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Today's 41-7 smashing of the Laurier Golden Hawks
by the Queen's (formerly Golden) Gaels felt oddly
wrong.
It seemed like a voice somewhere was saying, "It's not
supposed to be this easy."
After all, this was a Laurier team that the Gaels hadn't beat since October 11, 2003, back in the Tommy Denison era. This was a Laurier team that was ranked 10th nationally, beat a talented Guelph team in Week 1 and narrowly lost 31-20 to the very impressive Western Mustangs last week. This was also a Laurier team whose head coach, Gary Jeffries, held an overall record of 45-9-0-1 coming into today's match and had never lost back-to-back games. After today, he can no longer make that claim. |
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We have added a new feature of the QFC Weekly
Newsletters by adding a home page for all past
newsletters so fans can search for newsletters they
have missed.
The page also has a listing of the best websites for
information on CIS football and the Gaels.
Click on the link below to check out the page.
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THOUGH THE QUEEN'S GOLDEN GAELS ARE NO
LONGER OFFICIALLY GOLDEN, THE TEAM WILL
TODAY HONOUR SOME OF THE MORE GOLDEN
MOMENTS IN TEAM HISTORY, AS FOUR
CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS CELEBRATE LANDMARK
ANNIVERSARIES
CLINT WALPER WHIG-STANDARD SPORTS REPORTER If you wrote down every one of Doug Hargreaves'
memories of 19 years as coach of the Queen's
Golden Gaels football team, they might just fill a whole
stadium.
A few days before four of the most successful Queen's football squads reunite today at Richardson Stadium, Hargreaves took some time to reflect on the two teams of that group he coached. Hargreaves fronted the 1978 Vanier Cup-winning squad that went a perfect 10-0 and the 1983 team that won the Churchill Bowl but lost a heartbreaking national final to Calgary. "Before the '78 final, UBC was ranked No. 1 in the country and we were No. 3," said Hargreaves. "Before the game, the CBC had set up all their cameras in UBC's dressing room for the post-game stuff. "They were pretty rushed to get them over to our dressing room when the score turned in our favour." Without two of the team's best players in Larry Mohr and Mike Schad, who both watched the national final on crutches, Hargreaves again headed a team not expected to win in 1983. "We were a bit surprised that we went that far," said Hargreaves. "We had good athletes, as good as '78 probably, but we were a bit outmanned in that final game. We went into the game knowing we were going to be facing a tough football team and I was surprised that we were as close as we were as the game progressed. "We went into the ball game distinctly as underdogs again, but we played really well and lost on a play where we almost made the interception. There was no question the better team won that day, but our guys played really well." The other two teams being honoured today are the 1968 Vanier Cup champions and the 1963 Yates Cup champions, coached by the legendary Frank Tindall. What follows is a look back at the final game of the season for each team, with snapshots from some of the players involved. |
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The 1963 Golden Gaels went 6-0. It was the team's
first undefeated season with the legendary Frank
Tindall as head coach and the first undefeated
season at Queen's since 1924.
On what was deemed a perfect day for football in
Toronto, the Gaels capped the season with a 19-15
win over the Varsity Blues.
Queen's led what was a relatively tame affair 13-1 heading into the fourth quarter. After Toronto scored a major to close the gap to 13-8, halfback Bayne Norrie returned the kickoff 98 yards and was on his way to score when a Toronto fan ran onto the field. Norrie lost his balance in trying to elude the fan, which allowed Toronto's Ken Davison to haul him down on the two- yard line. Officials ruled it wasn't clear if Norrie would reach the end zone so they allowed the aided tackle to stand. |
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The 1968 Golden Gaels went 8-1 during the regular
season and playoffs. Their only loss came against
McGill on Oct. 12, a 28-21 defeat. They won the Yates
Cup over Toronto, defeated Manitoba in the Western
Bowl and pummeled Waterloo-Lutheran to earn their
inaugural Vanier Cup victory.
Though Queen's fell behind early in the game
following an end-zone fumble by rookie sensation
Keith Eaman, the Gaels took control of the game.
Quarterback Don Bayne was named the game's MVP
for throwing three touchdown passes and fronting an
offence that compiled 487 yards. Eaman redeemed
himself by running in two majors in the second half,
compiling 93 yards on the ground and 62 yards in
receiving.
Tindall gushed about his Golden Gaels after the game. |
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The first undefeated Queen's squad since 1964,
the '78 team went 10-0 en route to winning the
school's second Vanier Cup with a 16-3 win over the
University of British Columbia. The team remains only
one of two teams to win a national championship with
a perfect record.
In front of 19,124 fans at Varsity Stadium, defence and special teams propelled the team to victory. The Gaels never allowed the Thunderbirds to get past the Queen's 25-yard line and forced four fumbles on the day. Queen's was continually underestimated during the season. Despite being undefeated, the team was never ranked higher than third and just one player, Dick Bakker, made all-Canadian. Queen's coach Doug Hargreaves felt the team responded to the various slights with extra motivation. "It isn't very often in life guys get a chance to prove they're not No. 2." |
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The 1983 Golden Gaels went 7-2-2 en route to a
heartbreaking 31-21 Vanier Cup loss to Calgary. They
opened up the season with four straight wins before
tying Ottawa twice and losing their final regular
season game to McGill, 34-33. They knocked off
Carleton, McGill and Toronto en route to the national
championship.
In front of more than 18,000 fans -including a reported 80 per cent of the Queen's 11,000 strong student body - Calgary scored 11 points in the final three minutes to win. The game showcased two significant comebacks. Queen's was down 17-3 heading into the final quarter, but took the lead, 21-20, with 3:32 remaining. |
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The Gaels will be visiting Toronto next week for a Big
Four matchup with the U of T Varsity Blues.
Prior to the game the Toronto Alumni Association will
be holding a pregame event at Gabby's across the
street from Varsity.
Beginning at 11, the pregame will include the Bands, cheerleaders and lots of Queen's spirit. There will be online registration but if you plan to come then email Maida Pallet from the Toronto office below. pallettm@queensu.ca |
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Cha Gheill
Queen's Football Club
phone:
416-350-5950 (w)
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