Tag: Edmonton Eskimos

  • 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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  • Matt Dunigan Passes for a Record 713 Yards

    On July 14, 1994, fans attending the CFL game at Winnipeg Stadium were in for quite the night. In a rematch of the previous year’s Grey Cup, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers hosted the Edmonton Eskimos. Edmonton had beaten Winnipeg in that game and were the defending Grey Cup champions. No doubt the Winnipeg faithful were eager for revenge.

    Matt Dunigan
    Winnipeg Quarterback Matt Dunigan (Winnipeg Sun)

    The game featured two of the CFL’s best quarterbacks at the time. Edmonton’s offence was led by Damon Allen. Leading the charge for Winnipeg was Matt Dunigan. Two future hall of famers.

    Dunigan’s go-to receiver on this night was clearly Alfred Jackson. Jackson, who previously played on defence, caught seven passes for 325 yards. He ended up scoring four touchdowns in the game. Winnipeg was up only 7-3 after the first quarter. It was during the second quarter when Dunigan and the Bombers really ramped up the aerial attack. Dunigan had already passed for over 300 yards by halftime. The dominance continued throughout the second half. After the final whistle, the game was over.

    Account of the record-setting game by Ed Tait in the Winnipeg Sun.
    Account of the record-setting game by Ed Tait in the Winnipeg Sun.

    Final score. Winnipeg 50 Edmonton 35. And a new record. Matt Dunigan passed for 713 yards, breaking the CFL record for most yards passed in a single game and easily surpassing Danny Barrett’s 601-yard record set just one year earlier.

    Game stats (Winnipeg vs. Edmonton) in the Winnipeg Sun.
    Game stats (Winnipeg vs. Edmonton) in the Winnipeg Sun.

    Here are some of the quotes that appeared in the newspapers that help put the spectacular performance in perspective:

    “That’s a lot of yards. Oh my, that’s a lot. That’s about as well as I’ve ever seen anyone play.”
    – Winnipeg Head Coach Cal Murphy

    “That was impressive. When Matt is hot, he is dynamite.”
    – Edmonton Head Coach Ron Lancaster, a former quarterback himself

    “Something happened out there. I don’t know what it was. They were catching everything. I was throwing everything. It just happened.”
    – Matt Dunigan

    “They were ungodly numbers…I’ve never seen anything like that.”
    – Winnipeg Offensive Coordinator Mike Kelly

    By the way, the record still stands.

    Fred Greenslade's photo of Chris Walby picking up Matt Dunigan appeared on the front page of the Winnipeg Sun on July 15, 1994.
    Fred Greenslade’s photo of Chris Walby picking up Matt Dunigan appeared on the front page of the Winnipeg Sun on July 15, 1994.

    One of my favourite quarterbacks to play the game is Matt Dunigan. His style of play was so exciting to watch. The man played quarterback like a linebacker.

    I was over the moon when he joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1996. After one particular game, we fans were invited onto the field to meet the players and get autographs.

    Of course, I like everyone else made a beeline towards Dunigan. I was a tall, lanky first year university student. When I finally made it to the table where Dunigan was sitting, he looked up and remarked at my height. He then stood up and came to the other side of the table to stand next to me. Towering over him by several inches he looked up and said something along the lines of “that’s how I like my receivers.”

    Sources:
    Winnipeg Sun, 15 July 1994

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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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  • Flutie Freezes as Edmonton Defeats Calgary in Frigid, Snowy 1993 Western Final

    Canadian football in November can be cold – especially when played on the Prairies. Bone-chilling temperatures, coupled with blowing snow, made the 1993 Western Final at McMahon Stadium between the Calgary Stampeders and the Edmonton Eskimos one of those games where the weather might have played a bigger role in the game than the players on the field.

    1993 Western Final coverage in the Calgary Herald
    Coverage of the 1993 Western Final in the Calgary Herald (22 November 1993)

    Led by marquee quarterback Doug Flutie, the Stampeders entered the game with a league best 15-3 regular season record. They were the defending Grey Cup champions and were, without a doubt, the class of the CFL in 1993. While the underdog, Edmonton was still a strong team, having finished second in the West Division with a 12-6 record.

    The city of Calgary and much of Alberta was under a winter storm warning. Game time temperatures hovered below minus 20 degrees Celsius with a windchill making it feel even colder. The cold along with the wind and snow created blizzard-like conditions. Not exactly an ideal day for football.

