Where are they now? (or Most Wanted ex-Ticats)

In this reflective (slow) time of the year, lets open the "where are they now" file and let us know some positive tidbits of past Ticat warriors. I think we all have a great backgrounder story to tell...whats yours? :thup:

(PS: This idea came up on another thread, it was part of an unanswered "what ever happened to Al Brenner" question...do you know?)

I recall many times having enjoyed a talk with one or more of the Ti-Cat players always friendly always willing to discuss football and the CFL. On one occasion I was traveling with a good friend on business in 1982 down in Cumberland Maryland and stopped in at the Holiday Inn for a night stay, went down to the bar area and thought I recognized the person and sure enough it was Carl Crennel the great CFL linebacker of the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Carl was sitting with his wife having a drink and said what a pleasure it was to meet a fan of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the CFL in that part of the USA. I asked Carl what is the greatest thing he misses about playing football and in Hamilton the CFL etc. and he replied the fans in Hamilton were great, always so close to the action, always loud, always cheering and the second thing he missed most was the beer in Canada, Molson and Labattes always cold, I thought that was funny as hell because you knew at the time and it is still that way today that the players in the CFL are not playing for money, they are playing for the enjoyment and for the pride and hopefully to win a Grey Cup and bring that excitement back to your local team.

In another time I was enjoying a dinner with Earl Winfield #1 (now worn by Ti-Cat #1 Arland Bruce), and a few other Ti-Cats of the Time like Lee Knight and Tony Champion at a popular restaurant/bar in Burlington, these guys were great, they talked about their love for the game, the CFL, the Cats and the fans and how much they enjoyed games against Toronto and Winnipeg both had reasonably good teams at the time and the noise in the stands by the fans they thought that was a real hype for them to get pumped up and ready for a game.

My last occasion in meeting Ti-Cat players was at a Trade Show in Toronto for Hardware and Tools and Ryan Donnelly, Rob Hitchcock from the Ti-Cats and Mike O'Shea and Jude St. John from the Argo's were doing some promo work at the Dewalt Tool booth signing autographs, talking trash, talking about football and at the time this was in the year 2002 just after the Cats won the Grey Cup of 1999 and Hitch was talking proudly about the Cats win against Calgary in Vancouver at BC Place in 99 and great party the team had on their return trip to Hamilton, Rob was displaying his Grey Cup ring and talking about his love for playing football in his home town of Hamilton and playing for the great fans there.

I still think today that Rob Hitchcock could still be associated with the Ti-Cats in some way, either in Marketing or Promo work because I think he would be great at selling the Cats and the game, the CFL, further in the Hamilton area.

Now thats what I'm talkin' about, great story! When I was playin' HS ball, I'd run into players at the Y or Downtown, and they would always take a question, especially about specifics about how to play their position. One in particular was Emery Hicks (remember him?), he gave me some great advice.

Emery Hicks - now serving a 20 year sentence in an Oklahoma prison for distribution of crack cocaine.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1045&dat=20040414&id=gTolAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9BIGAAAAIBAJ&pg=1710,1242096
http://docapp065p.doc.state.ok.us/servlet/page?_pageid=394&_dad=portal30&_schema=PORTAL30&doc_num=110103&offender_book_id=17681

What next, you gonna tell me the truth about Santa, or maybe video of someone pulling wings off flies :wink:

Oh, well Mr. Hicks was nice to me...and if you don't have anything nice to contribute to the class blah blah.
Thanks, now how about a nice story. :slight_smile:

"Oh, well Mr. Hicks was nice to me...and if you don't have anything nice to contribute to the class blah blah. "

Well you did ask where are they now.
Unfortunately it's not always good news.

Your absolutely right about Mr. Hicks, the truth has set me free and I'm a better person for knowing that. Maybe Toronto will pick him up for a look. :wink:

On that note, and I don't think he's in prison yet, I have a Garney Henley story. My buddy was laid up with a very bad leg, his father wrote him, and he showed up at his door (he called me over immediately). It was playoff week just before he won the Schenley MVP and then the Cup in in '72. He had the time during that busy period to think of a hurt kid. A real Gentleman, as he always was. :thup:

Jason Riley, OL #56 from the 1986 GC, he has stayed in Hamilton and is going into his 16th season as OL coach of the McMaster football team

great thread idea.

