title: BC Lions

text: Capozzi improved the team for the 1959 season, first by hiring Wayne Robinson, from Winnipeg, as the new head coach, then bringing in a corps of veteran players to add more experience to the team. This was followed by signing rookie running back Willie "the Wisp" Fleming, adding more youth to play alongside Hinton and Homer. Capozzi's moves proved successful. By winning their final regular season game, at home, over Calgary, the 1959 Lions managed both their first winning season, with a 9–7–0 record, first playoff appearance. The postseason ended with two straight losses to the Edmonton Eskimos, but the team's future looked bright heading into the 1960s.


title: BC Lions

text: The high hopes of the Lions heading into 1960 faded and the team finished with a 5–9–2 record, which eliminated them from playoff contention again. It was disappointing considering the addition of rookie talents Steve Cotter, Lonnie Dennis, Jim Carphin, and Neal Beaumont to a strong core of veteran and young players from the previous season. The only positive for the Lions was Beaumont winningWIFU Outstanding Rookie of the Year honors, becoming the first Lions player to win a major CFL award.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions started the 1961 season by signing former Minnesota Golden Gopher Tom Brown, but the team continued performing poorly on the field.


title: BC Lions

text: In September, in a trade that was considered a major gamble, the Lions received quarterback Joe Kapp from Calgary, in exchange for four players. A week later, Robinson was relieved of his duties as head coach and replaced by assistant Dave Skrien. The year ended with a 1–13–2 record.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1962, Skrien made an immediate impact in his first full season as head coach, finishing with a 7–9 record. After eight years of hard work, the Lions were on the verge of success for the first time.


title: BC Lions

text: Before the 1963 season, there was optimism that the Lions could contend for the Grey Cup. With a veteran roster headlined by Kapp and Fleming, the Lions surged to their first regular-season conference title with a 12–4 record. After a 2–1 series victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Western Conference finals, the Lions lined up in the 51st Grey Cup, held at Empire Stadium, against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. However, their momentum stalled as a series of injuries in the championship game affected the team's performance. Star running back Fleming was hurt after he received a late, out-of-bounds hit by Tiger-Cat defensive tackle Angelo Mosca. This proved to be a huge blow to the Lions' chances of victory. Hamilton took the Grey Cup, 21–10.


title: BC Lions

text: In the offseason, Kapp was awarded the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy as most valuable player of the Western Conference, Tom Brown won the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award, and Skrien won the Annis Stukus Trophy as coach of the year, the first time any of those three awards had been handed to Lions players. Fullback-kicker Peter Kempf became the second Lion to win the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy for rookie of the year honours in the Western Conference.


title: BC Lions

text: After achieving an 11–2–3 regular-season record in 1964, and defeating the Calgary Stampeders in a three-game series in the Western Conference finals, the Lions advanced to meet the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a Grey Cup rematch at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium. BC got their revenge, as Kapp, Fleming, and Bill Munsey, who gave a two-touchdown, two-way starring effort, helped the Lions to their first Grey Cup victory, 34–24. The win ended 11 years of waiting for the British Columbia faithful. At the end of the 1964 season, defensive lineman Tom Brown was named a CFL All-Star, a back-to-back Schenley Award winner as CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman Award, and won the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player in the Western Conference. Joining Brown as All-Stars on defence were Mike Cacic, Dick Fouts, and Munsey. Kapp and tackle Lonnie Dennis were named CFL All-Stars on offence.


title: BC Lions

text: During the offseason, Bailey left, and the roster was beginning to age. Any hopes of the BC Lions becoming a dynasty quickly disappeared in 1965, as the team fell to fourth in the west with a 6-9-1 record, missing the playoffs one year after being on top of the CFL world. It was clear that head coach Skrien would never again experience the same success as he achieved the previous two seasons.


title: BC Lions

text: The situation went from bad to worse in 1966, as the Lions posted a 5–11 record. Capozzi was fired as general manager after nine seasons, and just two years after taking the franchise to consecutive Grey Cup appearances. Fleming and Tom Hinton retired, and Kapp left the team to continue his playing career in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings.


title: BC Lions

text: In the 1967 season, Denny Vietch became the new general manager of the club. His first move was to fire Skrien after three straight losses to start the season. Veitch named Jim Champion as head coach, and the Lions ended up finishing the season with a 3–12–1 record. The only positives for the club were two rookies; wide receiver Jim Young and kicker Ted Gerela, who ended up winning the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy as the Western Conference's rookie of the year.


title: BC Lions

text: Following Skrien's departure, the Lions went through five head coaches between 1968 and 1976, qualifying for the playoffs only three times. Champion remained as head coach in 1968, and CFL legend Jackie Parker was hired as an assistant coach, and even came out of retirement for eight games at quarterback. The Lions finished the season with a 4–11–1 record, again missing the playoffs.


title: BC Lions

text: Eleven games into the 1969 season, with a 1–10 record, Champion was fired as head coach and replaced by assistant Jackie Parker. The Lions responded by winning four of their last five games to finish 5–11, tied with Edmonton. By virtue of winning the season series, BC won the tie breaker and squeezed into the playoffs, where they fell to the Stampeders, in Calgary, 35–21 in the semifinal. Individually, Dave Easley won CFL and Western Division rookie of the year honours, and Young was a Schenley finalist.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1970, the first artificial turf field in Canada was installed, at Empire Stadium (3M's Tartan Turf). Young became the first Lion to win the Schenley Outstanding Canadian Award, while the team finished fourth place in the Western Conference at 6–10, and missed the playoffs.


title: BC Lions

text: The 1971 season began with a major off-season restructuring that saw head coach Parker elevated to general manager, and replaced by former Saskatchewan coach Eagle Keys. Don Moorhead was recruited at quarterback, and a total of fifty-three different players put on a Lions uniform in a year of change, including movie and TV personality Carl Weathers at linebacker. Running back Jim Evenson finished the season with 1,237 yards to lead the Western Conference in rushing, and won the Eddie James Memorial Trophy. The Lions again finished the season at fourth place in the West Division with a 6–9–1 record, missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. Parker became the first Lion player inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1972, the Lions added new players such as defensive back Rocky Long, running back Johnny Musso, linebacker Ray Nettles and centre Al Wilson, but finished fifth in their division with a 5–11 record. Young won his second Schenley Award as outstanding Canadian.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions' fortunes improved during the 1973 season, as they posted a 5–9–2 record, good enough for a third-place finish in the Western Conference and a playoff berth, their first in four years. The Lions lost in the semi-finals to the Saskatchewan Roughriders 33–13. Linebacker Nettles won the CFL's Outstanding Defensive Player Award.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1974, the Lions showed continued improvement in posting an 8–8 record, and returned to the playoffs for the second straight year. They faced familiar foe Saskatchewan in the semi-finals, where they lost again, 24–14. Second-year running back Lou Harris replaced injured Musso to lead the Lions in both rushing and receiving, winning CFL All-Star honours in the process. Stukus became the first Lion inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame as a builder.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions began the 1975 season with a change at quarterback, as Eric Guthrie and Peter Liske platooned at the position, replacing Moorhead. They lost five of their first six games before a major change was announced in August. General manager Parker and head coach Keys were both dismissed, with Bob Ackles moving up from his assistant general manager post and Cal Murphy elevated to head coach. The Lions played .500 football the rest of the season, but finished in fifth place in their division with a 6–10 record.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions' 1976 season concluded with a 5–9–2 fourth-place finish. Individually, Sciarra became the second Lion to win the Schenley Award as the CFL's most outstanding rookie, while Bill Baker won the Schenley Defensive Player Award. Harry Spring became the second Lion inducted into the Hall of Fame as a builder. Rookies and local talents, linebacker Glen Jackson and punter-kicker Lui Passaglia were two other bright spots in an otherwise disappointing season.


title: BC Lions

text: A complete off-season overhaul in the coaching staff brought Edmonton assistant Vic Rapp in as the 10th head coach of the Lions as they opened their 1977 season. A revamped Leos lineup included rookies Leon Bright, John Blain, Ken Hinton, and quarterback Jerry Tagge, as well as several newly acquired veterans. The Lions last-minute heroics earned them the nickname, the "Cardiac Kids." They finished with a 10–6 record, good enough for second place in the Western Division—the first time the Lions had finished with a winning record since the Grey Cup year of 1964. BC opened the playoffs with a 33–32 upset of Winnipeg at home before being trounced 38–1 in Edmonton by the Eskimos in the Western Division final. Wide receiver Leon Bright captured the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie award, and Al Wilson became the first Lion to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1978, the Lions finished the season at 7–7–2 and in fourth place in their division. Rookie running backs John Henry White and Larry Key provided a much improved rushing game, but depth was still the missing ingredient, as the Leos missed the playoffs. 1978 also saw the emergence of rookie quarterback Joe Paopao, the "Throwin' Samoan."


