Rob Vanstone: A history nerd's guide to 2025
01/03/2025 02:11 PM
Now that 2025 has arrived, let's look ahead to several days on which we can look back.
Here, from the files of a cobwebbed historian, is a lengthy list of milestones that merit commemoration in the year ahead:
135 YEARS
Sept. 29, 1890: The Manitoba Free Press applies the Rough Riders nickname to Regina-based North West Mounted Police teams that are to play rugby and cricket matches in Winnipeg on back-to-back days (Oct. 2-3, 1890). The newspaper clipping, uncovered in recent years by researcher Chris Sinclair, is the first evidence in gridiron circles of a moniker that will eventually become synonymous with Saskatchewan. The MWMP (later RCMP) teams are unrelated to the Regina Rugby Club, which is not formed until 1910.
130 YEARS
March 29, 1895: Neil Joseph (Piffles) Taylor is born in Collingwood, Ont. Taylor eventually makes key contributions to the Roughriders and Canadian football as a player, coach and executive. Taylor Field is named in his honour on Sept. 6, 1947 — 3½ months after his death at age 52. In 1963, he is among the first group of inductees into the newly formed Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
125 YEARS
Aug. 24, 1900: Greg Grassick is born in Regina, Northwest Territories. A future Roughriders player, coach and board member, Grassick — who played an integral role in the incorporation of the forward pass into the Canadian game — is recognized in the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1982) and SaskTel Plaza of Honour (posthumously in 1988). As well, Regina's Grassick Park is named in his honour.
120 YEARS
Sept. 1, 1905: Saskatchewan is established as a province. That is an essential first step, of course, in the eventual transformation of the Regina Roughriders into the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The first evidence of the re-naming is found in the Club's 1946 yearbook, although widespread use of the provincial label does not take hold until the late 1940s.
115 YEARS
Sept. 6, 1910: The Regina Rugby Club (RRC) is formed at an organizational meeting.
Oct. 1, 1910: The RRC plays its first game — a 16-6 loss to the Moose Jaw Tigers. The match is played at the Moose Jaw Baseball Grounds, located on the current Crescent Park site (near the Moose Jaw Public Library). The RRC's first touchdown — then known as a try, worth five points — results from a 92-yard fumble return by Ted Porter.
Oct. 8, 1910: The RRC makes its home debut, losing a 7-6 nailbiter to Moose Jaw at Dominion Park. The venue's site is now occupied by Value Village and commemorated by markers on Broad Street.
110 YEARS
Nov. 6, 1915: The RRC wins its fourth consecutive Western Canadian title by defeating Saskatoon 11-1 at Cairns Field.
100 YEARS
1925: The Roughriders nickname is used throughout a season for the first time.
90 YEARS
Oct. 24, 1935: The Roughriders play their final regular-season game against a provincial foe, posting a 41-1 Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union victory over the visiting University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The following year, the Roughriders are part of the newly formed Western Interprovincial Football Union, along with the Calgary Bronks (later the Stampeders) and Winnipeg Rugby Club (forerunner to the Blue Bombers).
80 YEARS
Sept. 10, 1945: The Roughriders hold their first practice in four years. Play had been interrupted, except for military-based teams, after the 1941 season due to the Second World War. The 1945 Roughriders play three exhibition games and two playoff contests under co-coaches Don King and Lindsay Holt. (The Roughriders later played exhibition games against the U of S in 1945 and 1948.)
75 YEARS
Oct. 21, 1950: Sammy Pierce becomes the first Saskatchewan Roughriders player to score a touchdown on offence and defence in the same game. In the second quarter against the host Blue Bombers, Pierce reaches the end zone on a 55-yard punt return and a four-yard run. A 36-1 victory gives Saskatchewan second place in the WIFU.
70 YEARS
Oct. 22, 1955: Ken Carpenter scores two touchdowns in a 33-7 home-field victory over the B.C. Lions. The two scores give Carpenter 18 TDs for the season and a franchise record that stands to this day.
60 YEARS
Oct. 17, 1965: The first Sunday pro football game at Taylor Field takes place. The Saskatchewan-Winnipeg game is played before 17,919 spectators — at the time the second-largest home crowd in Roughriders history. Until June of 1965, it was unlawful to charge admission for sporting events that were held on a Sunday afternoon.
Oct. 24, 1965: George Reed rushes for 268 yards — an enduring franchise single-game record — in a 30-24 victory over the Lions in Vancouver. Also of note in that game: Ron Lancaster throws a 102-yard TD pass to Gord Barwell on the first play from scrimmage.
Nov. 25, 1965: Having rushed for a team-record 1,768 yards in 1965, Reed becomes the first Roughrider to be named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player.
50 YEARS
May 9, 1975: Football royalty meets football royalty. Iconic NFL quarterback Johnny Unitas visits Regina for a sports dinner, held at the Hotel Saskatchewan. Before the function, Unitas socializes with Reed and Ron Lancaster, the latter of whom grew up idolizing the Baltimore Colts legend and fellow product of the Pittsburgh area.
