The 1975 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season was the 18th season for the team in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and their 26th overall. The Tiger-Cats finished in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 5–10–1 record, but lost the Eastern Semi-Final to the Montreal Alouettes.
Tiger-Cats president Ralph Sazio became president of the Canadian Football League in 1975. It would be Garney Henley's last season with the Tiger-Cats where he finished his career with 56 touchdowns. At the time, it was the franchise record for most touchdowns in a Tiger-Cats career. Long-time CFL star Jerry Keeling would join the Tiger-Cats midway through the season, as it would also be his final season in the CFL.
Terry Evanshen set a Tiger-Cats record (since broken) for most touchdowns in one season by a Tiger-Cats player with 13. On September 7, Evanshen scored four of those touchdowns in one game against the Ottawa Rough Riders. He tied Garney Henley's record for most touchdowns in one game by a Tiger-Cats player. In the same game, Evanshen would set a franchise record with most points in one game by scoring 26 points.
Tragedy struck the CFL in October, when 23-year-old, Hamilton Tiger-Cats star Tom Pate suffered an aneurysm in the fourth quarter against the Stampeders at McMahon Stadium. Pate was never again conscious and would die two days later. A year later, the CFLPA announced the Tom Pate Memorial Award in his honour to be awarded to the player who best personifies a unique combination of outstanding sportsmanship and dedication to the league and the community.
Roster 1975 Hamilton Tiger-Cats final roster Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers P
DB
Tight ends Offensive linemen T/G G T C/T G C
Defensive linemen
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams K
Italics indicate American players
Regular season
Season standings + Eastern Football Conference Team GP W L T PF PA PtsOttawa Rough Riders 16 10 5 1 394 280 21Montreal Alouettes 16 9 7 0 353 345 18Hamilton Tiger-Cats 16 5 10 1 284 395 11Toronto Argonauts 16 5 10 1 261 324 11
Season schedule WeekGameDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance 1 1 July 23 vs. Montreal Alouettes L 23–33 0–1 2 2 July 30 vs. Ottawa Rough Riders L 9–31 0–2 3 3 Aug 5 at Montreal Alouettes W 15–8 1–2 4 4 Aug 13 at Toronto Argonauts L 7–27 1–3 5 5 Aug 19 vs. Montreal Alouettes L 13–35 1–4 6 Bye 7 6 Sept 1 vs. Toronto Argonauts W 20–11 2–4 8 7 Sept 7 at Ottawa Rough Riders L 31–56 2–5 9 8 Sept 14 vs. Edmonton Eskimos L 3–17 2–6 10 9 Sept 21 at Saskatchewan Roughriders T 28–28 2–6–1 11 10 Sept 24 at Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 32–34 2–7–1 12 11 Oct 1 vs. Ottawa Rough Riders L 11–16 2–8–1 13 12 Oct 8 at Ottawa Rough Riders L 4–31 2–9–1 13 13 Oct 12 vs. BC Lions W 14–8 3–9–1 14 14 Oct 18 at Calgary Stampeders W 25–23 4–9–1 15 15 Oct 25 at Toronto Argonauts L 23–27 4–10–1 16 16 Nov 1 vs. Toronto Argonauts W 26–10 5–10–1
Post-season RoundDateOpponentResultRecordVenueAttendance Eastern Semi-Final Nov 9 Montreal Alouettes L 12–35 0–1
Awards and honours
CFL All-Stars None
References