Gene Makowsky and Roger Aldag enjoyed Hall of Fame careers that are, in many ways, identical.
Seasons spent with the Saskatchewan Roughriders: 17.
Home province: Saskatchewan.
CFL lineman-of-the-year awards: Two.
CFL all-star team berths: Five.
Grey Cup championships: One.
Makowsky (from Saskatoon) and Aldag (Gull Lake) are close in other categories.
Aldag was an eight-time West Division all-star. Makowsky made the West’s dream team on seven occasions.
Makowsky played in 284 career regular-season games. In 2011, he broke the Roughriders’ record of 271 that had been held by, of course, Aldag.
It is not surprising, then, that there was a photo finish when a panel of three Roughriders historians — Bob Calder, Tom Fuzesy and yours truly — voted for the top 10 offensive linemen in team history.
Makowsky nosed out Aldag by one point. Ted Urness was just two points off the pace.
This is the fourth of 11 best-of polls, which will eventually list (appropriately enough) 110 names in commemoration of the Roughriders’ 110th anniversary.
The first three winners were Ron Lancaster (quarterback), George Reed (running back) and Ray Elgaard (receiver), each of whom was a unanimous selection.
In the days and weeks to come, we will also rate the top 10 defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs, special-teams players, builders and early-era players (1910 to 1945).
To conclude the series, we will rank the top 10 players in Roughriders history.
All three panellists listed 10 people in each category. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth nine, etc.
Without further preamble, here is how the Roughriders’ offensive linemen line up:
1. Gene Makowsky (28 points): The Canadian Football League’s outstanding offensive lineman in 2004 and 2005, Makowsky was also the runner-up for the award in 2008. Makowsky, Aldag and Hall of Fame defensive lineman Ron Atchison are the only players to have spent 17 seasons with the Roughriders. All are from Saskatchewan. (Atchison, by the way, hailed from Mullingar.)
2. Roger Aldag (27): Aldag won the league’s lineman-of-the-year award in 1986 and 1988. In addition, he received the Mack Truck Bulldog Award — voted upon by opposing defensive linemen — in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1988. Aldag’s uniform number (44) was retired by the Roughriders in 1993.
3. Ted Urness (26): How close was the top-10 poll? Makowsky, Aldag and Urness each received one first-place vote. Also a Saskatchewanian and a Canadian Football Hall of Famer, Urness spent 10 seasons (1961 to 1970) and was named a CFL all-star in each of his final six years as the Roughriders’ centre. He retired at the top of his game, at age 33.
4. Jack Abendschan (19): Abendschan was a West all-star guard in seven of his 10 seasons with Saskatchewan, and was an all-Canadian five times. In addition to being a mainstay on the Roughriders’ offensive line, Abendschan was one of the league’s better placekickers in the 1960s and 1970s. The Hall of Fame came calling in 2012.
5. Brendon LaBatte (18): A virtual lock to join the aforementioned four players in the Hall of Fame, the Weyburn-born LaBatte was named the league’s top offensive lineman in 2013 — a season in which he also helped the Roughriders win a Grey Cup. LaBatte has been named a CFL all-star in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. He spent four years with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before signing with Saskatchewan in 2012.
6. Al Benecick (16): Benecick, also a Hall of Famer, was a CFL all-star in 1964, 1965 and 1966. He also earned West all-star honours in 1963.
7. Clyde Brock (7): Brock was a towering presence at offensive tackle from 1964 to 1975. He made the CFL all-star team from 1966 to 1969, in addition to being a West all-star in 1965.
8. (tie) Andrew Greene (6): Greene’s presence at eighth is a reflection of the calibre of offensive linemen in Roughriders history. This four-time CFL all-star was the league’s top offensive lineman in 2003, three years after being a runner-up for that prestigious award.
8. (tie) Dean Griffing (6): Griffing was a dominating centre from 1936 to 1943 in addition to coaching the team. He, like five (and eventually six) others on this list, is in the Hall of Fame.
8. (tie): Neil Habig (6): Habig, a Roughrider from 1958 to 1964, was the West’s all-star centre in each of his final six seasons. He was also a member of the inaugural CFL all-star team, in 1962. One of the last great two-way players, he also made six interceptions in 1963 while moonlighting as a linebacker.
Also receiving votes: Jeremy O’Day (4); Martin Ruby (2).
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