By: Barre Campbell
Photo: Scott Grant
OTTAWA – The Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), owners of the Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League, today announced a tribute to Ottawa’s last CFL championship team, the 1976 Ottawa Rough Riders. A 1976 Canadian silver dollar was permanently embedded in the asphalt that will form the base for the REDBLACKS new playing field at TD Place during a ceremony that included Gerry Organ, a player on the 1976 Grey Cup champion Ottawa Rough Riders.
“It’s an honour for me and my teammates that the REDBLACKS took the time to honour us in this way,” said Organ, a kicker who scored 11 points in the Riders’ 23-20 victory over Saskatchewan in the ’76 Grey Cup. “We had a lot of talent and positive energy on that team and hopefully the ’76 coin brings good luck to the REDBLACKS this season and in the future.”
Also present for the ceremony were Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, OSEG Sports President Jeff Hunt and REDBLACKS fan Scott Bradley who suggested the idea to Mr. Hunt and donated the silver dollar. “I found the 1976 silver dollar in a drawer and it instantly brought back memories of that tremendous Ottawa Grey Cup victory,” said Bradley. “Then I thought about the “Lucky Looney” that was frozen into the ice to bring luck to the Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and wondered if we could do something similar for the REDBLACKS…and here we are! Go REDBLACKS!”
“I thought it was a great idea and I’m very thankful to Scott for suggesting it,” said Jeff Hunt. “Whenever we win a close game in the dying minutes of play I’m sure a lot fans will remember the Tom Clements to Tony Gabriel pass that won the ’76 Grey Cup for Ottawa and the karma of the coin embedded under the turf.”
The laying of the turf at TD Place will commence tomorrow and continue for the next two weeks. Stadium construction is in the final fit-up stage and on-time for the REDBLACKS home opener on July 18.
Video clips and photographs of today’s event are available for download by journalists by request.
