 Marv Luster at UCLA (1960) | |
| Profile | |
|---|---|
| Positions | Defensive back •End |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1937-11-27)November 27, 1937 Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | May 25, 2020(2020-05-25) (aged 82) Matthews, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UCLA |
| NFL draft | 1960: 9th round, 97th overall pick |
| AFL draft | 1960 |
| Career history | |
| 1961–1964 | Montreal Alouettes |
| 1964–1972 | Toronto Argonauts |
| 1973–1974 | Montreal Alouettes |
| Awards and highlights | |
Canadian Football Hall of Fame (Class of 1990) | |
Marvin Luster (November 27, 1937 – May 25, 2020) was an Americangridiron footballdefensive back andend. He playedcollege football atUCLA and professional football in theCanadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 to 1974. He was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame in 1990.
A native ofShreveport, Louisiana, Luster later moved westwards where he graduated fromBelmont High School inLos Angeles,California.[1] He attended the nearby UCLA where he ran track and also played for theUCLA Bruins football team.[1] During the 1958, 1959, and 1960NCAA seasons with the UCLA football team, he played on defense and offense (at the back and end positions) and caught 44 passes for 728 yards and eight touchdowns.[2] During the summer of 1959, the movieSergeant Rutledge was in production in Utah and Luster and his UCLA football teammateGene Gaines both got one of the eleven uncredited roles as a trooper created by the film's Director,John Ford, according to AFI.com and IMDb.com. He was selected by theUnited Press International as a first-team end on its1960 All-Pacific Coast football team.[3]
Luster was selected by theLos Angeles Rams in the1960 NFL draft, and by the rival AFL'sBuffalo Bills but opted instead to play in theCanadian Football League (CFL). From 1961 to 1974, Luster starred as a defensive back for theToronto Argonauts andMontreal Alouettes being first in Montreal for 1961-1964, then up Highway 401 to Toronto for 1964-1972, and then back down that highway to Montreal for 1973-1974. He was selected six times as a CFL All-Star (1966,1968–1972) and was part of the1974 Alouettes team that won theGrey Cup. After that first Grey Cup win, with his old UCLA teammate and movie co-star Gene Gaines also on that winning team, Luster retired from football. In 1990, Luster was inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame for his efforts. In November 2006, he was selected by the Canadian sports networkTSN as one of theTop 50 players (#35) of the CFL's modern era.[4][5]
After retiring from football, Luster resided inAtlanta. He died from complications ofCOVID-19 during theCOVID-19 pandemic in North Carolina, at an assisted living facility inMatthews, North Carolina.[6]