Former Western Mustangs Glynn Leyshon and Jude St. John have been named among the London Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2015, the London Sports Council announced today. Six individuals and one team will be honoured at induction ceremonies in November.
Born in Hamilton in 1929, Leyshon attended Western, where he played football and wrestled. He later coached wrestling from 1964-1980, winning eight league titles. In 1976, he was selected as Canadian Inter-university Athletic Union (CIAU) Coach of the Year. He coached the Canadian team in four world tournaments, two world university games and three World Cups. Leyshon is a member of the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame and Western’s W Club Hall of Fame.
Born in London in 1972, Jude St. John attended Western, where he played football from 1991-94. He was an Ontario Universities Athletic Association (OUAA) All Star as well as a member of the Vanier Cup-winning Mustangs in 1994. He played 14 years in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with Hamilton and Toronto. He was a member of the Argonauts’ Grey Cup-winning team in 2004 and was named a CFL Eastern All-Star three times.
Other London Hall inductees included Sam Foxworthy, a professional hockey great from the 1920s and 1930s; Brian Peaker, an Olympic and world championship medalist and record-setter in rowing; Jackie Sheppard, a founder, builder, promoter and slo-pitch Hall of Famer; Ryan Thelwell, a football star at Catholic Central, University of Minnesota and Calgary Stampeders; and the London Majors, 1975 Senior Intercounty champions.
For information, visit the London Sports Council through the Hall of Fame website at londonsportshalloffame.com.