    Coverage of the 1993 Western Final in the Calgary Herald (22 November 1993)
    Coverage of the 1993 Western Final in the Calgary Herald (22 November 1993)

    Calgary scored first thanks to a punt return touchdown by Pee Wee Smith. A field goal by Mark McLoughlin put the Stampeders up 10-0 after the first quarter. Calgary continued to lead 13-8 at the half. The third quarter was delayed thanks to the accumulation of snow. But when the teams returned to the field, Edmonton got on a roll.

    Edmonton quarterback Damon Allen made only 8 completions on 19 passing attempts in the game. But four of those completions were touchdowns. Edmonton scored 28 points in the second half compared to Calgary’s meagre 2 (a safety late in the game). As the temperature continued to fall, Flutie’s hands literally froze, affecting his ability to throw the football. Fans in the stands and television viewers across the country were in disbelief that the CFL’s best quarterback seemed to be completely neutralized by the cold weather.

    Coverage of the 1993 Western Final in the Calgary Herald (22 November 1993)
    Freezing Flutie (Calgary Herald)

    When the final whistle was blown, Edmonton had secured a 29-15 victory and advanced to the Grey Cup that was being played at McMahon Stadium the following week. A dedicated crowd of over 20,000 braved the elements but left disappointed that their team wasn’t going to repeat as champions. The hope of the hometown team playing in the Grey Cup was over.

    Coverage of the 1993 Western Final in the Calgary Herald (22 November 1993)
    Stampeders owner Larry Ryckman’s reaction (Calgary Herald)

    In the aftermath of the loss, Stampeders owner Larry Ryckman was not a happy camper. He insisted the CFL move up the season to avoid such wintery games in the future. Either that or build a domed stadium in Calgary. The Western Final on November 21, 1993, was one of the coldest – if not the coldest – football games played in Canada. He might’ve had a good point.

    Source(s):
    The Calgary Herald, 22 November 1993

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  • Getting Ready for the Grey Cup’s TV Debut

    It’s September 1952 and a new technology – black and white television – is taking the country and much of the world by storm. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) entered the TV business with two flagship stations: CBFT in Montreal and CBLT in Toronto.

    Grey Cup Ad in the Toronto Star (1952)
    Grey Cup Advertisement for Sweet Caps cigarettes in the Toronto Star (27 November 1952)

    The decision was soon made to broadcast the upcoming Grey Cup game on CBLT. The Canadian Rugby Union championship was scheduled for Saturday November 29th at Varsity Stadium in Toronto.

    Grey Cup Ad in the Toronto Star (1952)
    Grey Cup Advertisement by Northern Electric in the Toronto Star (27 November 1952)

    The novelty factor of the new technology coupled with the popularity of the hometown Toronto Argonauts, who were playing in the championship, helped drive sales for television sets in Toronto. Several ads selling TVs appeared in local newspapers. These didn’t come cheap, but vendors were more than happy to set up affordable payment plans for excited football fans.

    TV sale ad in the Toronto Star (1952)
    Ads promoting TV sales
    TV sale ad in the Toronto Star (1952)

    While the Grey Cup game itself was the first Canadian football game ever televised, broadcast crews did a practice run a few days before in the playoff game between the Argonauts and the Sarnia Imperials of the Ontario Rugby Football Union. In those days, the ORFU still challenged for the Grey Cup. The Toronto-Sarnia Grey Cup semi-final game at Varsity Stadium was used as the dress rehearsal for the big game. The 1952 Grey Cup commentators Norm Marshall and Larry O’Brien were actually chosen after an audition for the roles was held during the Sarnia game.

    Notes about the TV practice run done during the Grey Cup semi-final between Toronto and Sarnia (Toronto Star, 27 November 1952)

    Pubs in and around Toronto with television sets were packed on the day of the game. Meanwhile, in nearby Hamilton, Westinghouse set up several TVs so that employees and friends could watch the game. The broadcast even included a short pre-game show hosted by Annis Stukus.

    In the end, the Argonauts defeated Edmonton by a score of 21-11 in front not only record crowd at Varsity Stadium but also tens of thousands of television viewers in the Toronto area. A new era for the Grey Cup and for Canadian television was here.

    Sources:

    Patskou, Paul. “The First Televised Grey Cup Game.” Canadian Football Research Society. Accessed October 28, 2025. https://www.canadianfootballresearch.ca/the-first-televised-grey-cup-game/.

    The Toronto Star, 27 November 1952