The Labour Day Classic
STEVE MILTON On the game that’s bigger than black, gold and double blue
Sometimes — but not as often as you’d expect — it has borne relevance to what has happened earlier in the season, and what will happen later.
Every time, that hasn’t actually mattered because the Labour Day Classic has a life of its own.
And let’s get the ground rules straight here. It’s not a Classic, capital C or lower-case, just because the game is played on the first Monday in September in the Canadian city most strongly associated with “labour.”
If the Toronto Argonauts are not the visitors (as has happened 21 times) take all your marketing adjectives and nouns, except for “stupid,” and stuff ’em. It’s just another game.
But when it’s Double Blue against Black and Gold, it’s larger than colour, larger than the 60 kilometres separating the city halls, larger than a beautiful little league that has spent half its life clinging to life.
As time burns on, demographics and other realities change but tradition and mythologies should not, especially when they’re based on perceptions with a dose of historic grounding.
Stereotypes may abound, but these ones keep alive long threads of “Being” and “Community.”
Arguably, if Toronto multiplied Canada’s wealth in its offices, Hamilton created it in its mills. One workforce was typified by suits, the other hard hats. Big Smoke, Little Smoke.
The Argos generally spent more money, and had more elegant pedigreed stars. The Ticats generally lived more frugally, and rudely smashed their way to prominence.
The two cities haven’t tangled in big-time hockey for nearly a century but they’ve always played club football at the highest available level.
All of this, and so much more, comes together seamlessly on Labour Day.
It’s always had greater meaning here than there, and that’s even more pronounced now, as the Argonauts struggle to find their place in the new GTA marketplace.
In that sense, the Goliath has become the David.
But Labour Day still has overall meaning, it still has depth, it still has its oft-repeated storylines.
In this young century, Toronto has more Grey Cup victories (three) than Hamilton (zero) but that, too, doesn’t matter: The Argos are still regularly compelled to endure some of their most torturous moments on Labour Day.
Monday will be the 48th time the Argos have spent Labour Day in Hamilton since the “modern” tradition started with the second game of 1950, the season the old Tigers merged with the old Wildcats to become the new TigerCats.
In the previous 47 Classics, the Ticats have 33 wins, the Argos just 13.
And there was that one tie, which satisfied no one. A victor and a vanquished, please. No
grey areas: This is our Classic.
Here is our list of the half-dozen best Labour Day Classics of the 21st Century. So far, that is.
Sept. 6, 2004: Hamilton 30, Toronto 30
This overtime game had everything but a winner. It was Bob Young’s first Labour Day as Ticat owner, the wind was beyond treacherous to military pre-game skydivers, the Argos John Avery and Ticats’ Troy Davis (franchise record 233 yards) ran wild, an early brawl sent three players to the shower, and a pass interference call against the Ticats allowed the Argos to score the tying touchdown in overtime.
Sept. 5, 2005: Hamilton 33, Toronto 30
Proving that Labour Day is its own reality, the Ticats came in with one win in nine games and would go on to finish last in the East while the Argos (then 6-3) would finish first. In Danny McManus’ last Labour Day game, he completed 17 passes in a row, Jamie Boreham kicked a 43-yard field goal with less than two minutes to go, and defensive tackle DeVonte Peterson sealed the deal with a huge sack of Damon Allen for 24 yards.
Sept. 1, 2008: Toronto 34, Hamilton 31
Forgettable non-playoff seasons for both the Argos (four wins) and Ticats (three) were interrupted by entertaining offensive explosions from Toronto (463 yards) and Hamilton (409 yards) with Kerry Joseph and Casey Printers at the respective helms.
Sept. 1, 2014: Hamilton 13, Toronto 12
A new stadium christened by Labour Day? You couldn’t make this up, so History walked in and said, “That’s Mine.” The interminable construction delays postponed the Ticats taking possession of a still-unfinished Tim Hortons Field a couple of weeks later than anticipated and 72 hours earlier it was still possible the Labour Day Classic would be played in Toronto on the Tuesday. But, deliciously, it became Toronto-Hamilton in the first real home game after 32 games on the road or at Guelph or Mac. Concussion-recovered Zach Collaros played his first game in 58 days and threw for 317 yards. The Argos had the ball in the final minute with a chance to win but the Ticat defence held.
Sept. 7, 2015: Hamilton 42, Toronto 12
Both teams finished August with 6-3 records but this game was over early as the Ticats scored into a stiff wind in the first quarter and led 27-1 by the half. It was notable, however, because the offensive line, victimized for six sacks the previous game provided extraordinary protection, Zach Collaros’ friend Trevor Harris started for the Argos, and Labour Day turned out to be the peak of the Ticats’ last magical run. Two weeks later, at 8-3 on the season and 10-1 all time at Tim Hortons Field, the Ticats lost Collaros (who threw for 400 yards on Labour Day) to injury, and it hasn’t been the same at home since.
Sept. 4, 2017: Hamilton 24, Toronto 22.
The Ticats were reeling at 0-8, the third time they’d come into a QEW Labour Day at 0-8 or worse (they were 0-10 in 2003.) The game, with its 128-minute lightning delay didn’t end until 11:30 p.m., but the wind-blown faithful were rewarded with a tense finish and a Ticat win. It was June Jones’ first game replacing Kent Austin as head coach and he successfully challenged for pass interference late in the game. That set up C.J. Gable’s winning touchdown plunge with 2:30 to go. Lirim Hajrullahu, now a Ticat, had a chance to tie it with 30 seconds left but his 37-yard field goal attempt went left for a single point. Ricky Ray completed 34 passes for 325 yards and Jeremiah Masoli, who took over the No. 1 job from Zach Collaros that day
and hasn’t surrendered it since, was a more modest 19-for-33 for 219 yards. Speedy Banks, promoted to an every-play receiver had a 64-yard touchdown.