The Toronto Argonauts are celebrating 150 years of existence on Friday and they got a special shoutout from an unlikely source.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats president and CEO Scott Mitchell took to Twitter to post a picture of himself wearing an Argos jersey and congratulate his team’s most bitter rival on their accomplishment.
The photo, which features a rather grim-looking Mitchell, was apparently payment for a wager made on the season series between the two teams. Toronto swept Hamilton four games to none this year, winning by a combined score of 133-71.
“Yes, lost a bet on season series. Painful. But I do want to Congratulate Toronto Argos on 150 years of football. With Ticats roots going back to 1869, that amazing history of these two teams & all CFL teams is only part of what makes our league so great.”
The Argonauts were founded in 1873 and are the oldest continuously operating professional sports team in North America still using its original name. The Hamilton Tigers were founded in 1869, though the modern-day Tiger-Cats did not come into existence until the club merged with the Hamilton Wildcats in 1950.
Mitchell, who is the son of the late CFL commissioner Doug Mitchell, has served as Tiger-Cats president since 2007. The former University of Toronto player and Winnipeg Blue Bombers draft pick is now the managing partner and CEO of the Hamilton Sports Group, which owns both the Ticats and Forge F.C., while also serving as chairman of the Canadian Premier League.
The Ticats (7-8) and Argos (12-2) do not meet again this season, though both clubs have qualified for the playoffs. Mitchell can only exact his revenge if Hamilton advances to the East Final.
