Rob Vanstone: Three priceless pictures, one pirate
12/01/2024 03:35 PM
Have we uncovered evidence of the first Saskatchewan pirate?
That thought was entertained after Media Relations Co-ordinator Sebastian Soltes sent me the photograph that adorns this column.
The image is from an Oct. 2, 1977 CFL game between the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Clearly visible, along with fallen Stampeders players, are safety Ted Provost (No. 10), linebacker Rick Konopka (29) and … hold on … who's the guy in the pirate suit?
Curiosity overflowing, I expertly e-mailed an assortment of wise and seasoned Roughriders observers — none of whom recalled an admittedly obscure pirate/pigskin connection.
But it is nonetheless a cool, quirky photo and is therefore presented for your perusal and, ideally, appreciation.
All of this began when Sebastian foraged for photos from yesteryear, at the suggestion of our Director of Communications, Arielle Zerr.
This concept was born last year, when Arielle spotted some unique images in our photo database and, knowing how much I revel in the fine art of nerding out on such things, forwarded them to me.
I proceeded to spend more than 1,000 words detailing how each picture was worth 1,000 words.
It didn't really add up, logically or mathematically, but when has that stopped me before?
Not today, that's for sure, as we bring you today's (pirate-) hat trick.
DISCLAIMER: Although assumptions can be made based on a first glance, we can assure you that the images were not pirated.
(Yes, dear reader, it's going to be that kind of day. Proceed at your own risk.)
PIRATE, REVISITED …
Bill Baker, a Hall of Fame defensive lineman, had two sacks for Saskatchewan in the aforementioned 1977 game at Taylor Field.
So I asked him: Um, do you happen to remember, you know, a pirate on the sideline at Taylor Field?
"Not sure who or what the pirate is," he responded.
Tom Fuzesy was among the 21,505 spectators who watched the Roughriders defeat Calgary 19-17. Well, Tom …?
"Not sure about the pirate," he said in response to my cry for help.
"Maybe the Riders had second thoughts of having a gopher as a mascot — Gainer was announced in July of 1977 — so they auditioned a pirate as a possible replacement.
"Peter the Pirate didn't quite have the right vibe as Gainer the Gopher, apparently."
Former Roughriders President Tom Shepherd — like Baker, a Canadian Football Hall of Fame enshrinee — was also kind enough to reply to an e-mail inquiry.
"Sorry," he said, "but I have no idea about the pirate."
How about you, Keith Willoughby?
"You've got me on this one," he wrote, before offering a theory.
"Fans of the TV series 'Lost' will recall that Season 4 featured flashbacks to the year 1977. Perhaps the 'wandering pirate' slipped back into our 1977 space-time continuum to let us know that three decades later, Rider fans would perform a 'Pirate' rendition as part of every fourth-quarter stretch?"
Now here's a stretch …
It turns out that Oct. 2, 1977 was quite a day for Pirates everywhere.
On the final day of the 1977 Major League Baseball regular season, the Pittsburgh Pirates swept the Chicago Cubs in a doubleheader.
The scores: 5-1 and 3-2.
TRACTOR FACTOR
The second photo in today's selection dates back to the early 1980s.
Showcased are six Saskatchewan-born offensive linemen.
Left to right: Roger Aldag (from Gull Lake), Bryan Illerbrun (born in Gainsborough), Gerry Hornett (Estevan), Bob Poley (Prairie River/Hudson Bay), Kerry Berryman (Yorkton) and Lawrie Skolrood (Saskatoon).
All of them look like linebackers when compared to today's offensive linemen, most of whom exceed 300 pounds.
When the farmyard photo was taken, the 6-foot-5 Skolrood was roughly 260 pounds and therefore considered a giant at the time.
Skolrood was principally a tight end for his first six CFL seasons. He was a rookie Roughrider in 1974 before being traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for tight end Bob Richardson on June 11, 1975.
After 4½ seasons in Steeltown, Skolrood returned to Saskatchewan when he was acquired for quarterback Tom Clements on Aug. 31, 1979.
Skolrood remained a Roughrider through the 1987 season. Most of his extended second residency in Riderville in Saskatchewan was spent at offensive tackle.
In 2008, Skolrood entered the SaskTel Plaza of Honour, joining Aldag and Poley in the Riders' shrine.
Skolrood is the answer to a trivia question: Who is the only Saskatchewan-born player to be drafted by the Dallas Cowboys?
He was selected in the 17th round (438th overall) of the 1974 NFL Draft, having completed his NCAA eligibility at the University of North Dakota.
Dallas proceeded to offer Skolrood a three-year contract that included a signing bonus with a reported value of $15,000.
However, the former Nutana Collegiate multi-sport standout opted to join the Roughriders.
"I'm really happy to be going home to play football," Skolrood told North Dakota-based sports writer Abe Winter in late February of 1974.
"I'm happy with the one-year contract with the Roughriders. It didn't tie me down so much."
Skolrood added that the Cowboys "were fair, but I think my chances in Saskatchewan are better than they would have been at Dallas."
EBER EATS
There was a time, decades ago, when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were not guaranteed to be the Roughriders' opponent on Labour Day weekend.
On Sept. 3, 1973, for example, the Edmonton Eskimos (now Elks) visited Regina for a Monday afternoon matchup.
The Labour Day Classic, as it would eventually be termed, was a typically a Monday game until 1981, when Vince Ferragamo, Billy (White Shoes) Johnson and the Montreal Alouettes were in town for a Sunday spectacle.
Winnipeg versus Saskatchewan has been an annual late-summer happening since 1982.
Back to 1973 …
As far as we can ascertain, the sidelines were pirate-free.
The main character in today's third photo shows No. 14, Rick Eber, who is poised to catch a pass from an ardent Pittsburgh Pirates fan named Ron Lancaster (No. 23).
Eber — a Hugh Campbell look-alike in just one season as a Roughrider — caught seven passes for 122 yards and one touchdown as Saskatchewan won a 28-27 nailbiter on the third day of September in 1973.
A clutch catch by Eber was followed on the next play by George Reed's three-yard TD run. Jack Abendschan added a convert to give Saskatchewan a 28-26 lead with 33 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Edmonton stormed back with a 49-yard pass from Bruce Lemmerman to George McGowan (more about him in a moment) to put Dave Cutler, a future Hall of Famer, in position to attempt a game-winning, 39-yard field goal.
Cutler's kick sailed wide. Jim Elder conceded a meaningless single with one second left.
FINAL: Saskatchewan 28, Edmonton 27.
McGowan finished with 15 receptions — then a CFL single-game record — for 249 yards and two TDs.
Think those numbers are impressive? Check out Eber's stats from Oct. 7, 1967!
As a member of the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane, he caught 20 passes — an NCAA single-game record — for 322 yards and three scores in a 58-0 victory over Idaho State.
The victorious head coach: Glenn Dobbs.
A Roughriders quarterback from 1951 to 1953, he was so beloved in his time here that Regina was dubbed Dobberville.
Dobbs quarterbacked the 1951 Roughriders to a Grey Cup berth after throwing 28 touchdown passes in 14 regular-season games.
Eber, too, was a sensation as a first-year Roughrider.
Then he was off to the World Football League, which began operations in 1974 and folded toward the end of its second season.
Eber debuted in the WFL with the Houston Texans before joining the Shreveport Steamer.
Shreveport eventually fielded a CFL team that existed in 1994 and 1995.
Its nickname: The Pirates.
