts. That year, he was part of the48th Grey Cup winning team. In 1965, Thelen was replaced byBo Scott and traded to theToronto Argonauts, playing his final two years with them.