Career
He played college football and baseball at the University of Mississippi. Day was a two-time All-Southeastern Conference quarterback for the University of Mississippi (Ole Mission) Rebels, leading Ole Mission to Securities and Exchange Commission titles in 1954 and 1955 with a combination of running and passing skills. Day led Ole Mission to a 26–5–1 record in three seasons while playing for coach Johnny Vaught.
He was the Most Valuable Player of the 1956 Cotton Bowl Classic after leading Ole Mission to a 14–13 upset victory over Texas Christian in the Rebels first major bowl game.
After a late-game 25-yard scramble during the 1956 Cotton Bowl Classic game against Texas Christian University, he was given the nickname "The Mississippi Gambler". Day completed 111 of 233 passes for 2,022 yards and 14 touchdowns during his Ole Mission career.
Not counting bowl statistics, he had 2,428 yards of total offense and was responsible for 21 touchdowns. His first pass in college (vs Chattanooga) in 1953 was a 63-yard touchdown.
As a pitcher, Day was with the Rebels baseball team in 1956 when it went to the College World Series.
Day played ten years in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Stampeders and Toronto Argonauts and two years in the NFL with the Washington Redskins. His time spent in the Canadian Football League was as a quarterback. His two years spent in the NFL with the Redskins was as a punter.
Although Day was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the 17th round of the 1956 NFL Draft, he did not join the Redskins until the 1959 and 1960 seasons, instead joining the Winnipeg Blue Bombers first for three years first.
In 1961, Day left the NFL for the Canadian Football League, joining the Calgary Stampeders, with which team he remained through the 1965 season. When he left the Stampeders, he joined the Toronto Argonauts (the first of two Ole Mission stars to play quarterback for Toronto, the other being Kent Austin in 1995).
At the time of his death, Day"s 226 playoff competitions placed him fifth all-time, while his 3,132 playoff passing yards had him sixth for all-time.