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions' 1979 season began with Tagge at quarterback, but his season—and his career—were ended by a knee injury. Led by Joe Paopao, the Lions skidded down the stretch, losing five games in a row. Despite this, the team finished third in the Western Conference with a 9–6–1 record, making the playoffs. In the semi-finals, the Lions were blasted 37–2 by the Calgary Stampeders. Jim Young retired at the end of the season, and Norm Fieldgate became the second Lions player to be inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Rising costs and an aging Empire Stadium cast a shadow over future prospects. To head off a crisis, the directors, led by past-president Jack Farley, developed a plan to sell stock and seek a strong partnership with a major corporate sponsor to keep operations viable while waiting for the construction of a new stadium in downtown Vancouver.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions failed to make the playoffs in 1980, despite a winning record of 8–7–1. Off the field, the decision was made to begin construction of a new indoor stadium in downtown Vancouver.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1981, the Lions returned to the playoffs with a third-place divisional finish and a 10–6 record. The team qualified for the playoffs on the final weekend of the season with a victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a driving rainstorm at Empire Stadium. The key play was a late fourth-quarter fumble by Saskatchewan fullback Greg Fieger at the Rider two-yard line which the Lions recovered. The Lions turned this into a touchdown two plays later to take the lead for good after Saskatchewan had led for most of the game up to that point. In the playoffs, the Lions again upset the Blue Bombers 15–11 in the semi-finals before losing 22–16 in the Western Division final to eventual Grey Cup champion Edmonton. Paopao and second-year quarterback Roy Dewalt had wide-out Ty Grey as their deep-threat receiver, while rookie defensive back Larry Crawford led the CFL in interceptions. The Labatt Brewing Company became the Lions' major sponsor in a marketing agreement that brought much-needed financial stability to the team.


title: BC Lions

text: Standout wide receiver "Swervin'" Mervyn Fernandez was among the rookies who joined the Lions in 1982, winning the Jackie Parker Trophy as the Western Division's most outstanding rookie. Despite a 9–7 record, the Lions finished fourth in their division and failed to make the playoffs. As in the previous four seasons, the Lions got off to a fast start only to stumble badly after Labour Day. In most cases after this point in the season, the Lions lost crucial divisional games by a very large margin. Due to this disturbing trend, head coach Vic Rapp and his entire coaching staff were dismissed at the end of the season. Lions' running back great Willie "The Wisp" Fleming was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.


title: BC Lions

text: In January 1983, former Edmonton defensive coordinator Don Matthews was named BC's new head coach. The Lions also moved into the domed BC Place Stadium, their new home stadium, which opened in June 1983. The quarterback-receiver combination of Dewalt to Fernandez led the Lions' attack, while the defence set a new CFL record of 42 interceptions. The Lions finished 11–5 for the second-best record in team history and returned to first place for the first time since the 1964 season. They stormed into the playoffs, defeating Winnipeg in the Western Division finals, 39–21. The Western Division champions hosted the Toronto Argonauts in the 71st Grey Cup, ending a 19-year absence from the classic. BC Place fans watched the Argonauts defeat their hometown team in a taut 18–17 contest.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1984, the Lions' biggest trade since the Joe Kapp deal brought CFL All-Star James "Quick" Parker to their defence from Edmonton. The Lions again finished first in the Western Division with a league-leading 12–3–1 record, but the second straight first-place finish was dampened by the late-season loss of quarterback Roy Dewalt to injury. In a repeat Western finals matchup at BC Place, Winnipeg triumphed 31–14 and went on to win their first Grey Cup since 1962. Average crowds in excess of 40,000 in each of the first two years at BC Place reversed the team's financial fortunes, with stockholders receiving early repayment. Lions greats Joe Kapp and linebacker Tom Brown were inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions' 1985 season began with much promise. Mervyn Fernandez shattered several team receiving records and second-year receiver Jim Sandusky broke the 1,000 yard mark. Rookie defensive tackle Mike Gray was the most visible of several rookies. With depth and few injuries, the final season record of 13–3 was the best in team history, bringing the Lions their third consecutive first-place divisional finish. The Lions avenged their prior year's playoff defeat by beating Winnipeg 42–22. One week later, the same Lions line-up met Hamilton at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Twenty-one years of waiting ended with a 37–24 Grey Cup championship victory over the Tiger-Cats in the 73rd Grey Cup. Quarterback Roy Dewalt won the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award on offence, while defensive end James "Quick" Parker took home the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award on defence. Kicker Lui Passaglia was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian. Don Matthews won his first CFL Coach of the Year award. Mervyn Fernandez became the first Lion to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award and defensive tackle Mike Gray won both the CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie award and the Jackie Parker Trophy. Linebacker Tyrone Crews won the first of two consecutive CFL Players Association Outstanding Community Service Awards. The CFL champions returned to Vancouver for a victory celebration that swept across the entire province.


title: BC Lions

text: Defending their championship in 1986 proved even harder than winning it the year before, as the Lions battled the Eskimos, Blue Bombers, injuries, and the CFL's newly extended 18-game regular season. The Lions reached the halfway mark at 7–2 losing at Edmonton, and at home to Calgary. The Lions then ran their record to 9–2 before hitting a four-game losing streak, started by back-to-back losses to Edmonton. The Lions rebounded to win back-to-back games against Winnipeg to finish the season 12–6, and second in the Western Division. Under the new playoff format, the Lions met the Bombers for a third straight week, winning the Semi-Finals 21–14, before travelling to Edmonton for the Lions' first Western final road game in four years. The Lions lost their fourth game of the year to the Eskimos 41–5, ending the Lions' hopes of defending their title in front of a home crowd at BC Place. The 1985 Grey Cup title, the prospect of defending the title at home, and the excitement in the area generated from Expo 86 helped the Lions outdraw the Vancouver Canucks in total attendance in 1986, despite the fact the Lions had only nine regular-season home games compared to the Canucks' 40. Off the field, the big news of the year was the departure of general manager Bob Ackles to the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, ending Ackles' 33-year association with the Lions (he returned in 2002). Ackles was replaced by former Montreal general manager Joe Galat in August 1986.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions began their 1987 campaign without the services of stand-out wide receiver Mervyn Fernandez, who left during the offseason to join the Los Angeles Raiders. The season began with a four-game winning streak, but the team seemed to lose focus through the middle of the season, looking invincible in one game and lethargic the next. Entering the last half of the year, the Lions were still in contention for first place but not playing like a team driving for a title. When the team suffered a three-game losing streak, general manager Joe Galat fired Don Matthews, the winningest coach in Lions history with just four games to go. The Lions instantly responded to new coach Larry Donovan, winning the final four games including a thrilling come-from-behind 33–32 victory over Edmonton at Commonwealth Stadium that many observers called the CFL's greatest comeback ever. The win gave the Lions first place in the Western Division for the fourth time in five years with a 12–6 record. Home field advantage at BC Place in the Western final was not enough however, as the Lions fell to the eventual Grey Cup champion Eskimos, 31–7.


title: BC Lions

text: The CFL's competition cap forced the Lions to start the 1988 season with 22 new faces in their lineup, one of which was star quarterback Matt Dunigan, acquired in a trade with Edmonton. Despite the large number of new players, the Lions jelled and finished the regular season with a 10–8 record. The Lions entered the playoffs with momentum and were touted as Grey Cup favourites. The Leos managed hard-earned playoff victories on the road at Saskatchewan, beating the Roughriders, 42–18 in the semi-final, before defeating the Eskimos in the Western Division final at Commonwealth Stadium, 37–19; it marked their first playoff win over the Eskimos in their history. That set the stage for the 76th Grey Cup Championship Game against the Blue Bombers, in front of a crowd in excess of 50,000 in unseasonably mild but windy conditions at Ottawa. The lead changed hands several times during the hard-fought contest. The Leos drove to the Winnipeg seven-yard line in the final minutes only to have Matt Dunigan's pass deflected by two defenders and intercepted to snuff out the drive. The Bombers went on to win the Cup, 22–21.


title: BC Lions

text: Buoyed by their Grey Cup appearance the previous season, the Lions entered the 1989 season with much optimism. However, the team opened the campaign with a loss to Edmonton in Commonwealth Stadium, followed by three more losses before coach Larry Donovan was fired and replaced by general manager Joe Galat. After dropping their fifth straight game to the Eskimos, the Lions put together a four-game winning streak, fuelling playoff hopes. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers shattered those hopes in back-to-back games, rolling over the Leos 53–34 in Winnipeg, and then edging the Lions 24–20 in an overtime contest in Vancouver. Prior to the Winnipeg home game on September 16, new owner Murray Pezim (who had bought the team from community ownership on September 7) and his minority partners, ex-NFL all-star Mark Gastineau and his wife Brigitte Nielsen were introduced to the home fans. The Lions never did get back on track, finishing the year with a disappointing 7–11 record, and missing the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Bright spots included running back Darrell Wallace, who won the Western Division's Jackie Parker Trophy as Most Outstanding Rookie (Wallace was second in the CFL in total offensive yardage), and quarterback Matt Dunigan who won the CFL Players Association Outstanding Community Service Award. Dunigan was traded (in another seven-to-one trade) to the Toronto Argonauts after the 1989 season ended.


title: BC Lions

text: In 1990, Pezim's first full season as owner, he made big changes to the look of the team. The team ditched its predominantly orange and white uniform design to black with silver helmets and pants. Under new head coach Lary Kuharich and general manager Joe Kapp, the Lions generated a good deal of preseason hype in 1990 with the signings of West Virginia University quarterback Major Harris, who was fourth in 1989 Heisman Trophy balloting, and quarterback Doug Flutie. Minority owner Mark Gastineau even returned to active duty, but was released after playing only four games. However, the publicity did not translate into on-field victories and turmoil plagued the team. Two coaches left early in the season amid controversy. The Lions tied their first game against Calgary in the dying seconds of the contest as Doug Flutie tossed a "hail Mary" pass to Ray Alexander in the end zone. The Lions kept close in every game, winning a tight one against Winnipeg at home on a last-second Passaglia field goal, while losing to Hamilton in the final seconds in the next contest. The eastern road trip to Ottawa and Toronto, during which the Lions lost both games, spelled the beginning of the end for the new coach and general manager. The following week, the Leos dropped another one to the Argos, 49–19, and one week after that, another former Lions great, Jim "Dirty Thirty" Young, was behind the bench as interim head coach. Bob O'Billovich took over as vice president of football operations and head coach on September 14, 1990, and promptly guided the team to a strong 34–4 victory over Hamilton. The Lions gained stability as the season wore on, and although they missed the playoffs, "Obie's" charges went 4–3 over the last seven games of the season, and their strong finish fuelled hopes for a much brighter 1991 season. Highlights of the year included Lui Passaglia's new professional football scoring record, as he booted his 2,238th point, finishing the year with 2,312 points. Lui also became the longest-playing Lion in history, appearing in a total of 236 games, overtaking Al Wilson's previous mark of 233 games.


