Rare archival video shows fight breaking out at Riders training camp in 1983

Rider training camps are always competitive, as players battle hard for jobs and future stars begin to emerge.

And sometimes that battle boils over, tempers flare, and new prospects get noticed.

That’s what we found in recently uncovered footage of a Roughrider training camp on the U of S campus in Saskatoon in 1983.

Competition was so fierce, cameras caught the moment a fight broke out between linemen Don Swafford and Ken Brown. The two were part of a training camp that saw heavy battles for jobs on both sides of the ball.

Straight-up fights at CFL training camps don’t happen often, let alone in front of the cameras.

That year saw another player with a physical presence — standing at around six-foot two inches and weighing over 200 pounds; hoping to make a name for himself at receiver.

His name was Ray Elgaard.

And at the time, it did not take long for him to impress the Rider coaching staff with his physical play and catching ability.

It was Elgaard’s first pro camp with the riders. And our footage shows him catching a touchdown pass during a scrimmage.

“I feel I’m doing alright. I haven’t really done anything spectacular. But I haven’t blown anything either” said Elgaard during an interview clip we found.

That training camp saw five quarterbacks battling for a spot on the roster, including John Hufnagel, Joe Adams, Homer Jordan, Carl Hall and Steve Clarkson.

Unfortunately, the spirited battles in training camp, did not lead to much on-field success. The Riders would miss the playoffs in 1983 with a 5-11 record.

But it was the start of a glorious career for Ray Elgaard, who would play with the Riders until his retirement after the 1996 season.

He was named to the Roughriders plaza of honour in 1999.

Don Swafford, the six-foot eight-inch, 280 pound lineman, would sign with the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL the next season.

Quarterback John Hufnagel would spend most of that season with Saskatchewan, before moving to play for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He would play his final year in the CFL with Saskatchewan in 1987.