July 23, 1975: Reed scores his 127nd career touchdown, becoming pro football's all-time leader, as the Roughriders open the 1975 season with a 20-2 home-field victory over Calgary. Reed moves past Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown.
July 29, 1975: Saskatchewan engineers a miraculous rally to defeat the Montreal Alouettes 24-20 at the Autostade. With 1:09 left in the fourth quarter, Lancaster hits Rhett Dawson for an 85-yard, game-winning TD pass.
Oct. 12, 1975: Reed becomes the first pro football player to rush for nine miles in a career. He accomplishes that feat in a 20-14 victory at Winnipeg Stadium. In the same game, Lancaster leapfrogs his idol, Unitas, and becomes pro football's all-time passing-yardage leader. The Little General sets the record by completing a pass to Steve Mazurak for a five-yard gain on the first play of the game. Blue Bombers give Lancaster a standing ovation.
Nov. 16, 1975: Reed plays what would be his final game — in the Western Final at Edmonton. He agrees to a one-year contract extension the following January, only to surprisingly announce his retirement on May 31, 1976.
40 YEARS
April 22, 1985: The Roughriders mark the franchise's 75th anniversary by introducing the new uniforms that form the basis for the current look. The silver pants, wrap-around "S" on the helmet, etc., are modelled by running backs Craig Ellis and Darrold Clardy.
May 15, 1985: The Roughriders announce that, for the first time, every road game will be televised.
Aug. 30, 1985: The team's all-time all-star team is announced. It consists of Ken Preston (general manager), Eagle Keys (head coach), Lancaster (quarterback), Reed (running back), Bobby Marlow (running back), Hugh Campbell (receiver), Rhett Dawson (receiver), Joey Walters (receiver), Chris DeFrance (receiver), Ted Urness (centre), Jack Abendschan (guard/kicker), Al Benecick (guard), Martin Ruby (tackle), Clyde Brock (tackle), Glenn Dobbs (punter), Ron Atchison (defensive tackle), Ed McQuarters (defensive tackle), Bill Baker (defensive end), Garner Ekstran (defensive end), Wally Dempsey (linebacker), Wayne Shaw (linebacker), Roger Goree (linebacker), Bruce Bennett (defensive back), Steve Dennis (defensive back), Ted Dushinski (defensive back), Keh McEachern (defensive back) and Lorne Richardson (defensive back).
30 YEARS
Sept. 3, 1995: Saskatchewan defeats Winnipeg 56-4 and sets a team record for largest margin of victory (52 points). The record is tied on Sept. 2, 2012, when the Roughriders blank the visiting Blue Bombers 52-0.
Sept. 17, 1995: Don Narcisse extends his consecutive pass-catching streak to 138 games — a CFL record — as the Roughriders defeat the Memphis Mad Dogs 34-32. Tony Gabriel, whose record Narcisse surpasses, is on hand at Taylor Field to offer congratulations. Narcisse finishes the 1995 season with 123 receptions, still a Roughriders record. The pass-catching streak reaches 216 in 1999, when Narcisse plays his final game.
Oct. 14, 1995: The Roughriders defeat the visiting Stampeders 25-20 before 55,438 spectators — the largest crowd in Saskatchewan football history. Taylor Field's seating capacity doubled with the installation of temporary bleachers leading up to the 1995 Grey Cup Game.
Nov. 20, 1995: In the first Saskatchewan-based Grey Cup Game, the Baltimore Stallions defeat Calgary 37-20. Baltimore becomes the first (and only) American-based team to win a CFL championship. The CFL's American experiment soon ends after three seasons.
25 YEARS
Jan. 28, 2000: Danny Barrett is named the Roughriders' head coach. Barrett and Roy Shivers become the first Black coach-GM combination in professional football history.
March 7, 2000: Free-agent quarterback Henry Burris, a future Canadian Football Hall of Famer, signs with Saskatchewan. Burris throws for 4,647 yards and 30 TDs as a first-year Roughrider.
20 YEARS
Jan. 1, 2005: Jim Hopson, the Roughriders' first president-CEO, begins what would be a 10-year tenure. Hopson is ultimately inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, SaskTel Plaza of Honour and Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.
Sept. 18, 2005: Omarr Morgan enjoys one of the finest fourth quarters of any player in Roughriders history. At 1:49, the veteran cornerback scores on a 46-yard interception return. Paul McCallum's convert gives Saskatchewan a 34-33 lead over the visitors from Edmonton. In the waning seconds, Morgan blocks a 31-yard field-goal attempt, enabling Saskatchewan to emerge with a 37-36 victory in a classic CFL contest.
10 YEARS
March 1: Craig Reynolds, who had been named the Roughriders' president-CEO on Dec. 16, 2014, formally begins his duties. He takes over from Hopson, who in May of 2014 had announced his plans to step down.
Nov. 8, 2015: Future Hall of Famer Weston Dressler plays his final game as a Roughrider, catching two passes for 13 yards in a 30-24 victory at Percival Molson Stadium in Montreal. Both of Dressler's receptions, including the walk-off winner in overtime, produce a touchdown. What an ending!
