Category: Canadian Football League

  • Argonauts vs. Tiger-Cats in a Two Game Total Point Eastern Final

    The Canadian Football League introduced some significant structural changes in 1986. Not only did the league move to an 18-game season, but it also tweaked its playoff format. Up until then, the top three teams in each of the Eastern and Western divisions qualified for the playoffs. Now, a fourth team in a division was eligible to qualify for the playoffs provided they had more points in the standings than the third place team in the other division. That third place team in the weaker division would lose its playoff berth.

    Toronto Star coverage of Game One of the 1986 Eastern Final (17 November 1986).
    Toronto Star coverage of Game One of the 1986 Eastern Final (17 November 1986).

    The new playoff system was put to use in the first season it was adopted. The final standings in 1986 produced four teams in the Western Division who qualified for the playoffs and just two in the Eastern Division. But rather than the western team crossing over to play in the Eastern Division like today, the playoff teams competed in their respective divisions.

    Here’s how it worked. The four western teams each played a division semi-final with the winners of those two games meeting in the Western Final. In the East, the top two teams – Toronto and Hamilton – competed in a two game, total point series for the Eastern Final.

    Hamilton Spectator coverage of Game One of the 1986 Eastern Final (17 November 1986).
    Hamilton Spectator coverage of Game One of the 1986 Eastern Final (17 November 1986).

    The Toronto Argonauts were 10-8 on the season while the Hamilton Tiger-Cats finished the year with a 9-8-1 record. The first game was held on Sunday November 16 at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton. Turnovers plagued the Ti-Cats in Game One, infuriating Hamilton coach Al Bruno. Hamilton turned the ball over six times – five interceptions and one fumble. Ouch.

    Toronto quarterback J.C. Watts, who joined the team after being released by Ottawa midseason, went 9 for 22 and passed for 177 yards – leading the Argos to a 31-17 victory. This meant the Argonauts carried a 14-point lead into Game Two, held on Sunday November 23 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.

    Toronto Star coverage of Game Two of the 1986 Eastern Final (24 November 1986).
    Toronto Star coverage of Game Two of the 1986 Eastern Final (24 November 1986).

    In the second game, the Argos jumped to a 15-3 lead in the first quarter – or a 26-point lead total in the two-game series. Hamilton quarterback Mike Kerrigan then got to work. Going 35 for 47, Kerrigan passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns. Against all odds, Hamilton erased the 26-point deficit and outscored Toronto 42-25 to win the two game total point series 59-56.

    Hamilton Spectator coverage of Game Two of the 1986 Eastern Final (24 November 1986).
    Hamilton Spectator coverage of Game Two of the 1986 Eastern Final (24 November 1986).

    Here are some great quotes in the Hamilton and Toronto newspapers worth sharing:

    “I was never in favour of a total-point playoff series but if I ever did have any doubt, this would have convinced me.” – Toronto Argonauts head coach Bob O’Billovich

    “The Argos are such a gutless bunch. Even their owners have not guts…they want to sell the team.” – Hamilton Tiger-Cats owner Harold Ballard

    “Last week I said we were so close to exploding. This week was the explosion.” – Hamilton quarterback Mike Kerrigan

    The Tiger-Cats would go on and defeat Edmonton the following week in the Grey Cup.

    Photo of Tiger-Cats head coach Al Bruno in the Hamilton Spectator after Hamilton's victory in 1986 Eastern Final (24 November 1986).
    Photo of Tiger-Cats head coach Al Bruno in the Hamilton Spectator after Hamilton’s victory in 1986 Eastern Final (24 November 1986).

    I was too young (and not yet a football fan) to recall these games. But when the Tiger-Cats had their store at the old Centre Mall in Hamilton, they used to play these two games on the big screen TV there all the time. That’s how I actually learned that the 1986 Eastern Final comprised of not one but two games.

    Would-be shoppers, as well as the curious and the nostalgic, would often wander into the store just to catch some footage of these games. And of course the talk would always turn to how the Tiger-Cats came back to win it all.

    Sources:
    Hamilton Spectator, 17 November 1986
    Hamilton Spectator, 24 November 1986
    Toronto Star, 17 November 1986
    Toronto Star, 24 November 1986

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  • Ken Hinton Sets Record for Longest Kick Return in CFL History

    They say records are made to be broken. But they aren’t talking about this one. The record I am writing about today is all but certain to remain in the books for as long as there’s a Canadian Football League.

    Ken Hinton

    Ken Hinton was born in Los Angeles, California and played his college football at San Diego State before joining the British Columbia Lions in 1977. It was during his rookie year that the cornerback made history in the CFL.

    On September 24, 1977, the B.C. Lions hosted the Edmonton Eskimos. B.C. was a highly talented team, sitting in first place in the Western Division. In the lead up to the game, Hinton wasn’t even guaranteed to be on the Lions’ star-studded roster. The Lions were trying to make room to get defensive back Rocky Long back in the lineup, and Hinton was considered the favourite to be sidelined to make that possible.

