Editor’s note: Stampeders.com is pleased to introduce a new series today as Bill Powers, a legendary figure in the Calgary sports community and a very familiar voice for Stampeders fans, presents the first of a series of articles chronicling the history of the Red and White. Bill, who over nearly two decades served as play-by-play man, colour analyst and host for the Stamps’ broadcasts on CHQR, debuts today with a look back at the great Doug Flutie.

It was a rare on-air news conference in a 19th-floor studio of CHQR Radio early in 1992. In attendance were the radio show host, Dave Rutherford, the station manager, Al Anaka, yours truly as the sports director of the station, and Calgary Stampeders owner Larry Ryckman, who had purchased the club the season before.

The purpose was to announce the extension of the radio rights for QR, a contract that continues to this day, this season marking the 20th straight year.

During the question-and-answer period, I went straight at Ryckman and asked if quarterback Doug Flutie was soon to become a Stampeder. He denied it instantly. Even when I suggested it was in the works and knowing that it was all but done, he continued to deny it. After the show, though, Ryckman took me aside and said: “Billy I have never lied to you before but I admit that I did during the show. We will have Flutie next season but there are touches that have to be made to the contract.”

Days later, he made it official while also saying that he would never lie to me again.

The rest, as they say, is history. Flutie came to the Stamps that season and proceeded to earn his pay in a big-time way, directing a 13-5 season and. in the end, a 24-10 win in the Grey Cup against Winnipeg. In that game, he passed for 480 yards and was named the game’s most valuable player.

He spent four seasons with the Stamps and in all four the club finished first, although in 1995 he had to share some of the spotlight with an up-and-comer named Jeff Garcia, but that was due to an injury.

Over those four seasons, the Stampeders had a record of 58 wins and 18 losses, not to mention four first place finishes and two Grey Cup appearances.

His numbers are dazzling to say the least. Like total passing yards of 20,551, with a season high 6,092 in the 1993 season which included a game in Ottawa where he threw for 556 yards.

All were Stampeder records at the time, although Henry Burris has since surpassed the career yardage mark.

In 1993, Flutie established records with 703 tosses and 416 of them were completed. In a single game in 1992, he threw a record 63 passes in a game against Saskatchewan and the following year set another mark with 37 completions in a contest against Ottawa. His record of 140 career touchdown passes stood until Burris broke the mark in 2009.

Doug Flutie was not here long, but it was long enough to turn the franchise into a winner while being named to all-Western and all-Canadian teams three years in a row. Doug Flutie certainly made his mark as a Calgary Stampeder.