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Rob Hitchcock - Safety -
1995-07 - Weber State
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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
|
Rob Hitchcock |
Weber St. |
|
|
Yr |
Team |
Tkl |
Int |
Fumb |
TD |
|
1995 |
Ham |
39 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
1996 |
Ham |
40 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
|
1997 |
Ham |
39 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
|
1998 |
Ham |
48 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
|
1999 |
Ham |
52 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
|
2000 |
Ham |
35 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
2001 |
Ham |
52 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
2002 |
Ham |
59 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
|
2003 |
Ham |
18 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2004 |
Ham |
29 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
2005 |
Ham |
53 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2006 |
Ham |
20 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
2007 |
Edm |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
13 |
484 |
36 |
7 |
1 |
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."
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