    Article by Kent Gilchrist in the Province about Ken Hinton’s 130 yard kick return (26 September 1977).

    Nevertheless, Hinton, who was one of the fastest defensive backs in the league, certainly showed the 32,419 fans at Empire Stadium why he should play. In the waning minutes of the game, the young speedster caught a wide field goal attempt by Edmonton’s Dave Cutler. Hinton took off from deep in his end zone and returned the ball 130 yards to score a touchdown. The exciting play sealed the deal for the Lions who won the game 30-13.

    Article by Wayne Parrish in the Vancouver Sun about Ken Hinton’s 130 yard kick return (26 September 1977).

    The 130-yard kick return was possible because in those days the CFL’s end zones were 25 yards in length. The end zones were shortened to 20 yards in the 1980s, and with a further reduction to 15 yards in 2027 the record set by Ken Hinton in 1977 will never be broken.

    Hinton played nine seasons in the CFL, six of those with the Lions and the other three with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

    Sources:
    The Province, 26 September 1977
    The Vancouver Sun, 27 September 1977
    The Vancouver Sun, 28 September 1977

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  • The CFL Game on a Frozen Shrunken Field

    Today I want to talk about fields. Canadian football fields, that is. There is still a lot of chatter about the CFL’s decision to adjust its field size in 2027, adopting a 100-yard-long field with 15-yard end zones. Previously, I have written about early Canadian football being played on 100-yard fields in the past. And there have been exhibition games played on similar length fields such as the 1992 game in Portland, Oregon.

    But what if I told you there was a CFL game played on a 90-yard-long field? Yes, 90 yards. And ten-yard end zones. Say what? This was no exhibition match, either; rather it was a regular season CFL game that counted in the standings. It happened on Sunday November 3, 1991 in Winnipeg for a game between the Blue Bombers and the Edmonton Eskimos.

    Column by Pat Doyle in the Winnipeg Sun about the CFL game on a shortened field (4 November 1991).
    Column by Pat Doyle in the Winnipeg Sun about the CFL game on a shortened field (4 November 1991).

    Thanks to a blizzard the previous day, the turf at Winnipeg Stadium was left covered in snow and ice. Although crews had worked diligently through the night, the field was still deemed too dangerous in the end zones and along the sidelines. So, a decision was made to modify the field dimensions in the name of player safety.

    More coverage in the Winnipeg Sun by Ed Tait and Darron Hargreaves (4 November 1991).
    More coverage in the Winnipeg Sun by Ed Tait and Darron Hargreaves (4 November 1991).

    After consulting with the two teams, the CFL reduced the length of the playing surface to only 90 yards. End zones were reduced to ten yards. And the goal posts were placed in the back of the end zone. The width of the field was also reduced to just 58 yards. Ironically there were concerns players would run into the goal posts at the back of the end zones.

    Article by Cam Cole in the Edmonton Journal about the shortened CFL field (4 November 1991).
    Article by Cam Cole in the Edmonton Journal about the shortened CFL field (4 November 1991).

    Both Winnipeg and Edmonton made the best of the less-than-ideal situation, though. In the end, Edmonton emerged as victors, winning 28-18 to secure first placed in the Western Division.

    So, as we football fans continue to debate the CFL’s pending field dimensions in 2027 let us remember the day the league played on a frozen shrunken field back in 1991.

    Sources:
    Edmonton Journal, 4 November 1991
    Ottawa Citizen, 4 November 1991
    Winnipeg Sun, 4 November 1991

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  • Argos Beat Lions 68-43 in CFL’s Highest Scoring Game

    Previously I wrote about the lowest scoring game in Canadian Football League history. Yes, that 1-0 doozy back in 1966. But what about the CFL’s highest scoring game? Ever since I’ve been a fan, CFL offences have been known to really rack up the points. This was no truer than on September 1, 1990 when the Toronto Argonauts hosted the BC Lions.

    Advertisement in the Toronto Star promoting the Toronto-BC game. (Toronto Star, 30 August 1990).
    Advertisement in the Toronto Star promoting the Toronto-BC game. The quarterback matchup of the season didn’t materialize (Toronto Star, 30 August 1990).

    To kick off the Labour Day weekend, the Argos hosted the Lions at the SkyDome. The Double Blue were led by quarterback Matt Dunigan who was making his first start after missing five games due to a leg injury. Dunigan had been traded to Toronto from BC earlier in the year, so he was playing against his former team.

    Leading the BC offence was Doug Flutie, who was the league’s new marquee player in 1990. The Lions were owned by Murray Pezim at the time and were a team somewhat in disarray. A few days before the game Pezim had publicly threatened to fire both General Manager Joe Kapp and Head Coach Lary Kuharich.

