An Okotoks resident has firsthand knowledge you can’t count the Saskatchewan Roughriders out of this Sunday’s Grey Cup in Calgary no matter how much of an underdog they are against the Montreal Alouettes. He’s got the proof on his left hand in the form of a 1989 Grey Cup ring.

Wayne Drinkwalter and his son Mathew will be rooting for the Saskatchewan Roughriders when they play the Montreal Alouettes this Sunday in the Grey Cup at McMahon Stadium. Drinkwalter was a member of the Riders when they beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 43-40 in the historical 1989 Grey Cup. photo by Bruce Campbell

Wayne Drinkwalter was a nose tackle for the Saskatchewan Roughriders when they beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 43-40 in Toronto on a last minute field by Dave “Robokicker” Ridgeway in what is considered one of the greatest Grey Cup games in history.

“When he lined up for the field goal, we knew he was going to  make it — this was Robokicker,” Drinkwalter  said. “I’m on the sidelines and we all kind of knew he was going to make it. He makes that kick and there is two seconds left. And I get to go on the field for the last play of the game for the kickoff.”

The Roughriders were unexpected guests to the 1989 Grey Cup. They had finished the season with a 9-9 record, good for third place in the West Division. The Riders beat the Calgary Stampeders 33-26 in the Western semifinal and then stunned the heavily favoured Edmonton Eskimos 32-21 in the Western final to earn a trip to the Grey Cup in the newly built SkyDome in Toronto.

He would be up against some old friends at the Grey Cup.

Ironically, Drinkwalter had started the 1989 season with the Tiger-Cats and was cut before the regular season.

“I knew those guys really well,” Drinkwalter said with a chuckle. “They had beat us twice in the regular season and I told them after the last one: ‘Hey we’ll get you in the third game in the Grey Cup.”’

The Grey Cup turned out to be an eye-opener for the then 22-year-old rookie.

“It was the SkyDome and it was the first year for that place,” Drinkwalter said. “It was packed, and there was a lot of green. At first, I was in kind of awe, but once the game got started, you just get down to business.”

It took a while for the Riders to get down to business. They were down 13-1 after the first quarter to the Tabbies.

“I remember thinking, ‘Oh, no, not one of these games again,’ because we got blown out a couple of times that year,” Drinkwalter said. “But we came back in the second quarter and we were down only 27-22 at halftime.

The Grey Cup half-time is longer than a regular season game, which helped the Riders.

“You have that big halftime show so it’s a little different — it gave us time to calm down, focus,” Drinkwalter said. “Coming back in the second quarter gave us some momentum. We weren’t nervous anymore. The game was on.”

The Riders continued that momentum and had a 34-30 lead after three quarters. The Riders appeared to have the game won with a 40-33 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
However, the Tiger-Cats moved the ball down the field on the next drive, which was capped off by a spectacular touchdown catch by Tony Champion to tie the game at 40-40 with 44 seconds left.

“Champion makes this catch where he bends over backwards,” Drinkwalter  said. “But it’s not a letdown for us. We came back from 13-1 and now it’s a tie — we still have a chance to win.

“I knew that was the way Austin (Rider quarterback Kent Austin) was thinking. Let’s get the ball down the field. We got Robokicker.”

He had no idea he was part of history while banging heads with the tough Hamilton offensive line.

“To us we were just trying to scramble and win the game,” he said. “As you’re playing you’re just aware the game is at stake — that’s what it is all about.

“You aren’t thinking about history.”

However,  it was history. The 1989 Grey Cup was the first one for Saskatchewan since 1966. It was all new to Drinkwalter.

“I was just a rookie and I’m now realizing the importance of the win not just for our team, but for the whole province and the older guys on the team who had been there forever,” Drinkwalter said. “Roger Aldag (a Rider hall of fame offensive lineman) wouldn’t let the Cup go. We were running around the field and Roger wouldn’t let anybody else have it.

“So I just went back to the locker room.”

He was a rookie at drinking celebratory champagne too.

“I grabbed this magnum in the dressing room, tried to drink it and it goes right down my throat and up my nose,” he said with a laugh. “Everybody pouring champagne on each other  — it was fun.”

The Riders flew back to Regina the next day and were greeted by a nearly capacity Taylor Field crowd on a cold Monday November night.

“It was crazy — amazing,” Drinkwalter said. “It was a cold night  and everybody was there. What I loved was just the knowledge of the fans. You realize after talking to them how much they knew about the players. Afterall, we were the only pro sports around.”

The 1989 Grey Cup was Drinkwalter’s only appearance in the championship game. He played for the Roughriders until 1995 and then finished his career with the Stampeders in 1996 and the B.C. Lions in 1997.

Drinkwalter hasn’t decided where he will be watching the Riders this Sunday — whether it will be at McMahon Stadium (“I think there will be a few tickets available now,” he quipped) or maybe he will watch the game from home.

There’s no doubt who he will be rooting for. He’ll be showing his “Rider Pride” and quite possibly his Grey Cup ring on his finger.

Drinkwalter is now running a trucking company.

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