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  • New Canadian Football League Kicks Off in Winnipeg, No Interlocking Schedule Just Yet

    On August 14, 1958, the Canadian Football League played its first-ever game with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hosting the Edmonton Eskimos at Winnipeg Stadium. The new CFL was founded earlier in the year when the Canadian Football Council withdrew from the Canadian Rugby Union to become a completely separate entity, renaming itself the “Canadian Football League” in the process.

    The 1958 WIFU schedule (Edmonton Journal, 14 August 1958).
    The 1958 WIFU schedule (Edmonton Journal, 14 August 1958).

    One thing that stands out to me is the general lack of branding around the “CFL” moniker in the news coverage. Most news articles of the day stick to the established Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU) and Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU)/Big Four branding when covering the new league.

    Advertisement for radio broadcasts of the first CFL games (Regina Leader-Post, 14 August 1958).
    Advertisement for radio broadcasts of the first CFL games (Regina Leader-Post, 14 August 1958).

    For all intents and purposes, the CFL was a new league in name only. The Big Four and the WIFU were still their own entities under CFL umbrella, and they maintained a high degree of independence still. While the rules of the game were uniform, the western clubs played 16 regular season games (four games against each opponent in the division) while the eastern clubs played 14 games. When it came to the playoffs, the western final was a best two out of three series while the eastern final was a two-game total point series.

    Canadian Press article about lack of interlocking schedule for the new CFL. (St. Catharines Standard, 8 August 1958).
    Canadian Press article about lack of interlocking schedule for the new CFL. (St. Catharines Standard, 8 August 1958).

    I also find it a bit humorous that from the onset of the CFL’s conception, the teams were at odds over adopting an interlocking schedule. It appears Montreal and Ottawa both initially opposed the implementation of an interlocking schedule. I guess self-interest and lack of big picture vision have always been built into the CFL’s DNA. It wasn’t until 1961 that the CFL finally adopted a partial interlocking schedule. Until then, the only time the east played the west was in the Grey Cup.

    Article about the Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal being opposed to an interlocking schedule in 1958 (Ottawa Citizen, 6 August 1958)
    Article about the Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal being opposed to an interlocking schedule in 1958 (Ottawa Citizen, 6 August 1958).

    Now, back to that historic CFL debut in Winnipeg. The Bombers and Edmonton were seen as two powerhouses in the WIFU. In a rematch of the previous year’s western final, a crowd of 18,206 watched Winnipeg rush for 364 yards to overpower their rival. Here’s how the Edmonton Journal reported the game:

    Account of the first CFL game (Edmonton Journal, 15 August 1958)
    Account of the first CFL game (Edmonton Journal, 15 August 1958)

    Final score. Winnipeg 29 Edmonton 21.

    Sources:
    Edmonton Journal, 14 August 1958
    Edmonton Journal, 15 August 1958
    Ottawa Citizen, 6 August 1958
    Regina Leader-Post, 14 August 1958
    Regina Leader-Post, 15 August 1958
    St. Catharines Standard, 8 August 1958

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  • 1921 Saskatchewan Provincial Championship Game Protested and Replayed

    1921 was a significant year in Canadian football. With the Western Canadian Rugby Football Union joining the Canadian Rugby Union, western clubs were finally eligible to compete for the Grey Cup.

    Article in the Regina Leader-Post about Regina initially winning the SRFU championship (31 November 1921).
    Article in the Regina Leader-Post about Regina initially winning the SRFU championship (31 November 1921).

    The Regina Rugby Club was one of the favourites to win the Hugo Ross trophy (the WCRFU championship) and represent the West in this historic season of Canadian football. They finished with a perfect 4-0 record and went on to defeat Saskatoon 10-8 on Saturday October 29th to win the Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union championship. But hold on. Not quite so fast.

    Article in the Saskatoon Daily Star summarizing the SRFU championship game that was protested by Saskatoon (31 October 1921).
    Article in the Saskatoon Daily Star summarizing the SRFU championship game that was protested by Saskatoon (31 October 1921).

    The Saskatoon club protested the result and demanded a rematch. A controversial play early in the game saw Regina kick the ball into the Saskatoon endzone. Saskatoon’s Wyn Griffiths let up retrieving the ball as it appeared to have hit a fence. In the meantime, Regina player Freddy Wilson quite shrewdly jumped on the ball to score a touchdown.

