Anderson rumbles to team record

Former Southeast standout sets Calgary Stampeders career record.

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian

Kelvin "Earthquake" Anderson's already stellar professional football career reached new heights earlier this week.

The former Southeast Missouri State University standout, in his sixth Canadian Football League season, broke the Calgary Stampeders' career rushing record Monday night when he gained 179 yards against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Anderson, with 7,013 yards, thus surpassed the previous career rushing mark of 6,994 yards that had been held for more than 35 years by Earl Lunsford -- who was ironically also nicknamed "Earthquake."

"It's really exciting," said Anderson during a telephone interview from Calgary Wednesday afternoon. "I knew I needed about 1,100 or so yards going into the season and I really wanted to get it.

"I got a standing ovation from the crowd. It was really emotional and there is supposed to be some kind of ceremony before our next home game."

Calgary's career rushing record isn't the only all-time team mark held by Anderson, a powerful and speedy 5-foot-8, 205-pounder. He is also first in most rushing attempts with 1,393; most 1,000-yard seasons with six; and most consecutive 1,000-yard seasons with six.

In addition, Anderson is second in rushing touchdowns with 46; second in total touchdowns with 66; and third in 100-yard games with 22.

Those are certainly some heady accomplishments for a small-town guy who starred at New Madrid County Central High School before going on to a stellar career at Southeast that saw him become the Indians' all-time leading rusher with 3,392 yards despite playing just three seasons from 1992-94.

"Playing in Canada has definitely worked out well for me," Anderson said. "I'm loving it here."

Anderson, who took over the CFL season rushing lead with 1,178 yards after his big Monday night performance, originally had his sights set on an NFL career when he left Southeast.

Although not drafted, Anderson was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent in 1995 and was one of the team's final cuts.

The following year, Anderson hooked up with the CFL and he's been a star in that league ever since. He burst onto the Canadian scene with 1,068 yards in 1996 to earn Most Outstanding Rookie honors and has never gained less than 1,000 yards in a season.

Anderson, who rushed for a CFL career-high 1,325 yards in 1998, appears well on his way to surpassing that total despite missing two games with various injuries.

"I'm real happy with what I'm doing this year because I came in really beat up after also playing in the XFL," he said. "This has really been my best year so far."

The 29-year-old Anderson figures to have at least several more good years of football left in him. He admits that a chance to prove himself in the NFL is always in the back of his mind, but he'll also be content if that never works out.

"If it's there, it's there," he said of the NFL. "But I'm happy here, too."