View source for Cleveland Vann

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (born 1951)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox CFL biography
| name = Cleveland Vann
| image = 
| alt = 
| caption = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|9|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Seguin, Texas]]. U.S.
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| team = 
| number = 72
| status = 
| position1 = [[Linebacker]]
| height_ft = 
| height_in = 
| weight_lb = 
| college = [[Oklahoma State University]]
| NFLDraftedYear = 1974
| NFLDraftedRound = 5 / Pick 130<BR>(By the [[Miami Dolphins]])
| NFLDraftedPick = 
| NFLDraftedTeam = 
| playing_years1 = 1974
| playing_team1 = [[Southern California Sun]]
| playing_years2 = 1976–1980
| playing_team2 = [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]]
| career_highlights = 
* [[Grey Cup Most Valuable Player]] (1976)
* First-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1973 College Football All-America Team|1973]])
* 2× First-team All-[[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] ([[1972 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1972]], [[1973 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1973]])
| awards =
}}

'''Cleveland Vann''' (born September 3, 1951) is a former [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL) [[linebacker]].

An [[Americans|American]] import, Vann was a member of the [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]] who played the 1976 [[Grey Cup]].  He also played one season in the WFL, with the [[Southern California Sun]], intercepting three passes.  He tore his knee ligaments in a game in July 1979, but returned the following year.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yHhVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Pj8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1836,1300813&dq=cleveland-vann&hl=en Stage is set for his comeback after a sudden injury last year]</ref>  After further hand and wrist injuries, however, he was unable to maintain his place on the roster and retired.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yHhVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Pj8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1836,1300813&dq=cleveland-vann&hl=en Roughriders Clark left 'California Dreamin']</ref>

In the 1976 [[Grey Cup]] Vann's [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]] lost to the [[Ottawa Rough Riders]] 23 to 20. The [[Grey Cup Most Valuable Player]] award was presented to Cleveland Vann, for his second half interception and his wide-ranging play.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iO4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4O0FAAAAIBAJ&dq=cleveland-vann&pg=2659%2C4173797 Never in doubt - it was always in the stars]</ref>

After his football days ended, he went home to Texas to work in law enforcement. In 1989, he returned to Regina, and became a manager with Health and Safety Services at [[SaskEnergy]], and married Connie. Cleveland now works for Magna Electric Corporation in the safety division.<ref>[http://www.riderville.com/article/returning_to_regina_best_decision_of_vann_s_life_aug_15_03] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401234932/http://www.riderville.com/article/returning_to_regina_best_decision_of_vann_s_life_aug_15_03 |date=2012-04-01 }} RETURNING TO REGINA BEST DECISION OF VANN'S LIFE, August 15, 2003</ref>

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

{{Dolphins1974DraftPicks}}
{{Grey Cup Most Valuable Player}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vann, Cleveland}}
[[Category:Players of Canadian football from Texas]]
[[Category:Canadian football linebackers]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Seguin, Texas]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Guadalupe County, Texas]]
[[Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players]]
[[Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football players]]
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Southern California Sun players]]


{{Canadianfootball-linebacker-stub}}