Tag: Ottawa Rough Riders

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).

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).

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).

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).

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).

Canadian Press article in the Kingston Whig-Standard (11 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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August 28, 2026
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:

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.

Montreal Star, 22 November 1909

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.

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.

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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July 9, 2026
Alouettes Beat the Rough Riders 1-0 in Lowest Scoring Game in CFL History

Most football fans like a lot of scoring. You really can’t beat seeing two teams going back and forth and lighting up the scoreboard. Of course, a good defensive matchup can still make for some entertaining football now and then. But back in 1966, a game between Montreal and Ottawa redefined the meaning of a defensive battle.

On October 30, 1966, the Montreal Alouettes defeated the Ottawa Rough Riders by a score of 1-0. No, that’s not a typo. The lone score in this affair came by way of a rouge.

Article in the Montreal Gazette about the Alouettes beating Ottawa 1-0 (31 October 1966).

It was the last game of the regular season for both teams, and the game didn’t have any significance when it came to the standings. The Rough Riders had already locked up first place in the CFL’s Eastern Football Conference. And, win or lose, Montreal was going to finish third.

The game, played before about 12,000 fans who braved the cold at Montreal’s Molson Stadium, produced a total offence of just 386 yards collectively. Montreal’s offence came mostly from their ground game with 165 yards rushing. Of note, Montreal running back Don Lisbon surpassed over 1000 yards on the season during this game. On the other hand, most of Ottawa’s offence was produced in the air by star quarterback Russ Jackson, who passed for 132 yards.

Montreal Star (31 October 1966)

With the game scoreless, it wasn’t until late in the fourth quarter that Montreal kicked the single point. A rouge from a missed 36-yard field goal attempt by Peter Kempf. It was the lowest scoring game in CFL history and, thankfully, the record still stands.

Montreal-Ottawa Game Summary in the Montreal Gazette (31 October 1966).

Interestingly, it is suggested that the game tied a previous Canadian football record set in 1948 or 1949 when Winnipeg supposedly defeated Calgary 1-0. But I can’t find any reference to this WIFU game in newspapers or historical statistics. I suspect it was a reporting error in the Montreal Gazette article above that contributed to this incorrect notion.

Sources:
Montreal Gazette, 31 October 1966
Montreal Star, 31 October 1966
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June 10, 2026
Ottawa Downs Las Vegas 54-50 in 1994 Labour Day Weekend Shootout

Labour Day weekend is arguably the biggest deal in the Canadian Football League outside the Grey Cup. The end-of-summer holiday features games between the CFL’s fiercest rivalries. Saskatchewan versus Winnipeg. Calgary versus Edmonton. Hamilton versus Toronto. Now back in 1994 one of the CFL’s Labour Day weekend matchups included the Ottawa Rough Riders playing host to the Las Vegas Posse. How’s that for an anomaly?

On Saturday, September 3, 1994, the Rough Riders were looking to snap a four-game losing streak. They were under new ownership and desperately trying to reinvigorate a fickle Ottawa football market. The Posse were the second U.S.-based team in the CFL and were struggling on and off the field by the time they made it to the Nation’s Capital.

Great headline in the Ottawa Citizen

Las Vegas was led by a young rookie quarterback named Anthony Cavillo. He was one of the few bright spots on an inexperienced Posse team coached by Ron Meyer, who himself had no coaching experience in Canadian football.

Calvillo completed an 81 yard touchdown pass to Curtis Mayfield right out of the gate to give Las Vegas an early lead. The two teams went on a scoring shootout, lighting up the scoreboard the rest of the night. A total of over 1300 yards of offence was produced collectively.

Down 44-41 with no time left on the clock, Ottawa’s Terry Baker kicked a field goal to tie the game 44-44. 88 points and 60 minutes of football just wasn’t enough to decide a winner. Overtime awaited.

