May
Riders announce latest class to Plaza of Honor
Courtesy Regina Leader Post:
Tom Burgess was a surprise selection for enshrinement in the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Plaza of Honor — by his own estimation.
“It just wasn’t on my radar,” the former quarterback said Wednesday from Phelps, N.Y., after he, Dan Farthing and Norm Fong were introduced as the 2009 inductees.
“I didn’t really entertain the idea that I’d be going into anybody’s Hall of Fame or Plaza of Honor simply because I didn’t play anywhere long enough. I had a good career, I’m proud of my career, but I played for three different teams.
“I did play eight years with the Roughriders. They were two different Roughriders, but . . .”
Burgess, 45, spent three seasons with Ottawa’s Rough Riders (1986, ’92-93) and five with Saskatchewan’s Roughriders (1987-89, ’94-95). He also played with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1990 and ’91.
His stint in Regina was the most memorable of his 10-season CFL career.
“It is the only place where I became part of the community,” said Burgess, who won a Grey Cup with the Roughriders in 1989 and with the Bombers in 1990. “I lived in Winnipeg for a year and a half, but I didn’t live in Ottawa all year round and never established a connection with members of the community the way I did in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan will always be special for me.”
Being inducted into the Plaza of Honor with two of his contemporaries also was special for Burgess.
“It enhances it when your classmate as it were is somebody you played with or, in Norm’s case, you knew really well,” Burgess said. “It creates a little bit more of the ‘That’s cool’ factor.”
Farthing, 39, joined the Roughriders in 1991 from the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He was behind Ray Elgaard and Jeff Fairholm on the depth chart before becoming a starter in ’94.
Now, Farthing joins those two in the Plaza of Honor.
“I’m speechless, really,” said Farthing, who’s third on the team’s all-time list in receptions (384) and fifth in receiving yards (5,108). “You can go back even further. This team has been fortunate to have some pretty amazing receivers who are also in the (Plaza) who I grew up watching — the Chris DeFrances and the Joey Walters. I had their cards taped to my desk. And then I was pretty awestruck by Fairholm and Elgaard when I came here.
“Obviously I didn’t have Ray’s size or Jeff’s speed, but there were little things that I could take from their toolbox and add to my own and establish my own little niche. They’re very talented guys and I owe a lot of my career to them.”
As a lifelong resident of Saskatchewan, Farthing knows how important the Roughriders are to the province — and that added to his 11-season experience.
“I always thought of myself as being very, very fortunate and privileged to have an opportunity to play a sport for a living,” said Saskatchewan’s nominee for the CFL’s outstanding Canadian award in 1997 and 2000. “It’s a wonderful thing and it is just that: A privilege.
“To get a chance to play football in a place where football really, really, really matters was double the privilege. It was fantastic — even just being in the grocery aisle and having someone come up and ask you to sign a cereal box for their kid. I’m not going to say that happens still — it doesn’t — but it was pretty special.”
Fong, 58, was the Roughriders’ head equipment manager for 30 seasons after assisting Dale Laird for four seasons. Fong retired after the 2008 season.
“I was just so surprised (to be inducted) and my family was elated,” he said. “My daughter was especially surprised because Dan Farthing was her favourite player. It’s really going to be special. There aren’t too many equipment people or trainers in there. To me it’s just a real honour.”
The Plaza of Honor induction dinner is to be held Sept. 18 at the Queensbury Centre.
