All-time Argos selection Marv Luster dies at the age of 82

Marv Luster, who was a six-time CFL all-star with the Toronto Argonauts and won a Grey Cup with the Montreal Alouettes, has died. He was 82 years old.

The Argonauts confirmed Mr. Luster’s passing Monday.

Mr. Luster spent 14 seasons in the CFL as a receiver/defensive back with Montreal (1961-64, 1973-74) and Toronto (1964-72). He was originally drafted in the ninth round of the 1960 NFL draft by the Los Angeles Rams and in the 1960 AFL draft by the Buffalo Bills out of UCLA.

Mr. Luster was named the outstanding player in the 1961 All-American Graduation Bowl.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Mr. Luster, a native of Shreveport, La., was a six-time CFL all-star with Toronto (1966, ‘68-70, ‘71-72). He won his only Grey Cup in 1974 with Montreal.

Mr. Luster had 31 catches for 539 yards (17.4-yard average) with two TDs as a rookie with Montreal. He followed up with a career-high 36 receptions for 725 yards (20.1-yard average) and five TDs in 1962.

Montreal traded Mr. Luster to Toronto during the ‘64 season. He finished his CFL career with the Alouettes.

Mr. Luster was used primarily on defence by the Argos and registered a career-best seven interceptions in 1966. He played in Toronto’s 1971 Grey Cup loss to Calgary.

“Experts don’t always notice what Luster does for us,” former Argos head coach Leo Cahill once said of Mr. Luster. “He calls our defensive signals and has a great attitude.

“He’s absolutely one of the finest players in the country.”

Pete Martin, a former linebacker with Toronto during Mr. Luster’s tenure with the club and president of the team’s alumni association, called Mr. Luster “the best defensive back I ever played with, bar none.

“He was a dynamic player. He ran the defence for us. He called the plays.”

Mr. Luster was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1990 and named to the Argos all-time team in 1998.

Mr. Luster, a nine-time East Division all-star, had reportedly been living in the Atlanta area.