    Notice of meeting published in the Regina Leader-Post to hear protest by Saskatoon (31 October 1921).
    Notice of meeting published in the Regina Leader-Post to hear protest by Saskatoon (31 October 1921).

    A meeting was held in Regina by the SRFU on November 1st to hear the protest. Presided over by SRFU Secretary-Treasurer C.M. Johnston, the protest was disallowed, and Regina was greenlighted to travel to Winnipeg to play the Victoria Rugby Club in the western semi-final game.

    But…..

    Another meeting was held in Saskatoon by the President of the SRFU, Hub Bishop. At this meeting, the Saskatoon protest was allowed, and the teams were ordered to play a rematch.

    Article in the Saskatoon Phoenix Star about the conflicting decision on the Saskatoon protest (2 November 1921).
    Article in the Saskatoon Phoenix Star about the conflicting decision on the Saskatoon protest (2 November 1921).

    The WCRFU found themselves in a bit of a dilemma. Its president, Stuart Fraser, refused to get involved in sorting out the mess. He felt it was a matter strictly to be decided by the Saskatchewan union.

    The saga continues (Saskatoon Star Phoenix, 3 November 1921).
    The saga continues (Saskatoon Star Phoenix, 3 November 1921).

    Regina was steadfast against a rematch (and who can blame them really?) when Hub Bishop finally gave them the ultimatum. Play the rematch or lose by forfeiture. According to the press, Regina sent a wire to Bishop saying, “We’ll play it off, dingbust your hide” to which Bishop replied “Ah, they’re good sports.”

    Article in the Saskatoon Daily Star with the final resolution: Regina and Saskatoon will play a rematch (4 November 1921).
    Article in the Saskatoon Daily Star with the final resolution: Regina and Saskatoon will play a rematch (4 November 1921).

    So, on November 4th the rematch was played at Saskatoon’s Cairns Field. The end result? Saskatoon defeated Regina 9-6. I can’t help but imagine how the fans in Saskatchewan and (elsewhere for that matter) would’ve reacted on social media had it been around at the time of this saga.

    Game coverage of Saskatoon's victory in the rematch (Saskatoon Daily Star, 5 November 1921).
    Game coverage of Saskatoon’s victory in the rematch (Saskatoon Daily Star, 5 November 1921).

    Anyway, Saskatoon would go on and lose to the Victorias in Winnipeg a few days later, putting an end to the drama and controversy. And ultimately, Edmonton would represent the West in the 1921 Grey Cup.

    Sources:
    Regina Leader-Post, 31 October 1921
    Saskatoon Daily Star, 31 October 1921
    Saskatoon Daily Star, 4 November 1921
    Saskatoon Daily Star, 5 November 1921
    Saskatoon Star Phoenix, 2 November 1921
    Saskatoon Star Phoenix, 3 November 1921

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  • Advertisements for CFL Football at BC Place Stadium in 1983

    My background is in sales and marketing. That’s what I studied at university, and that’s been my career for the last 25+ years. Coincidently, I discovered my interest in marketing around the same time I started following CFL football. That was back in Grade 10. As a marketer who likes history and nostalgia, I like looking back at vintage and retro advertising. So, I thought let’s do a blog post on some old advertisements for the CFL.

    To set the tone. The year is 1983, and the new BC Place Stadium has just been built in Vancouver. The 59,000-seat stadium is the first domed stadium in Canada. New beginnings for the B.C. Lions.

    Here are some advertisements for the B.C. Lions and CFL football that appeared in Vancouver newspapers throughout the year.

    Advertisement for BC Lions season tickets in the Province, 12 June 1983.
    Advertisement for BC Lions season tickets in the Province, 12 June 1983.

    The first game at BC Place Stadium was a pre-season match between the Lions and the Calgary Stampeders. The game featured a kick-off concert by The Guess Who.

    Advertisement for the BC Lions' first game at BC Place Stadium, an exhibition game vs. the Calgary Stampeders (Vancouver Sun, 16 June 1983).
    Advertisement for the BC Lions’ first game at BC Place Stadium, an exhibition game vs. the Calgary Stampeders (Vancouver Sun, 16 June 1983).

    The Lions hosted the Saskatchewan Roughriders in their regular season home opener at BC Place. The game was sponsored by Rothman’s and you could win a “magnificent Eskimo carving.” A different era when tobacco advertising was quite common.

