Richmond Connection

This post was inspired by a Redblacks signing made official yesterday.

Most of that is pretty standard fare for a guy signed to the practice roster but it was the mention of Richmond university which caught my eye.

Years ago, while writing out the Ottawa Rough Riders draft history, I noticed that quite a few players acquired through territorial exemption came from Richmond University in Virginia. It seemed unusual for so many local guys to end at that one school but I figured that attempts to research the specifics of the reason would be pointless. The most logical explanation was simply that a member of the Rough Riders organization knew someone at the school.

The details fell into my lap one day. The team began releasing a newspaper during the season in 1978 and I acquired the second issue from that year, dated September. In it, Doug McGee walks us through it all (click image for larger version).

Wayne Tosh, John Palazeti, Rick Sowieta, Doug McGee, Ian Beckstead, Glenn Cook are all mentioned above but running back Mark Philp, and defensive lineman Mark Seale came later. Jim McCaffrey was drafted from Richmond but I don't believe he ever played for Ottawa.

In all, seven players were acquired through the draft from Richmond, the most of any American school (Tosh and Sowieta were not). Nice way to supplement a roster!