The Canadian Football Research Society (CFRS) promotes, develops and encourages the study of the game of Canadian football. https://teapawt.org/t.co/RCciwgmmFa
Joined October 2016
- Tweets383
- Following89
- Followers563
- Likes749
In 1972 10 US cities interested in pro football applied for CFL franchises, including 2 from NY. BC and the 4 eastern teams wanted 2 new US teams and threatened to start a new league if they didn't get their way. John Munro & the Liberal gov't stepped in to prevent US expansion.
In 1960 NY Giants played Bears in Toronto in front of just 5,400 people. A reporter wrote“The sight of 250-pounders standing over a ball waiting for it to roll to a stop was too much.” The fans started heckling."This poured cold water on hopes of Toronto getting an NFL franchise"
The Sask Roughriders survive. They accepted wheat as payment for season tickets; the team had 40 volunteers paint Taylor Field & QB Glenn Dobbs showed up; players sometimes shared uniforms during games; finally someone found green & white uniforms on sale in a Chicago thrift shop
4 of the first 10 players taken in the 1953 NFL draft signed in Canada. Commissioner Bell said “we don't care about any of our players who are dumb enough to play in the Bushleagues of Canada.” After top NFL lineman Arnie Weinmeister signed in BC, Bell declared, “The War is on.”
In 1972 the CFL was going to expand to the US. Minister John Munro said “My government is prepared to do what it can to preserve the CFL as a Canadian entity and the Grey Cup game as an instrument for national unity.” After meeting with Munro, the league voted against expansion
The CFL was bankrupt in '96 when Edmonton met Toronto in the Grey Cup in a blizzard. 83 pts were scored, 5 of the TDs were 50 yards or longer & the teams had almost 1,000 yds in offense. The CFL couldn't even pay the Grey Cup bonuses but Tim Horton’s came to the rescue and paid.
In 1997 the Saskatchewan Roughriders were more than $2.6 million in debt. A telethon was organized to raise funds and sell tickets. The team surpassed its goal selling 215,222 tickets but only because an anonymous donor pledged $500,000. The anonymous donor was the NFL.
In 1961 after 5 years a player could be classified as a Canadian. Hamilton had 8 Americans playing as Canadians including Faloney, Mosca & Barrow. Hamilton was in 3 of the last 4 Grey Cups and played in the next 5 Grey Cups. These American-Canadians were key to the team's success
In 1974 the WFL included CFL rules outlawing fair catches and increasing motion. The NFL included rules making it easier to return kicks and pass the ball. The 1975 Gridiron News Pro Yearbook admitted, “Many of the innovative ideas adopted by the NFL and WFL were of CFL origin.”
In 1951 Sarnia citizens petitioned the CRU for the Sarnia Imperials to be awarded the Grey Cup: presented “for the Amateur Rugby Football Championship of Canada.” Sarnia was the only amateur team in the 1951 Canadian football playoffs. The request denied-Toronto beat Sarnia 43-17
In the 1920s, western teams appeared in 6 Grey Cups scoring a total of 5 points. From 1921-1934 the west played in 10 Grey Cups, losing all 10 by an average score of 24-3. After Regina was beaten 30-0 in 1928, the next 5 Grey Cups with western teams averaged fewer than 5,000 fans
In 1969 the Canadian Belles (from Toronto) played against 3 teams from the US: Pittsburgh, Detroit & Cleveland with the Belles winning the world women's tackle football title. More than 30 years later women’s teams started forming in Canada in Montreal, New Brunswick & the West.
150 years ago in 1876, 50 people attended a meeting to organize a football team in Ottawa. Team organizers paid $5 to register the team & requested copies of the rules. Within a week of the meeting, Ottawa played another new team from Aylmer at Cartier Square with Ottawa winning.
In 1912 McGill University upset the 3-time Grey Cup champion U of Toronto to win the university title and advance to the national semi-final. However, due to Final Exams approaching McGill players decided to end the season to focus on their studies and not play for the Grey Cup.
In 1961 CTV outbid CBC for CFL games so the CBC started broadcasting NFL games. Canadian survey found 92% preferred CFL to NFL and 84% felt the CFL was more exciting. However, the survey also found that 44% were more open to watching NFL football since the CBC started airing it.
In 1991 both Toronto Argonaut long snappers were injured. The back-up could snap short for field goals but not long for punts so every time Toronto was in a punting situation they kicked out of a FG formation. One kick was a 104 yd FG attempt. Thanks to Football Archaeology.
In 1997 U2 bumped the Alouettes out of the Big O and they moved to McGill. The Als announced 105 consecutive sellouts in the smaller stadium but the team inflated attendance figures to get the gov't to pay to expand the stadium. The Quebec gov't agreed to pay $20m for expansion.