In those days, the CFL overtime format consisted of two additional five-minute halves. Neither team scored in the first OT half. In the second OT half, each team scored a touchdown. But Meyer opted to go for a two-point conversion with a minute to go in overtime. The gamble failed and Las Vegas was down 51-50. Baker cemented Ottawa’s win with a field goal in the waning seconds of overtime. Final score. Ottawa 54 Las Vegas 50.

Final stats in the Ottawa Citizen

The Posse would cease to exist by the end of the season, and their roster was divvied up amongst the other teams in a dispersal draft. The rest of the American teams would shut down the following year. The Ottawa Rough Riders themselves would fold two years later.

Anthony Calvillo would go on to have a stellar career becoming one of the most outstanding quarterbacks in CFL history, leading to an induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

You can view this game on the CFL Classics YouTube channel.

Sources:

The Ottawa Citizen, 4 September 1994
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September 17, 2025
Montreal Crushes Ottawa in Olympic Stadium Opener Before Record Crowd

Midway through the 1976 CFL season, the Montreal Alouettes played their first game in their new home. After leaving behind the Autostade (that stadium likely warrants its own article), the Als hosted the Ottawa Rough Riders at the Olympic Stadium, the largest stadium ever built in Canada.

Bacon, Dick. “A new era in Montreal football set to start in Olympic Stadium.” Montreal Gazette,
25 September 1976, p. 11.

Post-Olympic fever was still gripping Montreal in the weeks leading up to the game. The Alouettes were expecting a record crowd to come see a .500 home side take on the East Division leaders from Ottawa. No doubt, many just wanted to catch a glimpse of the so-called billion-dollar sports palace. Without question, Olympic Stadium – affectionately known as the Big O or disparagingly known as the Big Owe – with its sheer size and modern-day amenities put other CFL stadiums to shame. In 1976, Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium was still a couple years away and the domed stadiums in Vancouver and Toronto came much later.

Olympic Stadium layout for football (Montreal Star)

The stadium was designed by Roger Taillibert, a French architect, and was the main stadium for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. It featured state-of-the-art scoreboards with video capabilities as well as modern artificial turf. Plus comfortable seats and corporate boxes. Of course, the promised “retractable” roof would have to wait.

The Alouettes were the first permanent tenant for the Big O once the Olympics were over. On Sunday September 25, 1976, a record Canadian Football League crowd of 68,505 fans were on hand to see the first game. They were treated to a pre-game ceremony that included former Montreal quarterback Sam Etcheverry performing the ceremonial kickoff.

Bacon Dick, “Als crush Ottawa before record 68,505.” Montreal Gazette, 27 September 1976, p. 13.

Led by quarterback Joe Barnes and kicker Don Sweet, the Alouettes cruised to a 23-2 victory over the Rough Riders. The Alouettes’ win helped put Montreal back in the playoff hunt in the CFL East. The 1976 Alouettes were coached by the legendary Marv Levy. Levy understood the impact a large vocal crowd could have on the game.

“The crowd could be the 13th man on the field. If they’re a supportive crowd, it could be the start of a new era in fan enthusiasm and what it means to the team.”
– Marv Levy

I’ve been to Olympic Stadium only once. That was for a Grey Cup game. When the place is packed – just like it was in the late 70s – it’s an awestriking experience. But the atmosphere diminishes exponentially the smaller the crowd.

Today, the Alouettes play their home games at the much more intimate (and much older) Percival Molson Memorial Stadium on the campus of McGill University. They haven’t played a football game at the Big O since 2012. But a new roof is being constructed, and there are hints of a further refurbishment down the road.
Is it possible that the Alouettes will once again look at playing some if not all their games at Olympic Stadium in the future?

Perhaps the team can recapture some of that post-Olympic pride that helped them shatter attendance records. At the very least, it won’t be too long before the Grey Cup game returns to Montreal – and with that the roar of the crowd will once again reverberate throughout Olympic Stadium.

Montreal Gazette, 27 September 1976

Montreal Star, 27 September 1976

July 23, 2025