Brian Snelgrove
Ticats.ca
No player in the history of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats has sent as many opposing ball carriers to the turf as Rob Hitchcock.
The hard-hitting Canadian safety was a mainstay in the Black and Gold secondary for 12 seasons (1995-2006) and is the team leader in career tackles with 482. He also leads the Tiger-Cats in career special teams tackles with 122. He is third on the club in career interceptions with 36, trailing only Al Brenner (37) and Garney Henley (59).
A CFL all-star in both 2001 and 1999, Hitchcock was nominated as Hamilton’s Most Outstanding Canadian on three occasions. He was an integral part of their last Grey Cup victory in 1999.
“Basically from day one at training camp everyone jelled together,” says Hitchcock. “We were like one big family. It was a great group of guys and we really looked after each other. There were no superstars. I have never been on a team like it. We crushed a lot of other teams in the regular season that year.”
Seldom has the CFL seen a more punishing tackler than Rob Hitchcock. “Hey that was the biggest thing, I loved to hit people,” says Hitchcock. “I also loved to get the fans going. I would try to wind up the crowd and there is nothing like 25 or 28 thousand wound-up fans at Ivor Wynne Stadium.”
No surprise that the Tabbies returned for a Grey Cup encore against the Stampeders. “Oh yeah, anything less would have been a major disappointment,” he says. “It was sort of weird though, it wasn’t like a Grey Cup atmosphere in Vancouver, but we didn’t really care, we were there to win a football game.”
His most vivid memory is of Darren Flutie “catching a pass one-handed in the end zone,” but adds, “Overall it was a great effort by everybody, and especially a great coaching game for us.”
Hitchcock’s personal highlight was a sack of Calgary quarterback Dave Dickenson in the third quarter. “They were at about our eight yard line and it pushed them back to the eleven,” he says. “That was my most memorable individual effort. They had some terrific offensive players, guys like Dave Dickenson, Allen Pitts, Travis Moore and Kelvin Anderson.”
The former Ticat safety also recalls the parties later that night with friends and family as well as the celebrations back in Hamilton. “It was pretty electric, they really deserved it, they hadn’t had a Cup in a number of years so it was great to share it with the City of Hamilton,” he says.
Hitchcock is currently Vice-President Southwestern Sales for Walton Capital Management Group. He lives in St. Catharines with his wife and two young children. “That pretty much keeps me busy,” says the former star. “I play a little golf and get to as many Tiger-Cat games as I can.”
This Saturday, the Tiger-Cats will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 1999 Grey Cup championship team. Ticats.ca spoke to several members of that team to discuss their memories of the 1999 season that ended with a 32-21 victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the Grey Cup final.