title: BC Lions

text: The 1991 season opened with promise. Although the team dropped a 39–34 decision to Calgary at BC Place, the game was tight and the Lions were in the contest to the very end. It was a harbinger as Bob O'Billovich's young team with 12 rookies in the lineup, turned virtually every contest into a nail-biter, playing in a CFL record six overtime contests, winning three and losing three. Behind the outstanding quarterbacking of Doug Flutie, the powerful running of rookie Jon Volpe, the receiving of rookie Matt Clark and veteran Ray Alexander, the Lions were capable of beating any team in the CFL. On August 1, 1991, the 2–1 Lions faced the undefeated Toronto Argonauts featuring Raghib "the Rocket" Ismail, at BC Place Stadium. A huge crowd of 53,527 was on hand. After falling behind 21–3 in the first quarter, the Lions battled back and took control of the game in the final quarter. Toronto managed to tie the game but in overtime, but an electrifying kickoff return for a touchdown by Raymond Ethridge and terrific play by the Lions' special teams spelled the difference. The Lions triumphed 52–41 in overtime. However, the following week, Calgary stopped the Leos, 34–30 in overtime. The Lions offence led the CFL in 11 different categories and the team was in a three-way battle with Calgary and Edmonton for first place in the Western Division, right down to the end of the season. In the last game, the Lions hosted the 2–15 Hamilton Tiger-Cats, needing a win to clinch first place. However, the Lions lost and finished third with an 11–7 record. In the Western semi-final in Calgary, the Leos took a commanding 31–15 lead by the end of the first half. Although the Lions had never lost a game all year when leading at the half, Calgary stormed back with an incredible third quarter, scoring four touchdowns, and holding off the Lions to win, 43–41. The disappointing loss was at least partially offset by the awarding of three Lions with outstanding player awards. Doug Flutie was named the CFL's Outstanding Player, Jon Volpe won the CFL's Outstanding Rookie award as well as the West Division's Jackie Parker Trophy and the Eddie James Memorial Trophy for leading the division in rushing. Offensive tackle Jim Mills became the CFL's Outstanding Offensive Lineman and the West Division's DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy award winner for the second consecutive year. Although quarterback Doug Flutie signed as a free agent with the Stampeders in the post-season, the acquisition of his replacement from Calgary, Danny Barrett, prior to training camp, brought hope of good things to come in 1992.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions entered training camp in 1992 with high expectations. Despite the loss of Doug Flutie, two-time Grey Cup finalist quarterback Danny Barrett was counted on to be an able replacement. In the season opener against Edmonton, however, Barrett struggled, eventually giving way to back-up Tony Kimbrough in the second half. The Eskimos went on to win, 37–26. The following week, the Lions' fortunes continued to spiral downward, this time, on the road, as the Toronto Argonauts crushed the Leos, 61–20. In the third game of the year against Doug Flutie and the Calgary Stampeders, Barrett, who had regained his starting job at quarterback, went down in the third quarter with a separated shoulder. Flutie then guided Calgary to a 37–19 win, and the Lions slid further downhill from there. The team lost eight straight before finally edging out Ottawa 33–27 on September 3, 1992, with Danny Barrett back at the helm. To add insult to injury, off-season and off-field problems emerged to swing focus from football to ownership, as Lions' owner Murray Pezim declared bankruptcy, and the CFL was forced to take over the team. Three weeks later, a new owner was found, as The Brick Furniture Store owner Bill Comrie purchased the Lions from the CFL on September 23, 1992. The team on the field did not respond to the newfound ownership stability, losing the final seven games of the year to finish the season with a disappointing 3–15 record. Head coach O'Billovich and his staff were fired at season's end, and on December 12, 1992, new General Manager Eric Tillman announced the hiring of Ottawa defensive coordinator Dave Ritchie, as the new head coach of the Lions.


title: BC Lions

text: The "new" 1993 edition of the BC Lions, under the guidance of head coach Dave Ritchie and general manager Eric Tillman signed a number of proven CFL veterans, including Danny McManus, James "Wild" West, Rob Smith, Less Browne, Tyrone Jones, Sean Foudy and CFL All-Star Vic Stevenson, winner of the 1992 DeMarco-Beckett Trophy as the Outstanding Offensive Lineman in the West Division. The team also added promising rookies, such as running back Cory Philpot, draft pick Tom Europe, and Derek Grier. A contract dispute with Jon Volpe kept him from training camp, but he was back in the fold by the second game of the season. The Lions struck quickly with wins over Saskatchewan and Toronto before grinding to a halt in Winnipeg after only three days rest between road games. However, the Leos lost only two more games through July, August, and mid-September, cruising to an 8–3 record, the Lions' best start since 1987. Quarterback Danny Barrett broke the CFL's single-game passing yard record, completing 30 passes for 601 yards, eclipsing the previous mark of 586 yards set back in 1954 by Alouettes legend, Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry. The Lions entered the September 18, 1993 game against Calgary in a battle for first place in the Western Division. However, Doug Flutie and the Stamps prevailed, 40–21. The Lions went on to win only two of the next seven games, sliding to a 64–27 pounding against Sacramento in the regular-season finale, for a 10–8 finish. Nevertheless, the Lions made the playoffs after a one-year absence, facing Calgary in the West Division semi-final game on November 14, 1993. Despite generating twice as much offence as the Stamps, the Leos could not score a touchdown and fell 17–9.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions entered the 1994 campaign with a new quarterback, Kent Austin, at the helm. Off-season trades with Ottawa provided offensive guard Denny Chronopoulos, defensive lineman Andrew Stewart, and rush linebacker Angelo Snipes. A group of young, unknown, and aggressive linebackers emerged at training camp, Henry Newby, Tyrone Chatman, and Virgil Robertson, while the secondary was strengthened with the additions of Charles Gordon and Enis Jackson. The Lions opened the season at B.C. Place and gave the fans a taste of things to come with a hard-fought 24–20 victory over Winnipeg. The Lions offensive power was amply demonstrated the following week with a 57–18 thumping of the Ottawa Rough Riders. By the end of August, 1994, the Lions were 7–1–0, and had broken several single-game offensive records, including a 67–15 point record win over Shreveport. The Leos' secondary was further bolstered by the signing of former NFL stars James Jefferson (who was also a one-time CFL star) and Barry Wilburn. The team endured a dry spell at the season's midpoint, losing close games to Winnipeg, Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and Baltimore. A late-season win over Las Vegas (45–7) and a close 24–23 loss to Calgary, gave the Lions new hope heading into the playoffs, as well as an 11–6–1 regular-season finish. The team travelled to Edmonton for the Western Division Semi-Finals, where the Lions had only managed one playoff victory at Commonwealth Stadium. With just over four minutes left in the game, defensive back Charles Gordon's miraculous end-zone interception stopped the Eskimos in their tracks and gave new life to the Lions. Quarterback Kent Austin, replacing an injured Danny McManus who had started the game, mounted a Lions' drive which ate up the clock and the field. Lui Passaglia kicked the winning field goal with 30 seconds left to give the Lions a tough 24–23 come-from-behind victory. The following week, in one of the most memorable CFL games ever, the Lions and the Doug Flutie led Stampeders traded touchdowns and field goals all night at McMahon Stadium. In the swirling snow with two minutes left in the game, Calgary, who led by 5 points, set up to kick a field goal. Lions' wide receiver Ray Alexander leapt up and made an amazing block, giving the Lions renewed hope and decent field position. Danny McManus, who had replaced Kent Austin in the second half after Austin re-injured a separated shoulder, staged a furious last-minute drive, hitting receivers all the way down the field to the Stampeder's four-yard line. With Calgary leading 36–31, with four seconds left in the game, McManus found receiver Darren Flutie alone in the end zone to give the Lions their first playoff victory over Calgary in 30 years, and a berth in the Grey Cup against Baltimore at B.C. Place. The dramatics continued the following week in the 82nd Grey Cup. With 55,097 cheering fans looking on, the Lions and Stallions staged another thriller with both teams playing great football. Baltimore took a 17–10 lead at halftime, and extended their lead to 20–10 early in the third quarter. Lions' quarterback Danny McManus entered the game and staged a second-half rally. Seemingly stalled at the Baltimore 30 yard line, Lui Passaglia and Darren Flutie staged a fake field goal to gain a big first down, which changed the momentum of the game. McManus ran in from the two-yard line to tie the score at 20–20. After the teams traded field goals to make the score 23–23, McManus engineered another late-game drive to the Baltimore 37 yard line. Passaglia missed the field goal with just over one minute remaining, but the Lions' defence rose up to deny Baltimore and stop them cold within their own five-yard line. After a punt and a couple of runs to set up another field goal try, Passaglia converted a field goal with no time remaining on the clock to give the Lions an incredible 26–23 victory, the third Grey Cup championship in the team's history. Passaglia went on to win a well-deserved Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian award for his heroics.


title: BC Lions

text: The 1995 season began with Grey Cup hero Danny McManus named as starting quarterback, replacing Kent Austin, who was traded to Toronto. Shelton Quarles was added to a strong linebacker corps. The season started with an exciting, late come-from-behind 37–34 victory over the Baltimore Stallions at BC Place. The Lions won their first three games before suffering a setback in Calgary. The Leos got back on track with a strong performance over Ottawa, and went on to a 7–1 record, challenging the Stampeders in the North Division. Injuries to key players during a three-game, 10-day road trip resulted in a late-season swoon that the Lions could not recover from. A victory over Saskatchewan at B.C. Place in the regular-season finale solidified 3rd place in the rugged Northern Division with a 10–8 record and a trip to Edmonton for the playoffs. The Lions' 1995 season came to an end with a 26–15 loss to the Eskimos in the semi-finals. Individually, Lions' running back Cory Philpot broke the CFL record for touchdowns in a season with 22, and won the Eddie James Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row as the Northern Division's leading rusher. Lui Passaglia ended the season with 3,160 career points. Jamie Taras won the DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy as the Northern Division's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.


title: BC Lions

text: 1996 was a season of turmoil for the Lions, both on and off the field. Former Lions' quarterback and fan favourite Joe Paopao returned to the team from the Edmonton Eskimos as the new head coach, replacing Dave Ritchie. On March 11, 1996, Lions' owner Bill Comrie announced that the club had been sold to a group of 10 local businessmen headed by Nelson Skalbania (who once owned the Montreal Alouettes) and Michael Jensen. The Lions held training camp at UBC with over a hundred players invited. Mike McCarthy arrived in Vancouver to become the Lions new VP of football operations. On the field, the Lions started the season with 18 new faces in the line-up, including heralded Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware at quarterback. The Lions started the season at 0–4, and quarterback Damon Allen was signed to replace Ware. As the team stumbled on the field, attendance plummeted. Stability in the front office proved short-lived, as Skalbania and his ownership group lost control of the team, and the Lions (again) went into receivership, with the CFL taking over the team once more, just as they had in 1992. The bright spot of the season was an exciting and improbable, 35–11 victory over Doug Flutie and the Toronto Argonauts, in September, 1996. On October 31, 1996, Hamilton businessman David Braley announced his intention to buy the team. November 2, 1996 marked the end of the season as the Lions defeated Ottawa 35–24 in what was the Rough Riders' final game in club history.


