I was born on November 18, 1967 in Calgary.

It was also a Stampeders game day.

And that’s when I became a Stamps fan.

While my mother was at the hospital getting prepared for the big event — my birth — both my dad and the doctor felt there was plenty of time to sneak out and catch Game One (it was best-of-three then) of the Western Final at McMahon Stadium.

The iPhone was still 40 years away from hitting the market, so neither of these men were able to be reached when my mom was thrown into labour.

While the Stampeders went on to beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 15-11, a team of nurses helped deliver Mrs. Hall’s second son.

Born into that, it was a given that a lifetime Stampeders fan was born. Both of my parents have passed away in the last two years, but that’s a story I’m happy they helped preserve in our family’s history.

I grew up in the 1970s and 1980s when the Stampeders were the biggest game in town because the Calgary Flames hadn’t arrived yet. It was a big deal going to the games at McMahon Stadium. I can remember being a 12- or 13-year-old and going to the games with my friends. My parents would let us go by ourselves and sit in the Safeway Zone. That was a big deal and a big thrill and for me, that’s a golden era in my mind and in my youth, despite the fact that the team wasn’t very good.

Back then, the battle lines were clearly drawn north of the city and the original Battle of Alberta was raging. Home dates with the Eskimos were sacred events. Success was not as frequent as the last few years in Calgary, but loyalty to the Stampeders was never a problem.

And that was during the Edmonton Eskimos glory days, when they won five straight Cups from 1978-1982. They were the mighty Eskimos and the hated Eskimos and there was this deep-rooted Alberta hatred that you get for the community up north.

During my years at the University of Alberta, I remember going to Commonwealth Stadium in 1991 when Edmonton hosted the Western Final against the Stampeders. I, of course, was there decked out in my Stampeders tuque, you know, the one that looks like a helmet.

The Stamps were behind 33-18 — or something like that — in the third quarter and this was the Battle of Alberta so everyone was heckling me. I was the only Stamps fan in my entire section. I thought it was terrible, but I kept that Stampeder tuque on anyways.

The Stampeders mounted a huge comeback in the fourth quarter and as we started coming back, their fans got quieter and my voice got louder and louder. With about a minute to go in the game, Danny Barrett threw this terrific pass to PeeWee Smith who caught it and ran right through the endzone and into the tunnel and that was the winning touchdown. I was running up and down the stairs with my tuque on and couldn’t have been happier. I’ll forever remember that.

Despite all that time living in Edmonton — for three years — never did I wain on my hatred for the Eskimos. That’s in me. I just can’t stand the Eskimos.

I moved to Nelson, B.C., after finishing school and have lived here since 1994 … just when things were starting to get real good with the Stampeders. Forced to watch the success from afar, my loyalty to Calgary has never wavered, which can be a challenge living in the land of the Lions.

My parents used to host a Grey Cup party every year. The Grey Cup was a time for celebration, regardless of whether the Stampeders were in it or not. It was a formative part of my life because even today, all of these years later, I still go to Grey Cup parties or host parties at my house.

It’s really become similar to Easter or Christmas for our family. When I host Grey Cup parties now, it’s usually with people cheering against me. So I’m still that guy running up and down the steps at Commonwealth Stadium, fighting against a crowd that’s hostile towards the Stampeders. You don’t find too many Stamps fans in Nelson.

We’ll be holding another party this year … my mom and dad will be close by in spirit. Well, actually my dad will probably be in Calgary watching at McMahon from above. The doctor will undoubtably be there, too. This time, hopefully they invite my mom along.

With my parents both recently passing away and me turning 50 this year, watching that game on Sunday will be pretty emotional for me and obviously, it’s another Battle of Alberta, so that hatred will still be there for the Eskimos.

Thanks for listening to my story. My kids were amused to hear it. Even though they were born in B.C., their DNA has ensured Stampeder pride.

Good luck on the 19th!