The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have a chance to match their franchise record for wins in a season when they entertain the Edmonton Eskimos Friday night.
Kickoff at Tim Hortons Field is at 7 p.m. After the game, listen to The 5th Quarter on 900 CHML and watch it on CHML’s Facebook page.
The Ticats (11-3) have won a dozen games on two occasions, in 1989 and 1998, and in each of those years Hamilton lost in the Grey Cup final.
Hamilton lost an epic back-and-forth championship game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Skydome in 1989, a game some call the best Grey Cup in CFL history.
Nine years later, the Calgary Stampeders edged the Tiger-Cats 26-24 in the 86th final at old Winnipeg Stadium.
Fast forward to 2019 and the Tiger-Cats are one win away from tying their record with four games left on the schedule.
Ironically, the Cats will host a 20th anniversary reunion for the 1999 Grey Cup winning team at Tim Hortons Field. Two decades later, it remains Hamilton’s last championship.
Former Tiger-Cats safety Rob Hitchcock, who was on the ’99 team, will be inducted onto the team’s Wall of Honour in a ceremony Friday night. 12,000 fans will also receive a commemorative Hitchcock jersey rally towel and 5,000 fans will get flags sporting Hitchcock’s No. 42.
On the field, Hamilton welcomes back shutdown cornerback Delvin Breaux from the six-game injured list. Breaux, who has 23 defensive tackles in seven games this season, last played Aug. 1 in Saskatchewan.
The Eskimos (7-7) have won just one of their last five games but arrive in Steeltown with a chance to lock down at least a crossover playoff spot with a win.
In their previous meeting in Edmonton on Sept. 20, Hamilton roared out to a 24-0 lead in the second quarter and held on for a 30-27 victory.
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