title: BC Lions

text: David Braley's ownership and a coaching change brought the Lions much-needed stability as they entered the 1997 season, and some of that stability seemed to have translated to success on the field. Joe Paopao resigned prior to the season's start, and was replaced as head coach by Adam Rita. The Lions made the playoffs for the 20th time in their 43-year club history, despite an 8–10, fourth place divisional finish. The Leos' 1997 playoff appearance marked the first time in CFL history that a West Division team participated in an East Division semi-final, under a newly established "cross-over rule" (where the fourth-place team from one division qualified for the playoffs, as long as the team earned more points than the 3rd place team from the opposing division. Once so qualified, the fourth-place team would then "cross-over" to the other division to play the second-place team in the opposing division). The Lions thus faced Montreal in the Eastern semi-finals, eventually losing to the Alouettes, 45–35, in a spirited contest. Fullback Sean Millington was awarded the CFL's Outstanding Canadian Award at season's end, while linebacker B.J. Gallis won the Jackie Parker Trophy as the West Division's top rookie.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions started the 1998 season off on the wrong foot, losing their first three games, before finally beating Saskatchewan in week four. The defence held their own, but the offence struggled. The low point of the year occurred on August 9, 1998, when the eventual Grey Cup champion Calgary Stampeders came into B.C. Place and beat the hometown Leos 55–9. With a record of 3–6–0, head coach Adam Rita resigned, and was replaced by Greg Mohns. The no-nonsense approach of Mohns seemed to spark the team, as the Lions embarked on a memorable, six-game winning streak (which the team had not done since 1986) heading into the playoffs. The Lions, who finished 9–9 on the year, lost in the semi-finals to Edmonton in heartbreaking fashion, but showed promise for the upcoming season. Kicker Lui Passaglia won the Dave Dryburgh Memorial Trophy as the top scorer in the West Division.


title: BC Lions

text: Expectations for the Lions were high as the 1999 season began, following the team's promising finish a year earlier, and with the announcement that the Grey Cup game would be played in Vancouver. Quality free agents such as slotback Don Blair and cornerback Eric Carter were brought in to add depth to an already impressive lineup, and with the likes of Robert Drummond and Jimmy "The Jet" Cunningham back in form following injury-plagued 1998 seasons, the Lions were primed for a successful season. The Lions started fast out of the gate, winning their first three games to set a new club record with nine straight regular-season wins. The Lions either held sole possession of first place or were tied with Calgary throughout the season. The Lions ended the regular season with two straight wins, finishing first in the division with a 13–5 record, the Lions' best record since 1985, and the first divisional championship since 1987. the Lions' dream season came to a premature and heartbreaking end, as the Stamps beat the Lions 26–24 in the Lions' first home playoff game in 12 years. The Lions appeared to be driving toward a chance to kick a game-winning field goal in the last minute before Damon Allen fumbled the ball at mid-field, allowing the Stamps to kill off the remaining time. The Lions fielded three CFL All-Stars in 1999: slotback Jimmy Cunningham, centre Jamie Taras, and defensive tackle Johnny Scott. Linebacker Paul Lacoste was voted the CFL's top rookie, and was also awarded the Jackie Parker Trophy. Defensive end Daved Benefield was named the Western Division's top defensive player, while Jamie Taras won the DeMarco-Becket Memorial Trophy as the West's most outstanding offensive lineman, as well as the CFL Player's Association Outstanding Community Service Award.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions began the 2000 campaign with only one goal in mind: win the Grey Cup. Six months later, the Lions fulfilled that destiny, but the path to the 88th Grey Cup was one of the most adventurous, unpredictable, and memorable ever in CFL history. The year started well enough, with victories over Hamilton and Saskatchewan, but a 35–2 loss to Calgary began a four-game losing streak and a lot of finger-pointing. A win over the Toronto Argonauts halted the slide, but following the game, head coach Greg Mohns resigned to join the upstart XFL. Long-time CFL coach Steve Buratto, who joined the club only two weeks earlier as a receivers coach, was promoted to the top job, and got instant results with a huge 51–4 win over the Argos in the second of back-to-back games. Despite a promising start, the Lions only won one of their next five games to sit at 5–9 on Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, the Lions came together when it counted the most, winning three of their last four heading into the playoffs, and the offence gelling to become the best in the CFL that season. Quarterback Damon Allen broke Ron Lancaster's CFL record for career passing yardage. Lui Passaglia played in a memorable, "Luv Ya Lui" night at his final game at B.C. Place, and also set a CFL record for single-season field goal percentage. The Lions finished the year 8–10 and in third place in the Western Division, but were the team other teams did not want to face in the playoffs. A snarly defence started to show its grit, and the Lions roared confidently into Edmonton and emerged with a 34–32 Western semi-final victory, thanks to a Passaglia field goal on the final play. The Lions next faced Calgary in the Western finals, and the Lions steamrolled to a decisive 37–23 win. The Leos' Cinderella season came to a close on November 26, 2000, in the Grey Cup at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, as the Lions won their fourth championship in team history with a nail-biting 28–26 victory over the Montreal Alouettes. Running back Robert Drummond won the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award, while backfield teammate Sean Millington took home the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian trophy. The Lions' triumph marked the first time a team with a sub-.500 regular season record won the Grey Cup, and it signalled a marvellous end to Lui Passaglia's outstanding, 25-year CFL career.


title: BC Lions

text: Expectations were high for the CFL champion Lions in 2001, but the team ultimately never seemed to jell. Quarterback Damon Allen struggled, and the team hovered around the 0.500 mark all season. Finishing at 8–10, the Lions did make the playoffs, but were immediately bounced by Calgary in the Western Division semi-finals, 28–19. Matt Kellett became only the second full-time field goal kicker in 26 years, as he replaced the legendary Lui Passaglia. Rookie middle linebacker Barrin Simpson led the team in tackles and was named a first-team CFL All-Star, as well as the CFL's Rookie of the Year and Jackie Parker Trophy winner. Cornerback Eric Carter was also named to the CFL's 2001 All-Star team.


title: BC Lions

text: Bob Ackles returned to the Lions as president and CEO before the 2002 season, which saw the Lions finish at 10–8 for a third-place finish in the Western Division, and the return of Adam Rita as head coach. The Lions faced Winnipeg in the Western semi-finals, falling 30–3 to the Bombers. Individually, Eric Carter and Barrin Simpson repeated as CFL All-Stars, while slotback Jason Clermont won CFL's most outstanding rookie award, as well as the Western Division's Jackie Parker Trophy. Fullback Sean Millington won the Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy as the outstanding Canadian Western Division player, for the 3rd time. This was the last season that Damon Allen played for the Lions, as he finished as the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards, pass completions and passing touchdowns.


title: BC Lions

text: The 2003 season marked the beginning of a new era, as Wally Buono replaced Adam Rita as head coach and GM. The Lions also acquired former Stampeders and NFL QB Dave Dickenson through free agency, which prompted Lions QB Damon Allen to leave for the Toronto Argonauts. The Lions finished in a 3-way, 2nd place tie at 11–7 with Western Division foes, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan, and faced the Eastern Division's Toronto Argonauts by way of the CFL's "cross-over rule." The Lions closed out the season with a 28–7 loss to the Argos in the Eastern Division semi-finals. Barrin Simpson appeared as a CFL All-Star for the 3rd year in a row, joined by newcomers Ray Jacobs on defence, and electrifying slotback Geroy Simon on offence. Wide receiver Frank Cutolo won the CFL and Western Division rookie of the year awards. Offensive tackle Steve Hardin won the CFL Player's Association Outstanding Community Service Award.


title: BC Lions

text: The 2004 season marked one of the Lions' best regular-season records in club history. Going 13–5 and finishing 1st in the division, the Lions set a team record of 8 consecutive wins in a single season. In addition to club records, the season brought an array of individual performances to the forefront. Quarterback Casey Printers set a CFL record for highest single-game completion average of 90.9% (completing 20 of 22 passing attempts) during an August, 2004 game against Hamilton. Outstanding slot back Geroy Simon tied three team records by catching four touchdown passes in the same game. After the conclusion of the regular season, Printers was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player, while Jason Clermont won the Most Outstanding Canadian award. Printers and Simon joined 4-time All-Star linebacker Barrin Simpson as 2004 CFL All-Stars. The Lions, receiving a bye in the first round of the playoffs by virtue of their first-place divisional finish, faced one of their biggest rivals, the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In a closefinish, the Lions defeated the Roughriders 27–25, in overtime. The Lions were then pitted against the Toronto Argonauts in the 92nd Grey Cup Championship, a rematch of the 2003 semi-finals. The Lions did not exact their revenge, losing 27–19. Jason Clermont won the Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian award in the effort. The game was marked with controversy for the Lions, as Dave Dickenson got the start over Casey Printers, who had led the team through most of the season as Dickenson was injured.


title: BC Lions

text: Before and during the 2005 season there was controversy as to which quarterback should be the starter, Casey Printers or Dave Dickenson. Printers was the CFL's 2004 season Most Outstanding Player, but Dickenson was a veteran star destined for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. The team ultimately chose to go with Dickenson, despite his having been somewhat injury-prone. The Lions came out of the gate roaring. Led by Dickenson and an outstanding receiving corps, the team strung together 11 consecutive wins. The final game of the win streak came on September 17, 2005, when the Leos squeaked past the Montreal Alouettes by a score of 27–26 when Don Matthews elected to go for a two-point conversion rather than tie the game. The Lions bid for an undefeated season came to a halt the very next week on September 24, 2005, when the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Lions 37–20 at Commonwealth Stadium. Dickenson sustained a season-ending concussion and Printers took over as starting QB. The Lions won only one of their remaining seven games of the regular season. On November 20, 2005, the Lions lost in the Western Finals to the eventual Grey Cup champion Eskimos at B.C. Place. The game ended with a controversial "non-call" on the last play of the game; as what would have been Printers' game-winning pass to slotback Geroy Simon appeared to have been interfered with by a defending Eskimo, and was ruled incomplete. Defensive end Brent Johnson was named a 2005 CFL All-Star, and won the Outstanding Canadian Award.


