JNT alum, Jimmy Ralph, hoists Grey Cup with Argos

Canadian Junior National Team alumnus Jimmy Ralph (Raymond, Alta.) was a member of the Grey-Cup winning Toronto Argonauts on Sunday. Photo Credit: Baseball Canada

By Adam Morissette

Baseball Canada

OTTAWA- Junior National Team alum Jimmy Ralph is a Grey Cup champion.

A 25-year-old wide receiver from Raymond, Alta., Ralph helped the Toronto Argonauts capture the Canadian Football League’s top prize as they defeated the Calgary Stampeders, 27-24, to win the 105th Grey Cup on Sunday.

Ralph, a rookie with the Argos after a two-year stint with the University of Alberta Golden Bears, spent two seasons with the Junior National Team program and represented Canada at the 2010 International Baseball Federation 18U Baseball World Cup in Thunder Bay, Ont., where he helped the squad to a fourth-place finish.

Following the tournament, Ralph turned in his baseball spikes to concentrate solely on football joining the Calgary Colts junior football program before attending Weber State in Ogden, Utah and ultimately landing at the University of Alberta.

It was at the U of A where he became a second team All-Canadian which turned into a free agent tryout with the Argos where he made the squad and dressed for his first CFL game on June 25 of this year.

Including the Grey Cup, Ralph dressed for 17 games with the Argos and had 26 receptions for 278 yards.

Ralph comes from athletic bloodlines with older brothers Brock and Brett having lengthy careers in the CFL, while Brock was a 1999 draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles.

The Ralph family now has three Grey Cup rings with Jimmy joining brother Brock who won two titles as a member of the Edmonton Eskimos.