As a walk-on at the University of Idaho, Hobart established himself as a prolific running quarterback in coach Jerry Davitch's option-play offense. When Davitch was replaced by Dennis Erickson a spread passing offense, many wondered whether Hobart, who had barely thrown the ball under Davitch, could keep his starting role. Quickly adapting to the new offense, Hobart emerged as a talented passer being named All-American in 1983 en route to becoming only the second player in NCAA history to pass for 10,000 yards, setting 12 Division I-AA records, and crushing rival Boise State 45-24. Today, the "Kamiah Kid" is ranked the 45th greatest athlete from Idaho by Sports Illustrated.

Ken Hobart rode the bench in 1984 for the USFL's Denver Gold, throwing for a touchdown and 576 yards, and rushing for another 160 yards and a touchdown. In the NFL supplemental draft that year, Hobart was drafted 10th overall by the New York Jets, ahead of future NFL stars Ricky Sanders, Gary Clark, and Mel Gray.

Although he later regretted the decision, Hobart never took a snap in the NFL, landing in Hamilton for the 1985 CFL season where he lit up the league as a rookie. Rushing for an unprecedented 928 yards, he won the Jeff Russell Memorial Trophy for the most outstanding player in the eastern division. To this day, Hobart shares the record for most touchdown passes in a playoff game, having thrown five on November 17, 1985 in a win over Montreal in the eastern final. In a championship loss to the BC Lions, Hobart never quit, scrambling for his life and throwing three touchdowns.

Hobart was replaced by Mike Kerrigan the next season, but took home a Grey Cup ring as a member of that championship team, playing a couple of series late in the game.

He later played in Regina and Ottawa. Today Ken Hobart lives in Idaho where he sells real estate. And now you know the rest of the story.

Stan crisson was an all star tight end for Duke university in the early 1960s He went on to play for Hamilton in 1964-65 and was an eastern all star in 1965. He subsequently retired to become a coach at his alma mater, Duke, and currently lives in the Miami Fort Lauderdale area where he is a successful businessman :cowboy: .

These are great stories...keep 'em comin'! :thup:

Rufus Crawford

[url=http://search.intelius.com/Rufus-Crawford-MhHMO1Cv/websites/frame?h=a62743e37c&title=imdb&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Fname%2Fnm0186950%2F]http://search.intelius.com/Rufus-Crawfo ... 0186950%2F[/url]

Rufus is a former professional football player, who played for the Seattle SeaHawks of the National Football league. He also played seven years for the Hamilton Tigercats of the Canadian Football League where he broke the all time CFL total yardage record, that had stood for 28 years He was honored as the 1980's Hamilton Tigercat player of the decade. The plaque that bears that honor in his name now resides in Hamilton Ontario outside of Ivor Wynne Stadium, Home of the Tigercats. Upon retirement from the professional football in 1986, he began to pursue another passion of his, acting. after taking a year of acting lessons on and off and doing background work in films and commercials, he decided to take his acting passion more seriously. He auditioned for many talent agencies in Toronto, Canada and after securing one in 1987, his career began.

Most wanted ex-ticats :lol: :lol:

good thread.

8) I could never forget the late, great ex Cat Ted Watkins. He was a tall lanky OE who had great hands, and blinding
  speed.  Hamilton got him from Ottawa during the 1967 season.  In that great 67 Grey Cup game in Ottawa, Watkins 
  caught a little dump pass over the middle from Joe Zuger, and rambled untouched 75 yds for the major.

   I attended that Grey Cup game, and to this day, I have never forgotten that play.  It was electrifying for sure.

   Unfortunately Ted Watkins was shot dead during a liquor store robbery in Stockton California just a few months later.

Ted Watkins was not involved as a participant in that robbery, was he Tip?

Ron don't know if Tip is still on the board, but no, Watkins was not involved, he was just an innocent bystander.

8) Well unfortunately Ted Watkins was indeed involved in that robbery, and not an innocent bystander !!!
  The police and district attorney both determined that  Ted Watkins and his younger brother Clifford, were attempting 
   to rob the liquor store.  The owner was struck over the head with a bottle by Ted Watkins, who was then shot in self 
   defence by that store owner.  

   Clifford Watkins was also shot, but he fled the scene, and was arrested later at a hospital.

   Ted Watkins died in the liquor store from 4 gunshot wounds.

    The liquor store owner was not charged, due to the fact it was self defence !!!

Tipper, sorry, all these years I thought he just happened to be in the store.

A POWER back who started with the argos.. and in fact rushed for 175 yards in a game against hamilton in 1975 and over 1000 yards in 1975... Orange was claimed on waivers from the hated A team in august 1976 when the argos picked up Anthony Davis...He played for Hamilton in 1977 and 78 Doyle is currently employed by the Parks and Rex Department of the City of Toronto