title: BC Lions

text: The 2006 season saw Casey Printers go off to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs; however, a new quarterback controversy of sorts threatened to develop. During the off-season 2005s third-stringer, Buck Pierce won the back-up role and early season injuries to Dave Dickenson forced him into action. Pierce's best game as the starter was on October 6 against the Calgary Stampeders, where he threw 25 for 31 for 297 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He began the game with one incomplete pass, and then hit his next 14.


title: BC Lions

text: The Lions in the off-season also acquired former Roughrider Paul McCallum to stabilize the kicking game which had not recovered from Lui Passaglia's retirement in 2000. After a sluggish 2–3 start in 2006, coach Buono signalled that no starting job was safe by releasing runningback Antonio Warren and defensive back Sam Young. The team responded by winning the next six games. New running back Joe Smith ran for over 100 yards in his first game. Brent Johnson, Barron Miles, and Mark Washington led a dominant defence; 10 different defenders scored touchdowns on turnovers. They also held opposing offences to 17 points or less on 6 occasions. Receiver Geroy Simon dominated opposing defensive backs in a manner not seen since Mervyn Fernandez in the 1980s, and broke the club record for single-season receiving yardage for the second straight year. The Lions clinched first place on October 6, earning a third straight bye into the Western Final at home, and tied a team record with a 13–5 mark for the season. 50,084 (league-best for 2006) saw BC crush the Roughriders 45–18 in the West final. Looking fully recovered from earlier concussions, Dickenson went 27 for 37 with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Paris Jackson made two circus catches for TDs, Jason Clermont bulled his way to 98 yards on 6 catches, Joe Smith scored twice and ran for 116 yards, McCallum was 5 for 5 in field goals, and the BC defence dominated Saskatchewan all afternoon.


title: BC Lions

text: On November 19, the BC Lions captured their first Grey Cup Championship since 2000 by defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25–14 at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg. Dave Dickenson was named the Most Valuable Player of the game, while Paul McCallum was named the Most Valuable Canadian. In the post-game exuberance, the team snapped the Grey Cup off the lower base with the engraved names, but it was repaired the following Monday. The game is also noted for kicker Paul McCallum going 6 for 6 in field goals, making him a perfect 11 for 11 in the postseason. Coach Buono also used all three quarterbacks in the game: Dickenson, Pierce and third-string Jarious Jackson all took snaps.


title: BC Lions

text: The record-setting season was capped off with Buono's third CFL Coach of the Year Award. The Lions nearly swept the annual player awards, with Brent Johnson, Geroy Simon, Rob Murphy, Mark Washington, and Aaron Hunt (BC's sixth Outstanding Rookie in nine years) all taking home hardware.


title: BC Lions

text: In 2007 offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine left for the Edmonton Eskimos in the off-season, becoming their offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The Lions' play-calling duties for the 2007 season were handled by quarterbacks coach Steff Kruck, with play design by offensive line coach Dan Dorazio. Veteran linebacker Carl Kidd announced his retirement at the Grey Cup ring ceremony held just prior to training camp, while Bobby Singh was cut and soon picked up by the Calgary Stampeders. John Hufnagel guest-coached at training camp, having previously worked under Buono as offensive coordinator in Calgary in the 1990s.


title: BC Lions

text: 2007 proved to be one of the best seasons for the Lions, having set a new franchise record for the most regular-season wins in club history. The season started off on a 5-game winning streak, including dominating wins over Edmonton (29–9) and Saskatchewan (42–12). However, the streak came to a halt on August 3, 2007, when the Leos suffered a 21–9 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Lions had a little trouble getting back on track, as they suffered a loss to Winnipeg and a tie with Calgary. A 40–7 win over Toronto moved the Lions back into 1st place in the West Division, due to a Saskatchewan loss to Calgary. On September 22, 2007, the Lions battled their biggest foe, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, for the 1st place spot in the West Division. The Saskatchewan lead increased and decreased several times throughout the game. However, with Saskatchewan leading by 4, the Lions never gave up in the dying minutes of the game, and QB Jarious Jackson was able to find Geroy Simon in the endzone and pass the ball for a game-winning 33 yard touchdown. The final result was an unexpected come-from-behind 37–34 victory for the Lions. The Lions went on to win all the rest of their games of the regular season and captured 1st place in the West Division for a fourth consecutive year. The Lions also finished with a regular-season record of 14–3–1, The best in club history. The Lions felt confident heading into the Western Final, but their dreams of second consecutive Grey Cup title came to an end in a heartbreaking 26–17 loss to the eventual Grey Cup champions, the Saskatchewan Roughriders.


title: BC Lions

text: Just before the 2008 season, the Lions' Josh Boden was cut due to being arrested. Also, Mark Washington became the secondary coach due to salary cap issues. Quarterback star Dave Dickenson was released in the final year of his contract of $400k/yr and was picked up by the Calgary Stampeders. Jacques Chapdelaine came back from the Edmonton Eskimos after being fired as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in his one year with the club. Defensive coordinator Dave Ritchie retired after the 2007 season and Mike Benevides was promoted to his position. As well, director of player personnel Bob O'Billovich left to become general manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and former Saskatchewan Roughriders general manager Roy Shivers filled his position.


title: BC Lions

text: The season started off on low notes, both on and off the field. After losing their first two games to Calgary and Saskatchewan, the BC Lions and the entire CFL community was shocked to hear that Lions president and CEO Bobby Ackles had suffered a heart attack and died on July 6, 2008. The Lions held a memorial ceremony at the next home game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and wore an orange paw on their helmets with "Bob" on the inside to commemorate Ackles.


title: BC Lions

text: In their first game of the season, against Calgary, starter Buck Pierce left the game with injury, meaning Jarious Jackson took over as starter. After losing their next game to the Roughriders, the Lions won three straight, synonymous with Stefan Logan's debut with the Lions and Joe Smith sitting these games out. On July 25, Geroy Simon surpassed Jim "Dirty 30" Young as the Lions' all-time receiving yards leader, in a game against the Montreal Alouettes. After electing not to attend Bob Ackles' memorial, Joe Smith began to estrange himself from the organization and only played in four of the first nine games of the season. While also posting unimpressive numbers, the Lions saw fit to trade their former star running back to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for their former star running back, Charles Roberts on Sept 1, 2009. Shortly after, Roberts reached the 10,000 rushing yard mark for his career on Sept 13, 2009, against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in his first game as a Lion.


title: BC Lions

text: After a Labour Day loss to the Montreal Alouettes, the Lions won five straight under a healthy Buck Pierce. Since Buono had become head coach in 2003, the Lions had won at least four in a row each year, a streak that ended in 2009. The Lions finished the regular season with an 11–7 record, including a loss at Calgary in the last regular-season game. After going 3–0–1 against Calgary in the previous season, the Lions were swept by Calgary for the first time since the 2000 season. After amassing 23 sacks, Cameron Wake won the Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award for the second consecutive year. In the playoffs, the Lions defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field 33–12, but lost, yet again, to the Calgary Stampeders, this time in the Western final.


title: BC Lions

text: The 2009 season saw a team that was decidedly different from the previous seasons' roster. While the coaching staff remained completely intact, the playing roster saw a number of notable players released or traded and some leaving for the NFL. Outstanding Defensive Player Cameron Wake signed with the Miami Dolphins, Team Rookie of the Year, Stefan Logan, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Rob Murphy signed with the Toronto Argonauts and Jason Clermont and Charles Roberts were released. Otis Floyd and Tyrone Williams were later released and Jason Pottinger was traded to the Argonauts. They signed all-star linebacker Anton McKenzie, while trying to fill holes in their roster with their depth players from last year and new recruits from the US.


title: BC Lions

text: The season was notable for the team's use of five different quarterbacks – Buck Pierce started the year but gave way after injury to Jarious Jackson. When Jackson was injured, 3rd string QB Travis Lulay was pressed into action. Former Lion and league MVP Casey Printers then signed to the practice roster on October 8, and suited up as the third-string QB on October 9 in a game versus the Edmonton Eskimos. He then became the starting quarterback on October 24, in a 33–30 overtime loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In the season finale on November 6 against Edmonton, Printers was knocked out of the game with a broken thumb. In the last regular-season game 5th string quarterback Zac Champion played more than two quarters when Buck Pierce also went down.


title: BC Lions

text: Losing to each of the other 3 Western teams in successive games meant BC finished fourth and last. However, Hamilton defeated Winnipeg in their last game of the season, enabling the Lions to cross over to the Eastern Division's play-off format (ahead of both Winnipeg and Toronto). The Lions faced the Tiger-Cats in the Eastern semi-final in Hamilton on November 15 and won in overtime. The Lions then advanced the Eastern final against the Montreal Alouettes, but lost 56–18.


title: BC Lions

text: The 2009–10 offseason saw the club lose even more veterans, many who were cut by Buono, and others who left for the NFL. Quarterback Buck Pierce was released on March 9, 2010 after the return of Casey Printers meant that the injury-prone Pierce was expendable. The Lions also released former Special Teams Player of the Year Ian Smart, linebacker Javier Glatt and defensive back Lavar Glover, each of whom played a major role in the Lions' 2006 Grey Cup win. The team also lost Rolly Lumbala and Ryan Grice-Mullen to the NFL's Miami Dolphins, while rookie phenom Martell Mallett signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite this, the club signed a number of proven CFL players, including Davis Sanchez and Keron Williams from the Montreal Alouettes, Jamal Robertson from the Toronto Argonauts and exiled former Bomber Derick Armstrong.


title: BC Lions

text: The 2010 BC Lions played all of their home games at their former site at the Pacific National Exhibition grounds at Empire Field while BC Place Stadium had a retractable roof installed. The Lions also staged their training camp in Kamloops, BC – the first of three over the next three years – as a part of the club's desire to represent the entire province.


title: BC Lions

text: The season started out well for the Lions, with a win against Edmonton, but that success was short lived as the Lions lost their next seven consecutive games. Quarterback Casey Printers suffered a knee injury in game 3 against the Montreal Alouettes, which forced backup quarterback Travis Lulay to start the next three games. After losing to Toronto and the previously winless Eskimos, Lulay was replaced by Jarious Jackson in the fourth quarter in the August 7, 2010, contest against Calgary after demonstrating poor play and inexperience.


