Ridgway voted best special-teams player
Six-time CFL all-star became Riders legend when he nailed ‘The Kick’ in 1989 Grey Cup
Our panellists were Robo-pickers when it came to selecting the greatest special-teams player in Saskatchewan Roughriders history.
Dave Ridgway — a.k.a. Robokicker — was an automatic choice.
Ridgway received a first-place vote from each member of a panel consisting of three football historians — Bob Calder, Tom Fuzesy and yours truly — as part of the latest Regina Leader-post poll.
The legendary placekicker is the fifth unanimous choice, following Ron Lancaster ( best quarterback), George Reed (running back), Ray Elgaard (receiver) and Eddie Davis (defensive back).
The other winners were Gene Makowsky (offensive lineman), Bobby Jurasin (defensive lineman) and Wayne Shaw (linebacker).
This is the eighth of 11 bestof polls, which will eventually list (appropriately enough) 110 names in commemoration of the Roughriders’ 110th anniversary.
In the days and weeks to come, we’ll also rate the top 10 builders and early-era players (1910-45), before concluding the series with the top 10 players in Roughriders history — regardless of position.
All three panellists listed 10 people in each category. A firstplace vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth nine, etc.
Over to you, Robokicker ... 1. Dave Ridgway (30 points):
Ridgway’s uncanny accuracy, which was especially evident in clutch situations, was recognized in 2003 when he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Three years earlier, he had entered the Roughriders’ Plaza of Honour. The team had already retired Ridgway’s jersey (No. 36), making him one of only eight Saskatchewan players to be immortalized in that fashion. This six-time CFL all-star is best remembered for The Kick — the game-winning field goal in the 1989 Grey Cup game. With two seconds remaining, his 35-yard field goal gave Saskatchewan a 43-40 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-cats.
2. Corey Holmes (24): Unquestionably the finest return specialist in Roughriders history, Holmes was named the CFL’S most outstanding special-teams player in 2002 and 2005. He was a league all-star both years. Holmes is the Roughriders’ all-time leader in punt-return touchdowns (five). He also returned the opening kickoff of the 2005 season for a major. The Plaza of Honour came calling in 2011.
3. (Tie) Ken Clark (20): Clark, a CFL all-star in 1982, boasted the two best single season punting averages in Roughriders history — 47.4 (1983) and 47.3 (1982) — until Jon Ryan put up a 48.8 last season. In the 1983 Labour Day Classic, Clark unloaded a 101-yard punt (then the longest in Roughriders history) before kicking a 41-yard, game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter to give Saskatchewan a 32-30 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Clark was pressed into duty as an emergency placekicker after Ridgway was hurt earlier in the game. 4. (Tie) Paul Mccallum (20):
Mccallum’s 1,615 points and
408 field goals place him second only to Ridgway in Roughriders history. Ridgway amassed 2,374 points on the strength of 574 three-pointers. Mccallum is the Green and White’s all-time record holder for punts (1,116) and punting yardage (45,670). The West’s all-star placekicker in 2003, Mccallum missed an 18-yard field goal attempt in overtime the following year during the West Division final against the victorious B.C. Lions. Mccallum never again missed a field goal attempt in a divisional playoff game. In the post-season as a whole, Grey Cups included, he was an eye-popping 46-for47 after the 2004 West final. He helped B.C. win Grey Cups in 2006 and 2011.
5. Fred Wilson (18): Wilson, an original member of the Plaza of Honour (1987), was one of the elite players in the early years of the Regina Rugby Club and Regina Roughriders. He was one of the finest kickers in Western Canada.
6. Jack Abendschan (12): A perennial all-star guard, Abendschan was also one of the league’s better placekickers for a decade that began in 1965. He was the Western Conference’s top scorer in 1969 and 1970. In 1972, Abendschan kicked a game-winning field goal on the final play of the West final to give Saskatchewan a 27-24 victory in Winnipeg. He’s a member of the Plaza of Honour (1992) and Canadian Football Hall of Fame (2012).
7. Dan Rashovich (11):
Rashovich excelled on coverage teams during a 16-year CFL career that began in 1984. He joined the Roughriders in 1987, via the Montreal Alouettes dispersal draft, which also enabled Ridgway to return to Saskatchewan. Also a talented linebacker, Rashovich entered the Plaza in 2011.
8. Gene Wlasiuk (8): Wlasiuk, a 1995 Plaza inductee, was a fearless specialist at a time when blocking wasn’t allowed on punt returns. Even so, he returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown in Vancouver on Aug. 9, 1962.
9. Alan Ford (7): Mr. Versatility’s myriad responsibilities included the roles of punter and kickoff returner. His 1,041 punts are the second-most in team history. Ford had a 78-yard kickoff return in the 1969 Grey Cup. In 1992, he was decorated as a Plaza of Honour inductee.
10. Mike Mccullough (6):
Mccullough spent all 11 of his CFL seasons with the Roughriders. He was the team’s special-teams captain for five of those years. In his final game, Saskatchewan registered a 45-23 home field victory over Hamilton in the 2013 Grey Cup. He also helped Saskatchewan win the title in 2007.
Also receiving votes: Curtis Mayfield (4), Larry Isbell (4), Willis Jacox (1).