By Brad Brown
Citizen Staff

Kipling’s Ed Clark, left, finally got to hold the Grey Cup last Wednesday when it came to Kipling, 75 years after seeing his first Saskatchewan Roughriders game.

He doesn’t make any ridiculous claim to be the biggest, longest-serving, or most dedicated Saskatchewan Roughriders fan on the planet. But make no mistake: Ed Clark has paid his dues.

“I went to my first football game with my dad in 1933,” said the now-87-year-old Kipling resident. “We would jump on the train at 6:30 in the morning and go to Regina for the games. My dad was good friends with Piffles Taylor (for whom Taylor Field is named)… and he had a Model A car that he would take us over to the stadium in.

“Then when the game was over we’d walk down the tracks to the station and get on the train to come home to Inchkeith. That was around 7 p.m. and it was a four-hour ride then so we’d be back by 11 at night.”

Seventy-five years and countless eight-hour round trips to Regina and back later, the third time was a charm for Clark when he finally got to hold the Grey Cup when it arrived in Kipling the afternoon of Jan. 30. Joining the Holy Grail of Canadian football that day were linebacker Mike McCullough, defensive linemen Marcus Adams and Scott Schultz, and offensive lineman Jeremy O’Day.

In a province where Riders fans often profess to being as much a part of the team as the players, few would argue that Clark hadn’t earned the opportunity. Moreso, perhaps, considering he did not have the chance after seeing the team’s previous wins in 1966 and 1989.

“This year (was my favourite) because they weren’t even supposed to make the playoffs,” said Clark, who lists legends George Reed and Ron Lancaster as among his favourite Riders of all time.

“What a great thing that was if you’re a sports fan.”

Clark says he used to attend three or four games a year in his prime, though now follows the team from a 42-inch flat screen TV on his wall (”When you’re 87 years old you don’t fly around too much anymore,” he says with a laugh).

But if Clark has it his way, he may very well have his best view yet as the Roughriders attempt to defend their 2007 title.

“I told the boys the other day that I wanted them to autograph my (Roughriders) flag I had taken off my scooter because I said I’d be coaching them next year,” he said with a laugh.