title: BC Lions

text: After the bye week, Printers returned and won three out of the five games he started, but due to his turnover-filled back-to-back performances, he was replaced with Lulay as the starter in game 13 against Winnipeg, which the Lions won. After Lulay had a minor injury in the following game, again against Winnipeg, Printers came into the game to protect a 21-point lead. The Blue Bombers stormed back to tie the game and force overtime, which was decided by Printers' game-clinching interception. It was Casey's last game with the Lions as Buono released him soon after the game. Consequently, Lulay became the starting quarterback, finishing the season 4–5 as a starter. The Lions won their last three games to qualify for the playoffs after Edmonton lost their final game of the season, but lost in double overtime to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the West semi-final game.


title: BC Lions

text: The 2011 BC Lions season was perhaps one of the greatest season turnarounds in CFL history. The Lions entered the 2011 campaign with a lot of question marks. The team had almost exactly the same coaching staff as they had the year before, which had been criticized by many fans the past season. The team also lost a few key players, most notably Emmanuel Arceneaux to the NFL. As well, the team opted to go with inexperienced third-year QB Travis Lulay at quarterback.


title: BC Lions

text: Despite a questionable lineup, the Lions, as well as many fans and critics alike, believed that the team was good enough to win the Grey Cup, especially since the game was scheduled to be played in Vancouver at the newly renovated BC Place Stadium. However, the season started out with five straight losses which forced changes to be made. The Lions signed two notable CFL players; defensive back Tad Kornegay, who had just been released by Saskatchewan, and wide receiver Arland Bruce, who was acquired in a trade with Hamilton. The Lions got their first win of the season when they beat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 24–11 in week 6, but the following week, the Lions were swept by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the first time in ten years. Now sitting at 1–6, many fans and critics started to doubt the Lions playoff hopes, but after a convincing 36–1 win over the Edmonton Eskimos, the Lions went on a remarkable 8-game winning streak, skyrocketing the Leos all the way to the top of a very competitive West Division. The Lions winning streak ended after a 42–10 loss to Hamilton in week 17, but after that, the Lions won their last two games of the season, which included a 43–1 clobbering of the two-time defending Grey Cup champions Montreal Alouettes in the regular-season finale. After starting the season 0–5, the Lions rebounded to win 11 of their last 13 games to clinch 1st place in the West Division with an 11–7 record, as well as a bye in the first round of the playoffs and a home playoff game.


title: BC Lions

text: In the West Division Final, the Lions faced the Edmonton Eskimos, the same team that beat the Lions in the 2005 West final, which denied the Lions a home game in the Grey Cup, since Vancouver hosted the Grey Cup that year. However, in 2011, a home game in the Grey Cup is what the Lions got, as the Leos dominated the Eskimos 40–23 as the Lions advanced to the big game for the first time in five years. In the Grey Cup, the Lions were up against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for only the second time in Grey Cup history. Although Winnipeg won both regular-season meetings with BC, the Lions went on to beat the Bombers 34–23 in front of a home crowd to win their 6th Grey Cup championship in franchise history. Travis Lulay was named Grey Cup Most Valuable Player, while Winnipeg native Andrew Harris was named Most Valuable Canadian. With the Grey Cup win, the BC Lions became the first team to start a season 0–5 and win the Grey Cup.


title: BC Lions

text: Head coach Wally Buono announced shortly after the Grey Cup that he would step down as head coach but would remain as vice president and general manager. The BC Lions were named The Canadian Press Team of the Year for 2011 in voting by sports editors and broadcasters across Canada.


title: BC Lions

text: Defensive coordinator Mike Benevides was promoted and announced as the team's new head coach on December 13, 2011.


title: BC Lions

text: Several veteran players left the team or were released prior to the start of the 2012 season. Defensive back Tad Kornegay was released by the Lions while all-star linebacker Solomon Elimimian and defensive tackle Aaron Hunt signed with the Minnesota Vikings and the Montreal Alouettes, respectively. The Lions did, however, manage to resign veteran cornerbacks Dante Marsh and Ryan Phillips during the free-agency period, as well as all-star defensive back Lin-J Shell and cornerback Byron Parker.


title: BC Lions

text: On December 19, 2014, Jeff Tedford was named the 25th head coach in franchise history after Mike Benevides had been let go November 20. The 2015 season saw the emergence of rookie quarterback Jonathan Jennings, who took over as the starter from Travis Lulay midway through the season. The 2015 season was the only one for Tedford, as he resigned after only one season where he led the lions to a 7–11 record, finishing third in the west and losing to Calgary in the playoffs. Upon Tedford's resignation, Wally Buono announced that he would return as head coach in 2016.


title: BC Lions

text: In Buono's first season back at the helm of the Lions, he guided the team to its first second-place finish in the West since 1986, with a 12–6 record, and defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Semi-Final, only to lose to Calgary in the West Final. The following season, the Lions missed the playoffs for the first time since 1996, finishing in 5th and last place in the West with a 7–11 record. On November 30, 2017, Buono stepped down from his position as general manager, being replaced in that stead by Ed Hervey. Buono stayed on as head coach in 2018, but he also announced it would be his last season as coach for the team. The team finished 9–9, returning to the playoffs as a crossover team, losing to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the East Semi-Final 48–8. On December 18, 2018, DeVone Claybrooks was named Buono's successor at head coach for the Lions. He lasted only one season, finishing in 5th and last place in the West with a 5–13 mark, with Claybrooks fired on November 5. Former Ottawa Redblacks coach Rick Campbell was named the new head coach of the Lions on December 2, 2019.


title: BC Lions

text: In October 2020, owner David Braley died, but left in his will funds for the BC Lions so that the team could continue to operate for several seasons. On August 18, 2021, the BC Lions were bought by Amar Doman, who runs two private companies in British Columbia, Futura Corporation and CanWel. After the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season, the Lions returned to play along with the rest of the CFL in 2021. However, the team languished in the shortened season, with a seven-game losing streak in the second half proving fatal to the team's season, and they finished 5–9, good for fourth in the West. 2022 saw the Lions return to the playoffs for the first time since 2018, guided by new quarterback Nathan Rourke, who led the team to a 12–6 and second place in the West. The Lions downed the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final, but their season ended at the hands of the two-time defending Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Final game.


