1914-11-05oi

“Through the kindness of the officials of the H. A. A. A. , half the proceeds of the gate receipts for the football game between the Tigers and Ottawa next Saturday will be donated to the Red Cross. A record attendance is expected, and this fund will be largely augmented.”

Hamilton Spectator.   November 05, 1914

The Tigers versus Ottawa game was widely anticipated, and ticket sales were sure to be good. Nevertheless, the decision was made to share the proceeds with the Red Cross. As warfare was enacting a major toll on life and limb, the Red Cross Society was in need of support to bring aid to soldiers in Western Europe.

Advance tickets for the game were made available for purchase at the Red Cross headquarters, 42 James street south, and at the Stanley Mills department store. Game day tickets would be available at the game as usual.

The game was the final regular season fixture, a critical tilt for any postseason aspirations of each team. To that end, the Tigers brought in a couple new players, including Gerald “Was” Wigle, a former Tiger and Argo star:

“ ‘Was’ has been induced to turn out and help his former teammates, and will play just long enough tomorrow to qualify himself for anything that may happen after. That does not necessarily mean that he will play in any other games, for the big fellow has made it plain that business comes first with him, and that, if he is available, he will play if needed. In the meantime, he is putting in some training licks and is endeavoring to round into condition.”¹

1     “Ottawa Fourteen Will Meet Tigers at Cricket Field”

Hamilton Spectator.   November 13, 1914.

The rest of the Tigers were also working hard in preparation for the big game:

“The Tigers put in a stiff workout last evening starting after 4 o’clock and continuing so late that the electric lights had to be lighted for the first time this season.” ¹

Long before the games, the residential streets, Charlton, Reginald, Bold and others, were animated as a steady stream of fans proceeded to the H. A. A. A. grounds, originally known as the Cricket grounds:

The game itself was worthwhile for all who attended:

“The Hamilton Tigers went through the formality of staging the final interprovincial fixture of the season at the cricket field on Saturday, when they entertained the Ottawa Big Four outfit to a game, and at the same time collected a nice sum of money for the Red Cross fund.

“The Tigers had very kindly offered the Red Cross workers a 50 per cent split of the day’s proceeds, and with a good-sized crowd on hand there is no doubt but that the Red Cross fund was greatly benefitted.

“As too the game, there was little to it. The Tigers won by a 22-1 score, leading at half-time 11-1. The visitors were entirely outclassed; in fact, at no time did they shape up like a senior outfit, and were the weakest aggregation that has represented Ottawa on a local gridiron in recent years”²

2     “Tigers Had Little Trouble Running Up a 22-1 Score.”

Hamilton Spectator. November 16, 1914

While it may have been a lop-sided win for the Bengals, the game was a success as regards fund-raising and as regards preparing the Hamilton club for postseason play.