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Richie Hall, playing with the Calgary Stampeders. Source: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/386918736632 (May be subject to copyright) |
They are a reflection of their coach who was just as tough, intense, relentless and hard working when he played.
More than that, Bomber defensive coordinator Ritchie Hall was often the smallest player on the field when he patrolled the defensive backfield for the Calgary Stampeders and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the ‘80s.
Size didn’t matter for Hall.
He stood with giants on the field and now off it.
Size doesn’t matter
Richie Hall stood five feet six inches tall, but that did not stop him from being a great two-sport player in high school, playing football and baseball. He played his college football at defensive back and receiver, for Colorado State from 1980 to 1982.
Richie Hall stood five feet six inches tall, but that did not stop him from being a great two-sport player in high school, playing football and baseball. He played his college football at defensive back and receiver, for Colorado State from 1980 to 1982.
With the NFL looking for bigger players, Hall chose to test his luck north of the border and signed with the Calgary Stampeders in May of 1983.
This is when I first saw him play.
Stampeder success
Hall’s rookie season was 1983, when he played in all 16 games for Calgary, intercepting four passes, recovering two fumbles, returning 50 punts for 561 yards and a touchdown, and returning one kick off for 12 yards.
Hall’s rookie season was 1983, when he played in all 16 games for Calgary, intercepting four passes, recovering two fumbles, returning 50 punts for 561 yards and a touchdown, and returning one kick off for 12 yards.
For his efforts he was named a West Division and CFL all-star defensive back.
In 1984, he appeared in 16 games again, turning in two interceptions for 83 yards, 2.5 quarterback sacks, and two fumble recoveries for 25 yards. He also returned 37 punts for 316 yards.
In 1985, Hall played in 15 games, intercepting three passes for 74 yards, recording one sack, and returning 54 punts for 442 yards.
In 1986, he appeared in 16 games, recording eight interceptions for 166 yards, four sacks, returning one punt for 50 yards, and returning 16 punts for 260 yards. For his efforts, he was named a West Division all-star defensive back.
In 1987, the CFL increased its regular season schedule to 18 games and started keeping track of tackles. Hall appeared in all 18 games for the Stampeders, making 64 tackles, recording one sack, intercepting four passes for 35 yards, recovering one fumble, returning 64 punts for 738 yards, and returning seven missed field goals for 39 yards.
Saskatchewan bound
The Stampeders traded Hall to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in May of 1988, and he was headed east. He suited up in all 18 games for the Riders in 1988, making 51 tackles, recording three quarterback sacks, intercepting two passes for four yards, recovering two fumbles returning them seven yards, and returning 68 punts for 503 yards. He was also named a West Division all-star for the third time in his career.
The Stampeders traded Hall to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in May of 1988, and he was headed east. He suited up in all 18 games for the Riders in 1988, making 51 tackles, recording three quarterback sacks, intercepting two passes for four yards, recovering two fumbles returning them seven yards, and returning 68 punts for 503 yards. He was also named a West Division all-star for the third time in his career.
He ended the decade appearing in all 18 regular season games for Saskatchewan in 1989. He recorded 60 tackles and one quarterback sack, intercepted two passes for 11 yards, recovered one fumble, and returned 44 punts for 395 yards on his way to helping the Riders win the Grey Cup.
The years after
Richie Hall would play two more years for the Riders before retiring after the 1991 season, earning West Division all-star honours again in 1990.
Richie Hall would play two more years for the Riders before retiring after the 1991 season, earning West Division all-star honours again in 1990.
He would move into coaching in 1994 with Saskatchewan, where he handled the secondary from 1994 to 2000, then was defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2008. He moved on to Edmonton where he was head coach in 2009 and 2010, as well as the Eskimos’ defensive coordinator. It was back to Saskatchewan as defensive coordinator from 2011 to 2014, then in 2015 he moved to Winnipeg. There he was the Bombers’ defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2023, and a defensive coach from then on until the present time. He won Grey Cups as a coach with the Riders in 2007 and 2013 and two more as a coach with Winnipeg in 2019 and 2021.
Parting thoughts
Richie Hall is one of the smallest players to ever play in the CFL, which makes his accomplishments as a player that much more impressive. He may have been small in stature, but he was big in heart, determination, perseverance and persistence. He always had a smile on his face and exuded this positive energy.
Richie Hall is one of the smallest players to ever play in the CFL, which makes his accomplishments as a player that much more impressive. He may have been small in stature, but he was big in heart, determination, perseverance and persistence. He always had a smile on his face and exuded this positive energy.
Off the field he has been loved wherever he has gone. The Internet is full of stories of places Richie Hall went and made a positive impact.
When he was playing with the Stampeders in the 1980s, they had a basketball team that would visit schools in the off-season and play their high school teams. That team played against my cousin’s team in Brooks, and he just raved about Richie Hall.
Hall was the smallest player on the basketball court too, but was a great player. More than that, he brought a positive message.
It says something that the first thing my cousin mentioned about that game was meeting Richie Hall.
That is just another example of how Hall may have been small in reality, but played and acted like a giant.
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