Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1989
Cecil Turner was one of the most talented athletes ever to compete for the Mustangs. He received All-American honors in football and track and his individual accomplishments are unsurpassed.
In 1967 Cecil won the 100, 220, long jump, anchored the winning 440 relay team and individually scored enough points to win a national championship for Cal Poly. His senior year, Cecil was recognized as one of the top 10 sprinters in the world and passed up a chance to be on the Olympic team to pursue a professional football career.
He was drafted in the fifth round by the Chicago Bears. He went on to start for the Bears in his rookie year as a wide receiver and also played on all the special teams. In 1970, he was an All-Pro performer and tied an NFL record for the most touchdowns on kickoff returns in one season (four). Turner had 21 catches for 364 yards, 108 kickoff returns for 2,616 yards (24.2 average per return), and scored six touchdowns.
Turner was on the roster of the Florida Blazers in the world Football League in 1974 and once beat O.J. Simpson in the 60-yard dash at the Golden Gate Invitational in San Francisco in 1967.
His personal best times are: 9.4 in the 100-yard dash, 25' 11/4" in the long jump, and 40.8 as a member of the 440 yard relay team. He was inducted into the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame a second time in 2005 as part of the 440-yard relay team with Leo DeWinter, Ruben Smith and Jim Edmondson.
Born in Washington, D.C., Turner attended Springam High School in the nation's capital. He moved to Houston following his pro football career.
