On This Day In Roughrider History

In my never ending quest to impart my vast array of Rider knowledge to you, the reader, I'm introducing a new feature to the blog that will focus on noteworthy events in Roughrider history.

Whether you know it or not today marks an important day in Roughrider history that we only get to mark once every 4 years...

It was on this day back in 1952 that Rider fans mourned the death of Ruffie the mascot goat. Ruffie died during measures to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease.

Tragic indeed. At least we can take solace in the fact that Ruffie's probably head-butting angels and eating discarded tin cans in that big football stadium in the sky.

So, on this Leap Year Day, we remember that brave little goat who went the way of other Rider icons such as The Flame as the victims of public safety concerns. Let's just hope Gainer doesn't meet an untimely fate as someone tries to get a quarter for his tail.

Mascots that have nothing to do with our team name, a proud part of our Roughrider heritage.