Article content

The grainy photograph, extracted from a dust-coated box of slides that had not been opened for nearly half a century, captures a memorable moment in Saskatchewan Roughriders history.

Jack Abendschan is shown while attempting a 34-yard field goal on what turned out to be the penultimate play of the CFL’s Western Conference final on Nov. 19, 1972, when the host Winnipeg Blue Bombers lamented a 27-24 loss to the underdogs from Saskatchewan.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Rob Vanstone: 47 years later, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers meet again in a West final Back to video

Roughriders quarterback Ron Lancaster, who doubled as the holder on field-goal attempts, is also visible — sort of — at a moderately illuminated Winnipeg Stadium.

The recollections, I assure you, are much clearer.

Photo by G. Helen Vanstone-Mather

I was at the game, in the company of my sainted mother. She brought along her camera and ultimately took four photographs, the last of which was the aforementioned shot of Abendschan.

The kick was wide, whereupon there was chaos during one of the whackier plays anyone will ever see.