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As the Stampeders gear up to face the Elks on Monday, here's a look at some true Labour Day classics.
Published Aug 29, 2025 • Last updated 14 minutes ago • 6 minute read
2018 Labour Day Classic
Calgary Stampeders kicker René Paredes celebrates his game-winning field goal against the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2018 Labour Day Classic at McMahon Stadium in Calgary. Photo by Darren Makowichuk /Postmedia
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The Labour Day Classic stirs up all kinds of memories for the combatants of the annual Canadian Football League contest.
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Many will be made from this year’s edition — that one slated for Monday between the host Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Elks at McMahon Stadium (4 p.m., TSN, CHQR 770 AM/107.3 FM the Edge).
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But until then — and truly long into the future — here’s a few recalls from the Stampeders, both old and new, and what the game means to them …
René Paredes, kicker
What it means:
“It’s the start of the back nine of the season. That’s when teams are going to put their best foot forward and try to get as many points as you can to get to the playoffs. This is my 14th Labour Day match. It’s a great atmosphere and a great rivalry against Edmonton, and it’s always a super exciting game. So looking forward to another game. This one is a little bit bigger with (former Stamps assistant coach Mark) Kilam now coaching them.”
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His memory: 2018; Calgary 23, Edmonton 20
“I think the biggest one for me is that 44-yarder game-winner that I hit about five years ago. It seems like any other kick, honestly. I take every kick, whether it’s an extra point or a regular field goal or game-winner, the same way. But … yeah … it’s a big game, right? Any time you can hit a game-winner against Edmonton, it’s fun.”
Folarin Orimolade, defensive end
What it means:
“I think Labour Day is kind of that signalling that playoffs are approaching. At that point, you know who are the contenders and the pretenders. So I think it puts like a real demarcation on the season and now the season really starts. And then I think just what it means to Canadians all over to be a part of it, because in America, there’s no Labour Day game in the NFL. So it’s like a really big thing to be the show on a holiday.
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His memory: 2018; Calgary 23, Edmonton 20
“I would say it was my first one I played in, just because it came up the other day, when the team posted a throwback picture of me. That was pretty cool. Just being able to have the jets fly over and everything — I just remember the chills from that. And I forced a fumble in that game, and I think I had three special-teams tackles that game, too. And we were going up against Mike Reilly, a really good quarterback in this league.”
Micah Teitz, linebacker
What it means:
“It’s just a big time in Canadian football. As a kid, I remember that was the game that my dad would take us to — me and all my brothers. And now it means a lot to be a part of it and to be playing in it. And I’m just very grateful to be a part of the Labour Day Classic.”
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His memory: Mid-2000s
“I remember when I was a kid and you don’t think it’s going to snow in early September, but I remember it snowed in the morning of a Labour Day Classic. So my mom made us — me and my dad and my brothers — wear all the snow gear and everything. And then by the time we got to the stadium, the snow had completely melted and it was about 15 or 20 degrees outside — just a beautiful day. Just funny. That’s how Calgary is at that time of year. The weather can change that fast.”
1999 Labour Day Classic
Calgary Stampeders quarterback Dave Dickenson tries to avoid a tackle by Edmonton Eskimos defensive lineman Robert Brown during the 1999 Labour Day Classic at McMahon Stadium. Photo by MIKE RIDEWOOD /Canadian Press
Dave Dickenson, GM/head coach and former quarterback
What it means (telling Postmedia back in 2015):
“It’s a lot of time before the first game against Edmonton and then no time before the second one (the Labour Day Replay) back in Edmonton (next Saturday). You know you’re going to play them back-to-back. You try to put something together that if you win that first one here that you can stay with some stuff. The problem is when you lose that first one here, then the stuff you are saving for the second game isn’t going to work, either.”
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His memory: 1999, Edmonton 33, Calgary 30 (overtime)
“It’s weird, but the one that stands out the most was a loss. Mike McCoy was my backup at QB. It was hot, and we wore our blacks, and it was just so hot on that old turf, and we ended up tied. We went to overtime, and they got a field goal. And then we throw a ball down to the one-yard line on second down. And (head coach) Wally (Buono) says, ‘OK, let’s go for it, and Mike did the short-yardage package. We got it into the end zone, but they had called a late timeout. So we went for it again and didn’t get it — and it was game over and an Edmonton win. We went to Edmonton the next week and whooped them, which is nice to remember. But that Labour Day game is right there for me — the one that I can’t get out of my brain.”
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Jay McNeil, president and former offensive lineman
What it means:
“Coming from the east, I knew a little about the game. I knew that there was that Labour Day rivalry that existed, but I really didn’t know to the extent to which it did. And so in ’94, coming in and talking about, and you hear fans say, ‘Hey, it really doesn’t matter, as long as you win on Labour Day.’ And you don’t know if is it true. But if you’re not going to have a great season but you can beat Edmonton on Labour Day, that certainly helps fans feel better.”
His memory: 1995, Calgary 51, Edmonton 26
“That’s when Doug Flutie was hurt, and Jeff Garcia started the game at home for the first time, and he had six touchdowns and then 546 yards. He had a massive game. But back then, too, what was so special about the rivalry is that generally, the Labor Day series would determine who was going to finish in first and who was going to finish in second in the West Division. So they were dogfights. Like you took the intensity of a regular game and ratcheted it up by 10. It would be that intense of a game. And it was fun. There was a lot of hatred between the two teams and the two cities, and it was very special to be a part of that. And we had a lot of success in Calgary, but we didn’t have as much success when we went back up to Edmonton. So it was really just tremendous, and the fans really got into it.”
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George Hopkins, equipment manager
What it means:
“I think this is Labour Day (Classic) No. 53 for me. I don’t believe all that about the season doesn’t start till after Labour Day. I think Labour Day tells you where you are, right? So we’ve got a pretty good chance this year to make some hay. And it’s got a fly-over (by the fighter jets), so there’s nothing better than that.”
His memory: 1994, Calgary 48, Edmonton 15
“I remember the first time we wore black jerseys, just because of everything that went into it. That was probably the biggest secret ever — we could have worked for the CIA on that one. I had a hand in the design, and I had a hand and trying to get the proper fit without telling anybody what they were being fit for. There was a lot of fun things that went into it, so that was special. The players had no idea we were going to do it. They came in from the warm-up, and the blacks were hanging up. And you would have thought that a bunch of Grade 3s just got promoted or something like that. It was just insane in the locker room. And then we went out and had a really good game.”
tsaelhof@postmedia.com
www.x.com/ToddSaelhofPM
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