    Advertisement for the BC Lions' regular season home opener at BC Place Stadium (Vancouver Sun, 23 July 1983).
    Advertisement for the BC Lions’ regular season home opener at BC Place Stadium (Vancouver Sun, 23 July 1983).

    A&B Sound, a former electronics retailer, was a corporate sponsor of the B.C. Lions. They ran the promotion below.

    A&B promo ad in the Province (30 June 1983).
    A&B promo ad in the Province (30 June 1983).

    The two best teams in the CFL in 1983 squared off on September 10th. A Grey Cup preview.

    Advertisement for the big game between BC and Toronto (Vancouver Sun, 8 September 1983).
    Advertisement for the big game between BC and Toronto (Vancouver Sun, 8 September 1983).

    A purchase of a Sony radio or Walkman also got you into the big game between the Lions and Argos.

    Promo ad (The Province, 9 September 1983)
    Promo ad (The Province, 9 September 1983)

    The SuperValu grocery chain ran a ticket promotion, as well. Customers could get a coupon for a free Lions ticket when purchasing a $9 ticket.

    SuperValu BC Lions ticket promo ad
    SuperValu BC Lions ticket promo ad.

    The B.C.Lions hosted the Western Final on November 20th versus Winnipeg. Season ticket holders, as expected, had first dibs. The tickets cost between $10 and $19.

    Ad for Western Final tickets (The Province, 30 October 1983).
    Ad for Western Final tickets (The Province, 30 October 1983).

    Player’s was another tobacco sponsor at the time. Here’s an ad promoting Grey Cup Week and the first Grey Cup to be played indoors at BC Place Stadium. Remember to heed the health advice given and avoid inhaling when smoking your cigarette.

    Grey Cup advertisement in The Province (24 November 1983).
    Grey Cup advertisement in The Province (24 November 1983).

    There weren’t any official Grey Cup tickets ads in Vancouver papers leading up to the big game because the game was virtually sold out well in advance. This article talks about the scarcity of Grey Cup tickets and how they were allocated across the CFL.

    Article in the Vancouver Sun about the availability and distribution of Grey Cup tickets (29 October 1983).
    Article in the Vancouver Sun about the availability and distribution of Grey Cup tickets (29 October 1983).

    So, if you didn’t have tickets, yet, your only option was the scalpers and resellers. The classifieds were full of ads like these. You could try John on Monday morning.

    Grey Cup tickets Classifieds ads
    Grey Cup tickets Classifieds ads

    The Grey Cup wasn’t the final game played in 1983. On December 3, the CFL and CFLPA staged an all-star game at BC Place Stadium.

    Advertisement for the 1983 CFL-CFLPA All-Star Game (Vancouver Sun, 2 December 1983).
    Advertisement for the 1983 CFL-CFLPA All-Star Game (Vancouver Sun, 2 December 1983).

    Sources:
    The Province, 12 June 1983
    The Province, 9 September 1983
    The Province, 30 October 1983
    The Province, 24 November 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 16 June 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 23 July 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 8 September 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 29 October 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 2 November 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 12 November 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 23 November 1983
    Vancouver Sun, 2 December 1983

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  • Tiger-Cats Spoil Argos’ SkyDome Opener

    In the aftermath of the 1982 Grey Cup, which was played in a rainstorm at Exhibition Stadium, football fans in Toronto were clamouring for an indoor stadium. They got their wish when the new SkyDome hosted the 1989 CFL season opener on July 12, 1989. No more football in the rain, wind, or snow. Fans could now enjoy the game in a climate-controlled environment. Yet, the spectacular venue’s fully retractable roof meant fans could still enjoy outdoor football when the weather permitted. It was the best of both worlds.

    Ad for the CFL opener at SkyDome
    Advertisement in the Toronto Star for the first CFL game at SkyDome.

    I remember when the SkyDome was built and marvelled at seeing it when driving through downtown Toronto. It really was a sight to behold. The first time I was inside it was for Wrestlemania VI in 1990. Twelve-year-old me was absolutely awestruck.

    OK, back to football. The SkyDome was touted a lifeline to the Toronto Argonauts and the entire the Canadian Football League. Surely, North America’s newest multi-million dollar major league stadium would be able to attract a whole new generation of fans to the CFL. The novelty factor alone was expected to bring in over 40,000 fans on opening night.

