BIRTHDAYS (TODAY) – SEPTEMBER 2
1936 (89 years ago)
Dave Thelen, Ottawa Rough Riders fullback, born at East Canton, Ohio.
At the Huddle there was a birthday celebration with Canadian Football Hall of Fame Dave, wife Bonnie, and daughter Lana and son-in-law Scott. There was a candle in the hamburger bun and the birthday song!
1943 (82 years ago)
Bill Cline, Ottawa Rough Riders’ defensive back from 1965 to 1967, born at Valdese, North Carolina.
1965 (60 years ago)
Rick Wolkensperg, Ottawa Rough Riders’ slotback from 1987 to 1989, born at Riverside, California.
1982 (43 years ago)
Greg Moss, Ottawa Renegades defensive back in 2005, born at Miami, Florida. He is currently Assistant Defensive Backs Coach for Florida State Seminoles.
September 2, 1950 (75 years today)
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 26 Ottawa Rough Riders 17 at Lansdowne Park in the home opener in front of 13,000. It was the first game the Hamilton team played as Tiger-Cats after the amalgamation of the ORFU’s Tigers and the Big Four’s Wildcats.
S E P T E M B E R 2 1
1940 (85 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders (Big Four) 10 Toronto Balmy Beach (ORFU) 0 in an exhibition game before 3,000 at Lansdowne Park. Bunny Wadsworth plunged for the Ottawa touchdown. Tiny Hermann converted. The Governor General Foot Guards and Ordnance Corps personnel were guests of honour. The game was played in temperatures of 92 degrees in the shade.
1947 (78 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders 8 Montreal Alouettes 3 at Delormier Stadium in Montreal.
Note: The Riders won the previous day, 28-23, at Lansdowne Park.
1951 (74 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders signed lineman Mel Aull, formerly of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was the only deaf player in Canadian football during his playing days.
1957 (68 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders 55 Toronto Argonauts 14 at Varsity Stadium in Toronto before 15,845. It was the Argos sixth consecutive defeat. Bobby Judd and Al Pfeifer scored two touchdowns each. Single majors were scored by Tommy Lewis, Ted Smale, Bob Simpson and Frank Fraser. Judd’s first major came on a runback of a failed placement bid in the opening frame that Judd returned 112 yards. His second touchdown came on a lateral from Simpson. Pfeifer’s scores came on 45 and 49-yard receptions of Tom Dimitroff aerials. Lewis intercepted a pass and returned it 46-yards for a touchdown. Smale picked up a loose ball by quarterback Tom Dublinski when hit by Joe Upton and Bill Sowalski. It was Ottawa’s third touchdown scored by the defensive team. They intercepted seven of Dublinski’s passes. Frank Fraser ended the scoring on a 35-yard run. Gary Schreider converted six of the touchdowns.
1962 (63 years ago)
Calgary Stampeders 36 Ottawa Rough Riders 32 in front of 16,265 at Lansdowne Park. Ottawa had TDs from Russ Jackson, Dave Thelen, Ernie White and Ron Stewart. Jackson’s touchdown came on an 18-yard run. Calgary was in second spot in the West with a record of 5-4-1, while the Rough Riders were 4-4-0 in the East.
1968 (57 years ago)
Calgary Stampeders 27 Ottawa Rough Riders 24 at Lansdowne Park before 24,218. Russ Jackson completed touchdown passes of 14 yards to Margene Adkins and 65 yards to Whit Tucker in the second quarter to go along with a Don Sutherin field goal in the first quarter, to take a 17-3 halftime lead. The only other Ottawa touchdown came from Vic Washington with 1:31 left to play.
1972 (53 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders placed cornerback Jimmy Elder on no-recall waivers and signed linebacker Chuck Zapiec.
1980 (45 years ago)
Toronto Argonauts 41 Ottawa Rough Riders 17 before 33,156 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. Richard Crump was involved in both Ottawa touchdowns; recovering a fumble in the end zone and then tossing a 20-yard pass to Martin Cox for a major. Defensive end Jimmy Walker had a 36-yard fumble return. Defensive back Jon Sutton had a 90-yard interception return. Rider’s QB, Condredge Holloway, was upset at not getting the starting assignment, which went to Jordan Case. Holloway is in the final year of his three-year contract and negotiations have reached a standstill. He makes approximately $55,000 a season and has made it clear in the past that he is looking for a significant raise.
1982 (43 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders traded offensive lineman Miles Gorrell to Montreal Concordes for a third-round pick in this year’s college draft. They also added deep back Charles Johnson, linebacker Jeff Gabrielsen and receiver Mike Collymore to the lineup for their next game against Saskatchewan in Regina.
1984 (41 years ago)
Ottawa Rough Riders 32 Edmonton Eskimos 23 before 19,387 at Lansdowne Park. The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak. Tim McCray rushed for three touchdowns. In total, he carried 30 times for 211 yards. Defensive end, Ray Harrison, playing in his first CFL game, scored a touchdown when he picked up a loose ball and rambled 46 yards for the major.
1985 (40 years ago)
Whit Tucker, former Ottawa Rough Riders’ receiver, was inducted into Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame.
1990 (35 years ago)
Edmonton Eskimos 41 Ottawa Rough Riders 29 at Edmonton before 30,109. Eskimos ran their consecutive home win streak to 16 regular-season games. They held down first place in the Western Division with a record of 9-3-0. Ottawa was at 4-8-0. David Williams, Damon Allen and James Ellingson scored the Ottawa majors. Dean Dorsey booted 11 points, including three field goals.
2014 (11 years ago)
Saskatchewan Roughriders 35 Ottawa RedBlacks 32 in overtime at Regina in front of 33,427. Chris Milo kicked a 22-yard field goal to put the home team up in the second round of the mini-game format. RedBlacks had an opportunity to tie the game, but the Roughriders penetrated the RedBlacks blocking formation and Brett Maher’s 37-yard field goal attempt was deflected and the Westerners came away with their ninth win of the season against three setbacks. Ottawa was in control going into the final quarter with a 29-17 advantage. Saskatchewan put 15 points on the board in the final 15 minutes, while Ottawa could only come up with a field goal. RedBlacks net offence was 405 yards as compared to the opponents 345. Wallace Miles caught two Henry Burris passes for touchdowns to lead the Ottawa club. Burris completed 23 of 38 for 282 yards and three touchdowns.
Ottawa’s record was 1-10-0, suffering their eighth loss in a row for the first-year franchise.
