By John Metcalfe – Registrar/Statistician Northern Football Conference
On July 15, 2008, Evan Davis of the Oshawa Hawkeyes eclipsed and tied two long-standing individual marks in the Northern Football Conference record book. He scampered for 390 yards on 18 carries eclipsing the single game rushing mark of 335 that Vern Plummer of the Kirkland Lake Alouettes set versus the Val D’Or Jets in 1970. Davis also tied the mark for the longest run from scrimmage when he journeyed 109 yards to the end zone for the major, a mark he now shares with Gerry Allard of Val D’Or whom set the standard against Kirkland Lake in 1967. For good measure, Davis also ripped off a 98 yard scoring major as well. Davis’ marks were set versus the Sarnia Imperials, whom joined the N.F.C. in 2006.
What does this all mean? Well, if one scans the Northern Football Conference record book, what are the oldest records in that book? For individuals, it is Most Singles (rouges) in a game where Lou Novahicka of the Kirkland Lake Alouettes booted four (4) versus the Tri Towns Raiders in 1955. The oldest team record is Fewest Points Allowed in a season, which is 23 established by the Sudbury Hardrocks in the Leagues first season of existence, 1954.
So how does this compare to other loops that a great many of us follow? In Major League Baseball, there are ultimately two sets of records, unofficially. Those set in the very early years and the “modern” ones that seem to the catch the attention of most, such as Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak, Barry Bond’s career home run marks (for now) of 762 in his career and in a season of 73. How about in the N.F.L., most interceptions in a season, which is 14, set by Dick “Night Train” Lane in 1952 while he was a rookie with Los Angeles. The closest since that time is 13 and the most recent of those was Lester Hayes of the Raiders in 1980. In the N.H.L., one of the oldest and surely never to be broken is Glenn Hall starting 512 straight games in goal from 1955 to 1962 with Detroit and Chicago. In track field, records are not for long. The oldest in the I.A.A.F. book is for 25,000 metres set by Toshihiko Seko of Japan in 1981. In going through the track book further, most of the men’s marks have been set in the last 5 years while for the women, most are at least 10 to 20 years in existence. For one of the Leagues that most of you follow, the oldest mark recognized in the C.F.L. record book is Most Singles in a Game, which was 11 by Bert Simpson of Hamilton versus Montreal back in 1910! In this particular record in the record book, the next three best with 10 also came in the 1910s! If one looks at the modern C.F.L., how many are aware that the most yards rushing in a game was established by Ron Stewart of Ottawa versus Montreal with 287 in 1960 or Joe Zuger of Hamilton shredding the Saskatchewan secondary for 8 touchdown strikes in 1962?
Certainly, no one in the N.F.C. let alone other Leagues could see such performances coming. Some records in the N.F.C. book that certainly appears will stand the test of time would be Lee Flores’ mark of 10 two-point converts scored set in 1995. Of course, the book does not give the context that the team Flores played for that year, the Hamilton Wildcats, always went for two after a touchdown. In addition, Dave St. Amour of Sudbury holds the N.F.C. career scoring mark of 538 points when he hung up his cleats in 2006, how long will this mark stand as the next closest active player sits at 415 points? Justin Sevigny of the Toronto Raiders also set a record this past year at Sarnia when he had nine quarterback sacks! The previous best in a game was four; so again, one never knows when something will happen.
Records offer a valuable view to the past of any League in that they allow one to see where it has been. The beauty of them is as shown above; you never know where the next one might come from.