    Article in the Toronto Star touting the SkyDome as a saviour for the CFL
    Article in the Toronto Star touting the SkyDome as a saviour for the CFL
    Article in the Toronto Star touting the SkyDome as a saviour for the CFL.

    Unfortunately for the Argos, the home opener turnout fell a bit short of expectations. Mind you, a still solid crowd (especially by today’s standards) of 32,527 was on hand to watch the historic game between the Argonauts and the rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Equally unfortunate for Toronto football fans, the Argos ended up on the losing end of scoreboard at SkyDome’s football christening.

    Led by quarterback Gilbert Renfroe, Toronto’s offence sputtered and managed to put up just 15 points. The Tiger-Cats scored two fourth quarter touchdowns – one a pass completion by rookie running back Derrick McAdoo and one an interception return by defensive back Sonny Gordon.

    The Tiger-Cats stole the show and won the game by a score of 25-14.

    Coverage in the Toronto Sun of the opening CFL game at SkyDome.
    Coverage in the Toronto Sun of the opening CFL game at SkyDome.
    Coverage in the Toronto Sun of the opening CFL game at SkyDome.

    The Argos did get a good bump in attendance in 1989 largely because of their new stadium. A crowd of over 54,000 attended the Grey Cup held at SkyDome that year. I do find it rather interesting how playing in a large, multipurpose, domed stadium went from being a huge positive with so much potential to more or less an albatross around the Argos within a couple of decades. Ironically, the Argonauts ultimately returned to the CNE grounds in 2016 when they moved into the smaller outdoor BMO Field.

    Sources:
    The Toronto Star, 12 July 1989
    The Toronto Sun, 13 July 1989

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  • Three Leagues Compete for the New Grey Cup in 1909

    1909 was a special year in Canadian football. That’s the year when Earl Grey, who was serving as the Governor General of Canada, donated a trophy to be awarded to Canada’s amateur rugby football champion. Of course, this trophy as well as the championship game itself would become known as the Grey Cup.
    Only teams affiliated with the Canadian Rugby Union were eligible to compete for the new Grey Cup championship. So that meant no western clubs could challenge for the trophy.

    Canadian football at the time was still an amateur affair, with senior football being the top level of play (above intermediate and junior). It was initially (mis)understood that the Grey Cup would be given to the winner of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (which was formed two years earlier) and Intercollegiate union game. But the CRU ruled a third league – the Ontario Rugby Football Union – was also a senior union and had the right to compete for the Grey Cup, as well.

    The Montreal Gazette published the final standings for 1909 in all three senior leagues of the Canadian Rugby Union:

    Canadian Rugby Union standings and playoffs in 1909 (Montreal Gazette)
    Montreal Gazette, 15 November 1909

    The Canadian Rugby Union had previously established a rotational playoff system where the champion of each union would alternately receive a bye to and host the Dominion championship. Since the new Grey Cup was now the Dominion championship, the CRU simply extended this arrangement. For 1909, it was the ORFU’s year to host; so, the winner of the ORFU final would host the first-ever Grey Cup.

    Canadian Rugby Union Decided the Play Offs Saturday (Montreal Star)
    Montreal Star, 22 November 1909
    Winners Must Play Parkdale (Ottawa Citizen)
    Ottawa Citizen, 25 November 1909

    On November 20th, Toronto Parkdale won the ORFU championship with an 8-3 win over the Toronto Amateur Athletic Club, securing their berth in the Grey Cup. On the same day, the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Hamilton Tigers 14-8 to win the IRFU championship.

    Below is some excellent coverage in the Toronto Star of the IRFU and ORFU playoffs.

    ORFU, IRFU playoff coverage (Toronto Star)
    Toronto Star, 22 November 1909

    On November 27th, the Rough Riders travelled to Toronto to play the University of Toronto in the Interprovincial-Intercollegiate final. Varsity won handily by a score of 31 to 7, setting up a Varsity vs. Parkdale all-Toronto final for the Grey Cup.

    Varsity to play Parkdale in first Grey Cup (Toronto Star)
    Toronto Star, 3 December 1909

    The historic matchup took place on December 4th at Toronto’s Rosedale Field. In the end, the University of Toronto came out on top, defeated Parkdale 26-6 to become the first Grey Cup champions.

    Sources:
    Montreal Gazette, 15 November 1909
    Montreal Star, 22 November 1909
    Ottawa Citizen, 25 November 1909
    Toronto Star, 22 November 1909
    Toronto Star, 6 December 1909

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