Wray Carlton
Linwood Wray Carlton is a former American gridiron football running back who played professionally in both Canada and the United States
Unable to come to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles, who had selected him in the 1959 NFL Draft, Carlton, a Duke University running back, traveled to Toronto and the Canadian Football League to play for the Argonauts. His Canadian career lasted only four games before he declined a trade to Vancouver, British Columbia, and went home. But another league and another opportunity was in his future.
In his early years with the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, Carlton formed a virtually unstoppable backfield tandem, first with Elbert "Golden Wheels" Dubenion, then with Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist.
On September 18, 1960, in Buffalo's home opener, a 27–21 loss to the Denver Broncos, Carlton made history in the second quarter when he scored the team's first touchdown on a one-yard run. Carlton gained 1,010 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns in the Bills first season.
Later he helped the Bills win back-to-back league championships in 1964 and 1965. Perennially among the AFL's top rushers, he led the league in rushing touchdowns in 1965 and was voted to the American Football League Eastern Division All-Star team in 1965 and 1966. Carlton was the Bills' all-time leading rusher during their AFL years, with a 4.1 yards per carry average. He was cut from the team in the 1968 preseason; he, along with Dubenion, were the last players from the Bills' inaugural season still on the roster.
Carlton was inducted into The Greater Wilmington Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
