At every CFLOAA Huddle, on the first Tuesday of most months at Local Heroes, Jim McAuley the Ottawa Sports Historian entertains everyone with his research into what happened on a day in that month in Ottawa Football History. Since we always meet on the first Tuesday of the month, Jim has started to select dates later in the month, so he does not duplicate what he has presented at earlier Huddles.
1956 (68 years ago)
West 35 East 0 in the second annual Shrine All-Star game played in Vancouver. The field was rain soaked while the participants had to put up with a bitter cold driving wind, icy rain and a temperature of 35 above. Bud Grant scored a pair of touchdowns with Normie Kwong, Jackie Parker and By Bailey also crossing the goal line. The Ottawa representatives on the East team included Ken Vargo, Kaye Vaughan, Don St. John, Larry Hayes and Don Pinhey.
1957 (67 years ago)
East 20 West 2 in annual CFL Shrine All-Star game played in Montreal. Gerry McDougall had two touchdowns with Cookie Gilchrist getting the other. Both were members of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Ottawa Rough Riders’ representatives included Bob Simpson, Kaye Vaughan, Larry Hayes, Gary Schreider and Lou Bruce. Simpson was named the outstanding player of the game. He contributed two interceptions. He won the Gordon Sturtridge Memorial Trophy. The trophy was in honour of Gord, a former Saskatchewan player, who was killed in a tragic plane crash returning from the 1956 Shrine All-Star game in Vancouver.
1969 (55 years ago)
The citizens of Ottawa held a Testimonial Dinner to honour the 1969 Grey Cup champions, the Ottawa Rough Riders, as well as the Little Grey Cup champions, the Ottawa Sooners. The event was held at the Civic Centre.
1969 (55 years ago)
Bob Ward agreed to a 1970 contract after talking with Ottawa Rough Riders’ owner David Loeb. Frank Clair is expected to sign on as the club’s General Manager and Jack Gotta is expected to be named the team’s new Head Coach.
1976 (48 years ago)
Tom Clements collected the keys to his new car after being named Most Valuable Player in the recent Grey Cup game, after the iconic Clements to Gabriel TD pass!
1986 (38 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders’ General Manager, Don Holtby, resigned from his position.
1986 (38 years ago)
Tom Dimitroff, Ottawa Rough Riders’ Head Coach for the final five games of the season, made it official that he would reject the Riders’ two-year contract offer and would accept a Cleveland Browns Scouting position. Under Dimitroff, the Riders went 0-4-1.
2004 (20 years ago)
Ottawa Renegades’ Head Coach, Joe Paopao, confirmed that he has spoken to Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Head Coach, Jim Daley, about their Offensive Coordinator position. Paopao’s contract runs out with the Renegades at the end of the month.
Note: Jim, the former Ottawa Sooners and the University of Ottawa coach, just finished his 49th year in coaching competing his 10th year as the special team coach with St. Francis University in Nova Scotia. Jim lives in Calgary.
2014 (10 years ago)
Ottawa RedBlacks announced the signing of Jason Maas as their new Offensive Coordinator replacing Mike Gibson.
2016 (8 years ago)
Centre Jon Gott and wide receiver Ernest Jackson of the Ottawa RedBlacks were named to the CFL All-Star squad.
2019 (5 years ago)
Paul LaPolice was introduced as the new Ottawa RedBlacks Head Coach at a news conference.
BIRTHDAYS (DECEMBER 3)
1953 (71 years today)
Marv Allemang, Ottawa Rough Riders’ centre in 1975 and 1976 as well as 1987 and 1988, born at Ancaster, Ontario.
BIRTHDAYS (TOMORROW, DECEMBER 4)
1944 (80 years tomorrow)
Gerry Organ, Ottawa Rough Riders’ receiver, punter and placekicker from 1971 TO 1983, born at Cheltenham, England. Gerry is on the CFL Ottawa Wall of Honour.
