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Rob Vanstone: Remembering the Saskatchewan Roughriders' mid-October miracle

Precisely 42 years have elapsed since the Saskatchewan Roughriders shockingly defeated Edmonton on Oct. 14, 1979 at Taylor Field.

Every Oct. 14, I am reminded of the joy that only a 1-12 record can bring.

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It is infinitely better than 0-12, which was the Saskatchewan Roughriders‘ sorry slate when they woke up on a mid-October Sunday morning in 1979, poised to presumably be emulsified by the Edmonton Eskimos (now Elks).

Edmonton, at the time, had suffered only one loss during a season that would end with the team’s second of five consecutive Grey Cup victories.

The Roughriders and Eskimos had met twice before in 1979, with the home team winning 52-20 and 40-0 at Commonwealth Stadium.

Against other CFL foes, the Roughriders had already absorbed losses of 52-10 (to the Calgary Stampeders), 30-1 (Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and 28-4 (B.C. Lions).

Come to think of it, the 1979 Roughriders may have lost their intra-squad game as well.

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Five times in its first 12 games, Saskatchewan had been held to five or fewer points — the, er, high point being a 6-5 loss to Calgary in perhaps the worst football game ever played at Taylor Field.

So, yeah, optimism was overflowing — please note: sarcasm — as fans dutifully shuffled into the stadium early in the afternoon of Oct. 14, 1979.

Sure enough, the Roughriders’ offence was moving at a glacial place to begin the proceedings. Edmonton led 11-2 early in the second quarter. At that point, the “2” actually constituted progress.

But then the unexpected happened. Danny Sanders, who had replaced struggling starter Lloyd Patterson behind centre, looked deep for Joey Walters and connected with No. 17 for a 52-yard touchdown pass. Boom!
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Saskatchewan actually had an opportunity to go into halftime with a lead, but Bob Macoritti (more about him later) missed a 35-yard field goal attempt and settled for a single that reduced Edmonton’s lead to 11-10.

I remember sitting in Section 204, Row 14, Seat 23 and marvelling at the fact that the Roughriders were not being blown out — especially by Edmonton.

How could this be? I had approached oral surgery with more enthusiasm than I demonstrated while journeying to Piffles Taylor‘s playground on Oct. 14, 1979.

Surely, I presumed, Edmonton would assume control in the second half and turn the Roughriders’ defence into pablum once again.

I felt prophetic when Tom Wilkinson hit John Konihowski for a 22-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to help Edmonton assume an 18-10 lead.

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However, the Roughriders quickly countered with three-yard touchdown runs by Harlan Huckleby (following a 49-yard pass from Sanders to Walters) and Patterson (a mobile quarterback who returned to the field in a short-yardage situation).

Just like that, the Roughriders were ahead 25-18.

Inevitably, Edmonton roared back. A 36-yard touchdown run by Jim Germany, punctuated by a Dave Cutler convert, created a 25-25 deadlock.

The tie was broken in less-than-ideal fashion when Macoritti missed another field-goal attempt, this time from 34 yards away, and settled for a single with only 1:30 remaining in the game.

Naturally, Edmonton moved the ball into field-goal range for Cutler, a future Canadian Football Hall of Famer who was called upon to attempt a 32-yard game-winner on the final play.

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And … he … missed.

Saskatchewan’s Emil Nielsen retrieved the ball and, in an attempt to prevent a game-tying rouge, launched a desperation punt from the end zone.

Wilkinson, the holder for Cutler, soon returned the kick — which was caught by Macoritti just inside the Saskatchewan end zone.

As Macoritti punted the ball out of harm’s way, he was knocked to the turf and ended up suffering a serious knee injury that ultimately ended his season.

Macoritti’s final kick ended up sailing out of bounds with time expired, securing a most improbable 26-25 victory for Saskatchewan. Cue pandemonium.

Appropriately, the ice-breaking conquest took place on the 41st birthday of then-Roughriders head coach Ron Lancaster.

“In our position, we can’t be picky,” Lancaster told Jens Nielsen of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix late in the afternoon of Oct. 14, 1979. “We just had to win a game and it happened to be Edmonton.

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“What really made me happy was the way the guys got up for the game and went out and knocked people around. If ever a team deserved to win a game, this one did.”

The fans, 20,042 of whom showed up for a game at which Rider Pride buttons were distributed for the first time, also deserved a chance to celebrate after enduring 12 generally gruesome losses in succession.

“It was the most exciting game I have ever played in,” Sanders told Nielsen, “and I was just thankful I was able to play like I did.”

And I am still thankful that I was there.

(Rob Vanstone is the Regina Leader-Post’s sports editor.)
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