title: BC Lions

text: The BC Lions have ten retired jersey numbers, second only to the Montreal Alouettes for the most in the Canadian Football League.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: RMS "Aquitania" was a British ocean liner of the Cunard Line in service from 1914 to 1950. She was designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown & Company in Clydebank, Scotland. She was launched on 21 April 1913 and sailed on her maiden voyage from Liverpool to New York on 30 May 1914. "Aquitania" was the third in Cunard Line's "grand trio" of express liners, preceded by and , and was the last surviving four-funnelled ocean liner. Shortly after "Aquitania" entered service, World War I broke out, during which she was first converted into an auxiliary cruiser before being used as a troop transport and a hospital ship, notably as part of the Dardanelles Campaign.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Returned to transatlantic passenger service in 1920, she served alongside the "Mauretania" and the "Berengaria". Considered during this period of time as one of the most attractive ships, "Aquitania" earned the nickname "the Ship Beautiful" from her passengers. She continued in service after the merger of Cunard Line with White Star Line in 1934. The company planned to retire her and replace her with in 1940.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: However, the outbreak of World War II allowed the ship to remain in service for ten more years. During the war and until 1947, she served as a troop transport. She was used in particular to take home Canadian soldiers from Europe. After the war, she transported migrants to Canada before the Board of Trade found her unfit for further commercial service. "Aquitania" was retired from service in 1949 and was sold for scrapping the following year. Having served as a passenger ship for 36 years, "Aquitania" ended her career as the longest-serving Cunard vessel, a record which stood for six years until overtaken by RMS "Scythia"'s service record of 37 years. In 2004 Aquitania's service record was pushed into third place when "Queen Elizabeth 2" became the longest-serving Cunard vessel.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: The origins of "Aquitania" lay in the rivalry between the White Star Line and Cunard Line, Britain's two leading shipping companies. The White Star Line's , and the upcoming were larger than the latest Cunard ships, "Mauretania" and "Lusitania", by 15,000 gross register tons. The Cunard duo were significantly faster than the White Star ships, while White Star's ships were seen as more luxurious. Cunard needed another liner for its weekly transatlantic express service, and elected to copy the White Star Line's "Olympic"-class model with a slower but larger and more luxurious ship. The plan for the building of that liner began in 1910. Several draft plans were conceived in order to determine the main axes of what should be the ship for which an average speed of 24 knots was planned. In July of that year, the company launched the construction offers to several shipyards before choosing John Brown and Company, the builder of the "Lusitania". The company chose "Aquitania" as the name for its new ship in continuity with those of its two previous duo. The three ships were named respectively after the Ancient Roman provinces Lusitania, Mauretania, and Gallia Aquitania.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: "Aquitania" was designed by Cunard naval architect Leonard Peskett. Peskett drew up plans for a larger and wider vessel than "Lusitania" and "Mauretania" (about longer). With four large funnels the ship would resemble the famous speed duo, but Peskett also designed the superstructure with "glassed in" touches from the smaller , a ship he also designed. Another design feature from "Carmania" was the addition of two tall forward deck ventilator cowlings. Although the ship's outward dimensions were greater than that of "Olympic", her displacement and tonnage were lower. With "Aquitania"s keel being laid at the end of 1910, the experienced Peskett took a voyage on "Olympic" in 1911 so as to experience the feel of a ship reaching nearly 50,000 tonnes as well as to copy pointers for his company's new vessel. Though "Aquitania" was built solely with Cunard funds, Peskett designed her according to strict British Admiralty specifications. "Aquitania" was built in the John Brown and Company yards in Clydebank, Scotland, where the majority of the Cunard ships were built. The keel was laid in the same plot where "Lusitania" had been built, and would later be used to construct , , and "Queen Elizabeth 2". Just like with "Mauretania", for the launch the hull was painted in a light grey colour for photographic purposes; a common practice of the day for the first ship in a new class, as it made the lines of the ship clearer in the black-and-white photographs. Her hull was repainted to black in dry dock.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: In the wake of the "Titanic" sinking, "Aquitania" was one of the first new ships to carry enough lifeboats for all passengers and crew. Eighty lifeboats, including two motorised launches with Marconi wireless equipment, were carried in both swan-neck and newer Welin type davits. There was also a double hull and watertight compartments that were designed to allow the ship to float with five compartments flooded. As required by the British Admiralty, she was designed to be converted into an armed merchant cruiser, and was reinforced to mount guns for service in that role. The ship displaced approximately 49,430 tons, of which the hull accounted for 29,150 tons, machinery 9,000 and bunkers 6,000 tons.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: "Aquitania" was launched on 21 April 1913 after being christened by Alice Stanley, the Countess of Derby, and fitted out over the next thirteen months. Notable installations were electrical wiring and decorations. The fitting out was led by Arthur Joseph Davis and his associate Charles Mewès. On 10 May 1914, she was tested in her sea trials and steamed at one full knot over the expected speed. On 14 May, she reached Mersey and stayed at a port there for fifteen days, during which she underwent a final major cleaning and finishing in preparation for her maiden voyage.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: "Aquitania" was the first Cunard liner to have a length in excess of 900 feet. Unlike some four-funneled ships, such as White Star Line's s, "Aquitania" did not have a dummy funnel; each funnel was utilised in venting smoke from the ship's boilers.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Steam was provided by twenty-one forced-draft, double-ended Scotch boilers, having eight furnaces each, that were long with diameter of arranged in four boiler rooms. Each boiler room had seven ash expellers with pump capacity of approximately 4,500 tons per hour that could also be used as emergency bilge pumps.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Steam drove Parsons turbines in three separate engine rooms in a triple expansion system for four shafts. The port engine room contained the high pressure ahead (240 tons, long with four stage expansion) and astern turbine (120 tons, long) for the port shaft, the centre room contained two low pressure turbines with ahead and astern capability within single casings ( long, nine expansion stages in ahead turbine, four in astern turbine) for the two centre shafts and the starboard room contained the intermediate pressure ahead turbine ( long) and a high pressure astern turbine (twin of the port high pressure turbine) for the starboard shaft.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: The electrical plant, located on G deck below the waterline, consisted of four 400 kW British Westinghouse generator sets generating 225 volt direct current, with emergency power provided by a diesel driven 30 kW generator up on the promenade deck. Power was provided for about 10,000 lamps and about 180 electric motors. She also had brass triple chambered 3 chime steam whistles on the 1st funnel and 2nd funnel.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: In 1914, "Aquitania" had the capacity to carry 3,220 passengers (618 First Class, 614 Second Class, 2,004 Third Class). After a refit in 1926, the figure was reduced to 610 in first class, 950 in second class, and 640 in tourist class. Although the original specification mentioned a capacity of 972 crew members, the ship sometimes carried around 1,100.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Although "Aquitania" lacked the lean, yacht-like appearance of running mates "Mauretania" and "Lusitania", the greater length and wider beam allowed for grander and more spacious public rooms. Her public spaces were designed by the British architect Arthur Joseph Davis of the interior decorating firm Mewès and Davis. This firm had overseen the construction and decoration of the Ritz Hotel in London and Davis himself had designed several banks in that city. His partner in the firm, Charles Mewès, had designed the interiors of the Paris Ritz, and had been commissioned by Albert Ballin, head of Germany's Hamburg America Line (HAPAG), to decorate the interiors of the company's new liner "Amerika" in 1905.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: In the years prior to the First World War, Mewès was charged with the decoration of HAPAG's trio of giant new ships, , , and , while Davis was awarded the contract for "Aquitania". In a curious arrangement between the rival Cunard and Hamburg-Amerika Lines, Mewès and Davis worked apart—in Germany and England respectively and exclusively—with neither partner being able to disclose details of his work to the other. Although this arrangement was almost certainly violated, "Aquitania"s first-class interiors were largely the work of Davis. The Louis XVI dining saloon owed much to Mewès' work on the HAPAG liners, but it is likely that having worked so closely together for many years the two designers' work had become almost interchangeable. Indeed, Davis must be given credit for the Carolean smoking room and the Palladian lounge; a faithful interpretation of the style of architect John Webb.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: The second class had a dining room, several lounges, a smoking room, a veranda café, and a gymnasium; many being unique facilities for this class on British liners. The third class had several common areas, a promenade, and three shared bathrooms. The cabins offered great comfort. The first class included eight luxury suites, named after famous painters. A large number of first-class cabins had bathrooms, although not all did. The second-class cabins were larger than average, most being capable of accommodating three people as opposed to the standard four. Her Third Class accommodations were a great expansion in facilities compared to her running mates. While most Cunard liners had their Third Class areas confined forward, aboard "Aquitania" such spaces spanned the full length of the ship, and included several large open areas, three large dining rooms and both open and enclosed promenades.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Over her thirty-five years career, her facilities changed. Examples of this were the addition of a cinema during her refit from 1932 to 1933 and the reorganisation of the tourist class during the 1920s for giving greater comfort to poor passengers.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: "Aquitania"s maiden voyage was under the command of Captain William Turner on 30 May 1914 with arrival in New York on 5 June. The voyage and arrival in New York received great attention. Fifteen days later, the German liner , being the largest ship in the world at the time, was put into service. In the eye of the press, this maiden voyage was a matter of national prestige. However, this event was overshadowed by the sinking of in Quebec the previous day with over a thousand drowned. However, no passenger cancelled their voyage aboard the "Aquitania", despite the strong emotion aroused by this sinking. During her maiden voyage, the ship carried around 1,055 passengers, which was about a third of her total capacity. This was because a superstition pushed some people away from travelling on a ship's maiden voyage. The crossing fully satisfied the crew and the company. Average speed for the voyage, a distance of measured from Liverpool to the Ambrose Channel lightship, was , taking into account a five-hour stop due to fog and the proximity of icebergs. The ship briefly managed to exceed 25 knots. Also, her coal consumption was significantly lower than that of "Lusitania" and "Mauretania". Many passengers enjoyed the voyage. On the return trip, the success was renewed; she carried a total of 2,649 passengers, which was a record for a British liner leaving New York.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Upon arrival at her home port, she underwent minor modifications, which took into account observations made during the two first crossings (this was typical for a liner after its first round trip). Two more round trips took place in the second half of June and the whole of July of that year. Her architect Leonard Peskett was on board during those trips to note any defect and room for improvement. In total, 11,208 passengers travelled on the ship during her first six crossings. Her career was abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of World War I, which removed her from passenger service for six years.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: The following month Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated, and the world was plunged into World War I. "Aquitania" was converted into an armed merchant cruiser on 5 August 1914, for which provision had been made in her design. On 8 August, having been rid of decorative elements and armed with guns, she was sent on patrol. On 22 August, she collided with a liner named "Canadian". Shortly after, the Admiralty found that large liners were too expensive to operate as cruisers. On 30 September, she was repaired, disarmed, and returned to Cunard Line.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: After being idle for a time, in the spring of 1915 she was recalled by the Admiralty and converted into a troopship, and made voyages to the Dardanelles, sometimes running alongside "Britannic" or "Mauretania". Around 30,000 men were transported on the ship to the battlefield between May and August of that year. "Aquitania" then was converted into a hospital ship, and acted in that role during the Dardanelles campaign. In 1916, the year that White Star's flagship, and one of "Aquitania"s main rivals, "Britannic", was sunk, "Aquitania" was returned to the trooping front, and then in 1917 was laid up in the Solent. In 1918, now under the command of James Charles, the ship was back on the high seas in troopship service, conveying North American troops to Britain. Many of these departures were from the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia where the ship's dazzle paint scheme was captured by artists and photographers, including Antonio Jacobsen. On one occasion "Aquitania" transported over 8,000 men. During her nine voyages, she transported approximately a total of 60,000 men. During this period, she collided with USS "Shaw" and tore apart its bow. The accident killed a dozen members of the American ship's crew.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: After the end of the war, in December 1918, "Aquitania" was dismissed from military service. She collided with the British cargo ship at New York in the United States on 28 February 1919. "Lord Dufferin" sank and "Aquitania" rescued her crew. "Lord Dufferin" was later refloated and beached.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: In June 1919, "Aquitania" ran a Cunard "austerity service" between Southampton and New York. In December of that year "Aquitania" was docked at the Armstrong Whitworth yards in Newcastle to be refitted for post-war service. The ship was converted from coal burner to oil-fired, which greatly reduced the number of engine room crew required. The original fittings and art pieces, removed when refitted for military use, were brought out of storage and re-installed. At some point during this time, a new wheelhouse was constructed above the original one as the officers had complained about the visibility over the ship's bow. The second wheelhouse can be seen in later pictures of the era and the original wheelhouse area below had the windows plated in.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: "Aquitania" resumed her commercial service on 17 July 1920, leaving from Liverpool with 2,433 passengers on board. The crossing was a success; the ship maintained good speed while showing that now being oil-fuelled was much cheaper than coal-fuelled propulsion. The ship's arrival in New York Harbor was filmed as part of the pioneering 1921 documentary "Manhatta", in which she is seen being pushed to her destination by tugboats. The months that followed were just as promising, despite a stewards' strike in May 1921. At the beginning of the decade, "Aquitania" was the only large liner in the service of Cunard Line as the "Mauretania" was undergoing repair after a fire. The year 1921 was thus an exceptional year for her; she broke a record by transporting around 60,000 passengers that year. In the following year, the "Mauretania" rejoined her in Cunard service. "Aquitania" operated in service with the "Mauretania" and (formerly the German liner "Imperator") in a trio known as "The Big Three."


