The Hamilton Tiger-Cats will have a new addition to their uniform when they take the field Friday for a potentially East Division deciding matchup with the Toronto Argonauts.
To honour the late Angelo Mosca, who passed away last weekend after a long battle with Alzheimer’s, every Ticats player will be wearing a new ’68’ helmet decal. That number, worn by Mosca during his illustrious Ticats career, is one of only two numbers permanently retired by the club in its 152 year history.
Known as the meanest player in CFL history, Mosca personified the city’s hard-nosed grit for 12 seasons, first from 1958 to 1959, then again from 1962 until his retirement in 1972. In between, Mosca had brief stops in Montreal and Ottawa.
Standing six-foot-four and 275 pounds, the Notre Dame product was a monster in the era before official defensive statistics were kept. Mosca was twice the the runner-up for the league’s Most Outstanding Lineman award and was selected as an East Division all-star six times. He would later translate his ferocious on-field reputation and nickname of ‘King Kong’ Mosca into a successful pro wrestling career.
Mosca was elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1987 and remains tied with former teammate John Barrow with a CFL record nine Grey Cup appearances. He would win the trophy five time, four with Hamilton. He is considered by many to be the greatest Ticat of all time.
The team intends to wear the decal for the remainder of the 2021 CFL season.