    Toronto Star article by Rick Matsumoto about the Argos' 68-43 win over BC (Toronto Star, 2 September 1990).
    Toronto Star article by Rick Matsumoto about the Argos’ 68-43 win over BC (Toronto Star, 2 September 1990).

    Dunigan struggled early (his first play was intercepted) but found his footing and ended up passing for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Darrel Smith scored two of those touchdowns. Other Toronto highlights included a 56-yard punt return for a touchdown by Michael “Pinball” Clemons and four field goals by kicker Lance Chomyc. Ricky Foggie, who had followed Dunigan from BC to Toronto, ran for a touchdown and passed for one, as well.

    Game summary (Toronto Star, 2 September 1990).
    Game summary (Toronto Star, 2 September 1990).

    By the end of the night Toronto put up a whopping 68 points. 22 of these points were scored within a three minute span in the second quarter, thanks largely to two BC turnovers. The 31,000 fans at the SkyDome who witnessed the wild shootout left happy.

    The Lions, on the hand, struggled. Flutie went 0-6 in passing attempts and was replaced by veteran Joe Paopao. But in the second half, Flutie redeemed himself by passing for three touchdowns. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to catch the Argos. The Lions’ 43 points was still well short.

    With the win, Toronto improved to 4-5 on the season. BC dropped to 2-6-1, last place in the Western division.

    Sources:
    Toronto Star, 2 September 1990

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  • Grey Cup Stolen in Ottawa in 1969

    Just weeks after beating Saskatchewan to win it the Ottawa Rough Riders lost the Grey Cup. To thieves. On December 20, 1969, a bandit (or bandits) snatched the Grey Cup trophy from the Riders’ offices at Lansdowne Park.

    News article in the Ottawa Citizen about the Grey Cup being stolen (22 December 1969).
    News article in the Ottawa Citizen about the Grey Cup being stolen (22 December 1969).

    Ottawa police were quick to suspect the heist was more or less a prank given the monetary value of the trophy. The Grey Cup was reportedly worth a mere $50. That’s only $425 in today’s dollars. While the sentimental value was much higher, because there were more valuable trophies and items left behind, the “prank” theory made sense.

    Canadian Press article in the Toronto Star about the Grey Cup being stolen (22 December 1969).
    Canadian Press article in the Toronto Star about the Grey Cup being stolen (22 December 1969).

    It was actually the second time that the Grey Cup was stolen. Just two years earlier, pranksters stole the Grey Cup from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, only to have it reappear a few days later.

    Ottawa police continued their investigation well into the new year. I got a chuckle at some of the coverage in the Ottawa Citizen, including this Dragnet parody of the saga. Dragnet was a popular TV show at the time.

    Dragnet parody about the missing Grey Cup in the Ottawa Citizen (22 December 1969).
    Dragnet parody about the missing Grey Cup in the Ottawa Citizen (22 December 1969).

    A columnist in the Ottawa Journal had their own fun with the situation.

    Ottawa Journal column with some light-hearted humour when it comes to the Grey Cup's disappearance (6 January 1970).
    Ottawa Journal column with some light-hearted humour when it comes to the Grey Cup’s disappearance (6 January 1970).
    Cartoon in the Ottawa Citizen poking fun at the Grey Cup's disappearance around Christmas in 1969 (23 December 1969).
    Cartoon in the Ottawa Citizen poking fun at the Grey Cup’s disappearance around Christmas in 1969 (23 December 1969).

    The investigation generated plenty of rumours and several dead ends. It wasn’t until mid-February that the missing Grey Cup was finally found. After receiving an anonymous tip, Earl Grey’s trophy was found unscathed in a storage locker at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Before returning the trophy to the CFL, Toronto police jokingly affixed a sticker in the place reserved for the 1970 champion which read: Metro Police ETF Emergency Task Force.

    Continuing coverage in the Ottawa Citizen looking for the missing Grey Cup (10 February 1970)
    Continuing coverage in the Ottawa Citizen looking for the missing Grey Cup (10 February 1970).
    Canadian Press article in the Kingston Whig-Standard (11 February 1970).
    Canadian Press article in the Kingston Whig-Standard (11 February 1970).
    Grey Cup found! Article in the Hamilton Spectator (17 February 1970).
    Grey Cup found! Article in the Hamilton Spectator (17 February 1970).

    The CFL immediately turned over the Grey Cup to the Montreal Trust Company for safekeeping in a vault. Alas, the Grey Cup – the symbol of excellence in Canadian football – was safe and secure. As far as I can tell, that’s the end of the story. Police never did find the thief.

    Sources:
    Hamilton Spectator, 17 February 1970
    Kingston Whig-Standard, 11 February 1970
    Ottawa Citizen, 22 December 1969
    Ottawa Citizen, 23 December 1969
    Ottawa Citizen, 26 December 1969
    Ottawa Journal, 6 January 1970
    Toronto Star, 22 December 1969

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