We all remember the “firsts” of things. Like the first day of school or a first date. We know the first person to do this or that. Or something that happens for the first time in history. You get the picture. Today I want to take a stroll down memory lane and remember a first for me: my very first CFL game.
It’s August 1993. Summer holidays are winding down. The effects of recession are still wreaking havoc in Hamilton. And the Tiger-Cats are in a whole lot of trouble. Against this backdrop, I attended my very first Canadian Football League game.
However bleak the situation was heading into the game on August 20, 1993, yours truly was about to have the time of his life. My brother and I had been talking about going to a Ti-Cat game for some time, but we were both students and didn’t have much money. There was a lot of media focus on this particular game but for all the wrong reasons. Quite frankly, there was a real risk of the team going under if fans didn’t turn out in droves for the game. So, it was now or never for us. Our Nan ended up giving us money to purchase tickets. We were off to watch CFL football at old Ivor Wynne Stadium.
Hamilton was 3-3 going into this game. Not bad and good enough for second place in a weak East Division. The opponent that night was the mighty Calgary Stampeders, the class of the CFL, led by quarterback Doug Flutie. Hamilton had their own crop of talented players, too: receiver Earl Winfield, defensive end Tim Cofield, and a rookie linebacker named Michael O’Shea to name a few.
I remember walking into Ivor Wynne Stadium and being instantly engulfed by the game day excitement. Vendors selling popcorn. Programs for sale. The smell of concession food. We bought a pop that came in a plastic souvenir cup featuring an imprinted image of Ivor Wynne Stadium and then made our way up the stairs and got into our seats (Section 7 in the north stands as I recall) to watch the players warming up. “Seats” is rather generous; they were simply benches – backless and not at all comfortable. But that was okay.15-year-old me could handle that just fine.
I was blown away by the sheer size of the field. Watching CFL football on TV really doesn’t do the field size any justice. Being able to panoramically view the whole field and stadium is still something that excites me. The starting lineups for both teams were introduced. The PA announcer was Bill Stirrup, who was one of the best. The crowd playfully jeered the visitors and applauded each Tiger-Cat when their name was announced. The national anthem was sung, the coin toss was held, and a man wearing a bowler hat named Pigskin Pete led the crowd into the famous Oskee Wee Wee cheer. It was time for kick-off.
Unfortunately for us Ti-Cat fans it didn’t start off well at all. Calgary quickly scored…twice. Within three minutes, the Stampeders had two touchdowns and were up 14-0. Calgary continued to dominate and extended their lead to 21-0 only halfway through the opening quarter. Yikes. Around this time, I remember a couple arriving late to their seats only to look at the scoreboard and shake their heads in utter disappointment.
I forget what the halftime entertainment was or if there even was any. In those days they often had contests that were kind of fun like the “ball in the booth” where a fan used a giant sling shot to try and put a ball into the CHML radio broadcast booth that sat atop the south stands.
The Tiger-Cats managed to put up a measly 12 points in the first half. Defence ruled the game for both sides in the second half. Hamilton was shut out and Calgary only managed a single and a field goal. But Calgary had built up such a large early lead that it didn’t matter. Final score: Calgary 31 Hamilton 12.
The Tiger-Cats dropped to 3-4. Hamilton ultimately finished the 1993 season with a dismal 6-12 record. There were 19,402 fans in attendance at Ivor Wynne that night. A little less than the team had wanted but certainly better than the sub-16,000 crowds the previous two games produced. In other words, there was a glimmer of hope.
Fans exited the stadium with mixed emotions. Many were fuming over the home team’s poor play. Others mused aloud whether they had just seen the last of the Tiger-Cats. Dejection. Anger. Sadness.
For me though it was different, and I kind of felt a bit guilty. Sure, the Ti-Cats just got clobbered. But I had finally got to see my first CFL game in person. I was still excited. I was also hooked. And I wanted more. As luck would have it the next home game was going to be against the archrival Toronto Argonauts in the so-called Labour Day Classic. My brother and I certainly didn’t want to miss that. We would have to use our charm on our Nan again and score tickets.
32 years later I look back at some of the great football games I’ve had the good fortune of attending. I’ve seen some memorable classics and have witnessed some truly iconic moments in Canadian football. The game on August 20, 1993, was definitely not one of those. For all intents and purposes, it was a dud. A stinker. But for me it represented something big and something special. It was a first for me. My first football game. And that was the day I became firmly entrenched as a life-long fan of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the CFL.
This is the article in the Spectator that really prompted my brother and me to attend our first Tiger-Cat game in 1993. We would become season ticket holders in 1995.