title: RMS Aquitania

text: In 1924, a new restriction on immigration was passed in the United States, causing the number of third-class passengers to decline significantly. From about 26,000 third-class passengers transported by "Aquitania" in 1921, the figure fell to about 8,200 third-class passengers in 1925. The number of crew was thus reduced to around 850 people from the original 1,200. The third class was no longer the key to the profitability of the liner, and so the company had to adapt. The third-class gradually became a tourist class, which offered decent service at a low price. In 1926, the ship underwent a major overhaul, which reduced the passenger capacity from around 3,300 to around 2,200.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Still, the Cunard Line benefited from prohibition in the United States, which started in 1919. American liners were legally part of the territory of the United States, and thus alcoholic beverages could not be served on them. Passengers who wanted to drink therefore travelled on British liners in order to do so. "Aquitania" enjoyed great success, making much profit for her company. In 1929, she underwent a major refit. A bathroom was added to many first-class cabins, and the tourist class was renovated. While new competitors, such as the German liner SS "Bremen", entered service, "Aquitania" remained particularly popular after fifteen years of service.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Following the stock market crash of 1929, many ships were affected by the economic downturn and reduced traffic. "Aquitania" found herself in a tough position. Only a few could afford expensive passage on her now, so Cunard sent "Aquitania" on cheap cruises to the Mediterranean. These were successful, especially for Americans who went on "booze cruises," tired of their country's prohibition. Another problem also arose: the two liners of the Norddeutscher Lloyd, SS "Bremen" and SS "Europa", successfully captured the Blue Riband and many customers. In 1934, the number of passengers "Aquitania" carried declined to around 13,000 from 30,000 in 1929. The ship, however, remained popular and she was the third busiest in the early 1930s behind those two German liners.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: To keep the ship up to date, she underwent a refit, which added a cinema, between 1932 and 1933. At the same time, in order to modernise its fleet, the company ordered the "Queen Mary". The Great Depression, however, prevented the company from being able to fully finance the construction, and the company merged with its rival, the White Star Line, in 1934 in order to do so. The "Queen Mary" entered service in 1936. Author C. R. Bonsor writing in 1963 states, "from 1936 on it became necessary to squeeze the maximum speed out of Aquitania in order to make her a suitable running mate for Queen Mary thus 24 knot passages became regular". "Aquitania" ran aground in the Solent on 24 January 1934 but was refloated later the same day. The merger of the two companies into Cunard-White Star Line resulted in a large surplus of liners being owned by a single company. Thus, very old ships, such as the "Mauretania" and the "Olympic", were removed from service immediately and sent to the scrapyard. However, the "Aquitania" was not, despite her age. On 10 April 1935, "Aquitania" went hard aground on Thorne Knoll in the Solent near Southampton, England, but with the aid of ten tugboats, on the next high tide the ship was freed. When the new liner RMS "Queen Elizabeth" was due to enter service in 1940, newspapers speculated that "Aquitania" would be scrapped that year. However, during that period, her performance continued to satisfy her company. The year 1939 saw an increase in the number of wealthy passengers on board. The ship was then already 26 years old.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: "Aquitania", with a normal troop capacity of 7,400, was among the select group of large, fast former passenger ships capable of sailing independently without escort transporting large numbers of troops that were assigned worldwide as needed. These ships, often termed "Monsters" until London requested the term be dropped, were "Aquitania", "Queen Mary", "Queen Elizabeth", "Mauretania" (II), and with "lesser monsters" being other large ex-liners capable of independent sailing with large troop capacity that accounted for much of the troop capacity and deployment, particularly in the early days of the war.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Plans to replace "Aquitania" with the newer "Queen Elizabeth" in 1940 had been forestalled by outbreak of World War II in 1939. On 16 September 1939 "Aquitania", awaiting initial refit as a troop ship, was at pier 90 in New York along with "Queen Mary" while nearby, at pier 88, were the French ships "Île de France" and . She returned to Southampton and was requisitioned on 18 November.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: "Aquitania"s initial troop transport operation was taking Canadian troops to Scotland, Convoy TC1 in company with Empress of Britain, Empress of Australia, Duchess of Bedford, Monarch of Bermuda, HMS "Hood", HMS "Warspite", HMS "Barham", HMS "Resolution", HMS "Repulse", HMS "Furious", December 1939. Meanwhile, a massive transport of Australian and New Zealand troops to Suez and North Africa, with possible diversion to the United Kingdom if events required, was in planning with the numbered convoys to be designated as "US" with the large Atlantic liners assigned a role. The fast convoy designated as US.3 was composed of "Aquitania" and the liners "Queen Mary", "Mauretania", , , and . "Aquitania", "Empress of Britain" and "Empress of Japan", after embarking New Zealand troops at Wellington in May, sailed escorted by , , and to join the Australian component off Sydney on 5 May 1940. Joined off Sydney by "Queen Mary" and "Mauretania" the convoy sailed the same day to be joined the next by "Empress of Canada" from Melbourne for a stop at Fremantle 10–12 May before the voyage intended to be for Colombo. About midway to Colombo, on 15 May, the convoy was rerouted due to the rapid German penetrations into France with the ultimate destination of Gourock, Scotland via Cape Town, South Africa and Freetown, Sierra Leone where the escort strengthened by various ships including the aircraft carriers and and the battlecruiser . The convoy arrived in the Clyde and anchored off Gourock on 16 June 1940.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Now repainted battleship grey, in November 1941 "Aquitania" was in the British colony of Singapore, from which she sailed to take part indirectly in the loss of the Australian cruiser . "Sydney" had engaged in battle with the German auxiliary cruiser . There has been much unsubstantiated speculation that "Kormoran" was expecting "Aquitania", after spies in Singapore had notified "Kormoran"s crew of the liner's sailing, and planned to ambush her in the Indian Ocean west of Perth but instead encountered "Sydney" on 19 November. Both ships were lost after a fierce battle. On the morning of 24 November "Aquitania" en route to Sydney from Singapore spotted and picked up twenty-six survivors of the German ship but maintained radio silence and did not pass word until in visual range of Wilson's Promontory on 27 November. The captain had gone against orders not to stop for survivors of sinkings. There were no survivors from "Sydney".


title: RMS Aquitania

text: December saw the outbreak of war in the Pacific, then Japanese advances throughout Southeast Asia and toward Australia, necessitating the redeployment of defensive forces. On 28 December "Aquitania" and two smaller transports departed Sydney with 4,150 Australian troops and 10,000 tons of equipment for Port Moresby, New Guinea. (On the same date, and other U.S. ships evacuating from the north reached Darwin, with , and elements of her diverted Philippine convoy some ahead.) "Aquitania" was back in Sydney on 8 January 1942. The next effort was reinforcement of Singapore and the Netherlands East Indies with "Aquitania" transporting Australian troops (whose equipment was in Convoy MS.1) as the single ship MS.2 convoy, under escort of HMAS "Canberra". The ship had been the only suitable transport for such a large movement. Originally, transport directly to Singapore was considered, but the danger from aircraft to such a valuable asset and so many troops caused a change of plans. Instead, "Aquitania" departed Sydney on 10 January, reaching Ratai Bay at the Sunda Strait on 20 January, where 3,456 personnel (including some Navy, Air Force and civilians) were transhipped under a covering naval force to seven smaller vessels (six of them Dutch KPM ships) that would continue to Singapore as convoy MS.2A. "Aquitania" was returned to Sydney on 31 January.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: With the United States in the war, "Aquitania" (then with a troop capacity of 4,500) had been scheduled for transport duties from the United States to Australia in February, but necessary repairs delayed that. Because her deep draft was hazardous in Australian and intermediate ports in the Pacific Islands, she spent March and April 1942 transporting troops from the west coast of the U.S. to Hawaii. Then "Aquitania" was temporarily transferred from Pacific duties to support the movement of troops from the United States to Britain, sailing 30 April from New York in a large convoy that transported some 19,000 troops.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: On 12 May 1942 "Aquitania" loaded troops at Gourock destined for the war in the Middle East, departing in convoy WS19P on 1 June with destroyers and heavy weather, she broke off independently on 7 June due to her greater speed with designation WS19Q. The first port of call was 48 hours at Freetown (West Africa) on 11 June, then 3 days at Simonstown, South Africa 20 June 48 hours at Diego Suarez, Madagascar from 30 June 24 hours at Steamer Point, Aden on 3 July, and then disembarkation at Port Tewfik, Egypt from 8 July 1942. The return journey was via Diego Suarez, Cape Town, Freetown and then to Boston. By September "Aquitania" was engaged in a triangular troop deployment of United States-United Kingdom-Indian Ocean voyages.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: As part of the major redeployment of Australian troops from North Africa to the defence of Australia and start of offensive operations in the Southwest Pacific "Aquitania", "Queen Mary", "Île de France", "Nieuw Amsterdam", and the armed merchant cruiser HMS "Queen of Bermuda" transported the Australian 9th Division to Sydney in Operation Pamphlet during January and February 1943.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: By the buildup for the invasion of Europe in 1944 troop deployments to Britain depended heavily on "Aquitania" and the other "Monsters" and no allowance could be made for interruption of their service for other transport requirements.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: Wartime embarkation at New York is described in some detail in the description of the departure of the Special Navy Advance Group 56 (SNAG 56) that was to become Navy Base Hospital Number 12 at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, England, to receive casualties from Normandy. The unit was sent by "devious routes" by train to Jersey City where under cover of darkness they boarded a ferry crossing to the covered pier 86 in New York where a band played and the Red Cross served their last coffee and doughnuts as they boarded "N.Y. 40", the New York Port of Embarkation code designation for "Aquitania", which got underway the morning of 29 January 1944 with some 1,000 Navy and 7,000 Army personnel for arrival at Gourock, Scotland 5 February.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: In eight years of military work, "Aquitania" sailed more than 500,000 miles, and carried nearly 400,000 soldiers, to and from places as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific, Greece and the Indian Ocean.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: After completing troopship service, the vessel was handed back to Cunard-White Star in 1948. She underwent a refit for passenger service. She was then used to transport war brides and their children to Canada under charter from the Canadian government. This final service created a special fondness for "Aquitania" in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the port of disembarkation for these immigration voyages.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: On completion of that task in December 1949, "Aquitania" was taken out of service when the ship's Board of Trade certificate was not renewed as the condition of the ship had deteriorated, and it would have been cost-prohibitive to be brought up to new safety standards, namely fire code regulations. The decks leaked in foul weather, the bulkheads and funnels were corroded to a point that one could stick their finger through them. A Rumor has been made that a piano had fallen through the roof of one of the dining rooms from the deck above during a corporate luncheon held on the ship. This has been proven to be false.


title: RMS Aquitania

text: The vessel was retired and sold to British Iron and Steel Corporation for scrap for £125,000 in 1950 at Faslane in Scotland. Dismantling took almost a year to complete. This ended a career which included steaming 3 million miles over 450 round voyages. "Aquitania" carried 1.2 million passengers through an active sea career that spanned nearly 36 years, making her the longest-serving Express Liner of the 20th century. "Aquitania" was the only major liner, and the largest commercial vessel, to serve in both World Wars. She was also the last four-funnelled passenger ship to be scrapped. The ship's wheel and a detailed scale model of "Aquitania" may be seen in the Cunard exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax.