Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
TORONTO — Mark’s Labour Day Weekend is one of the most anticipated weekends on the CFL schedule.
The weekend is filled with historic rivalries that fans, and players, across the country look forward to every year.
We get to see the Hamilton Tiger-Cats take on their QEW foes, the Toronto Argonauts. The Battle of Alberta between the Edmonton Football Team and the Calgary Stampeders is never anything less than exciting. And there’s always sparks flying between Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
With the announcement that there would be no CFL football played in 2020 and the league focusing on 2021 and beyond, the dreams of watching three epic battles as we celebrate Labour Day with our friends and family vanished.
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Sure, there won’t be games played this weekend, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some of the LD Weekends of the past.
From Brett Lauther‘s walk-off game winner to a two hour rain delay in Hamilton, CFL.ca takes a trip down memory lane with some of the most memorable Labour Day Weekend moments.
Ending Woes
Sept 4, 2016
Winnipeg 28, Saskatchewan 25
In this Labour Day matchup, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had the lead for most of the contest. Things swung in the Riders favour in the fourth, as they tied things up at 25 thanks to a Kendial Lawrence return touchdown.
Justin Medlock, with his iron leg, booted a 42-yard field goal with zeroes on the clock to lift his team to their first win on LD Weekend in Regina since 2004.
Not only did the victory break a streak of 11 straight losses at Mosaic but it kept another one alive as the Bombers won five straight as they continued to surge in the West Division.
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Sept 4, 2017
Hamilton 24, Toronto 22
Hamilton started the 2017 season 0-8 and as it turned out, all they needed to get their first win was a two-hour weather delay.
In this Labour Day Classic, the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts had a break in action while the skies opened up with rain, thunder and lighting for a few hours before returning to the field to finish out the game.
The Ticats were in need of a win and made sure they left Tim Hortons Field with one. Running back C.J. Gable scored the go-head touchdown with under three minutes left in the game, giving Hamilton their first of six wins to finish out the regular season.
Walk It Off
Sept 1, 2019
Saskatchewan 19, Winnipeg 17
There’s nothing like a walk-off field goal with no time left on the clock. Add in the additional bragging rights of a rivalry game and you’ve got a moment for the ages. In last year’s Labour Day match between Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, Brett Lauther was the hero, booting the game-winning kick from 26-yards out with zeroes on the clock.
Quarterback Chris Streveler put the Bombers ahead with three minutes left on a third-down quarterback sneak, but the Riders stormed back after Cody Fajardo completed five straight passes, eventually setting up the game-winning kick to cap off a 10-play, 87-yard drive.
Bo’s Back
Sept 2, 2019
Calgary 25, Edmonton 9
He had been off the field since Week 3, but when Bo Levi Mitchell hit the turf in this Labour Day game, he looked like the same old Bo Levi. Mitchell threw for 263 yards and a touchdown while completing 19 of 28 passes in his first return from injury.
The Stampeders QB relied on his star receiver, Reggie Begelton, during the 25-9 victory. Begelton hauled in 10 of 12 passes for 138 yards, a two-point convert and the game-sealing TD in the fourth quarter.
Offensive Explosion
Sept 3, 2018
Hamilton 42, Toronto 28
This LD Classic between the Ticats and Argos was an offensive explosion for the men in black and gold. As a team, they put up a total of 539 net yards in their 42-28 win over Toronto.
Jeremiah Masoli had three touchdowns and 385 passing yards while running back Alex Green added in two majors and 115 yards himself. Luke Tasker led all receivers with 143 yards through the air and Brandon Banks hauled in 135 yards and two touchdowns.
Record Setting
Sept 5, 2016
Hamilton 49, Toronto 36
If you were looking for a showcase of two of the premier quarterbacks in the CFL, you got one on Labour Day in 2016.
When Ricky Ray and Zach Collaros opened up the first of a home-and-home series, the two quarterbacks combined for 744 yards and seven touchdowns on the day. The 85 combined points was the highest scoring Labour Day game in history between the two clubs at the time.
Collaros out-dueled Ray with a second-half comeback that secured a 49-36 Hamilton Tiger-Cats win over the Toronto Argonauts to close out Labour Day weekend.
