The Saskatchewan Roughrider Plaza of Honour Committee has announced four new members will be inducted into the Plaza of Honour as the class of 2021.
This year will be a celebration of Canadian talent as Chris Getzlaf and Andy Fantuz will have their names forever etched into Saskatchewan Roughriders history.
Fantuz played 77 career games for the Saskatchewan (2006-11), recording 4,311 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was a first-round pick of the team out of Western University in 2006 and helped the team earn a Grey Cup victory in just his second professional season.
Getzlaf played ten seasons for his hometown Roughriders (2007-15, 2017) and ranks fifth in club history with 5,694 receiving yards and sixth with 37 receiving touchdowns. He was selected as the Most Outstanding Canadian in the 2013 Grey Cup, which was won on home soil.
Saskatchewan’s first Black star, Gabe Patterson, will be inducted posthumously and Paul J. Hill, who spent more than 22 years on the club’s Board and Management Council, will be inducted as a Builder.
Patterson played collegiately with Kentucky State and the University of Pittsburgh before becoming the second Black player ever to suit-up for the Riders. He made significant contributions on offence, defence, and special teams over two seasons (1947-48) and was named an all-star both years. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 72.
The Plaza of Honour events, which are now overseen by the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation and a committee of volunteers, will include an additional piece going forward: the 13th Fan Breakfast presented by SaskTel.
This special event will happen the morning of the game, Oct. 9, and provides an opportunity for Roughrider fans to meet and mingle with the inductees and share in a special morning in honour of the Riders’ dedicated fan base filled with good food and good beverages.
Look for a brand-new award to be announced in the coming weeks which will be handed out at the breakfast. Tickets for the 13th Fan Breakfast are $40 and on sale now. The Plaza of Honour dinner will be a small, invitation-only fundraising event for the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation.
The annual Plaza of Honour has inducted 131 individuals who have made major contributions to the proud tradition of the Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club. The Club has also inducted the 1966, 1989 and 2007 Grey Cup championship teams.
