The Grey Cup, Canadian Football League Champions About The Grey Cup The Champions of the CFL are awarded The Grey Cup. The Grey Cup Festival is held every year in late November. The Festival features the Championship game of the Canadian Football League. The Festival also features a number of Hospitality Suites and Party’s enabling fans across the country to meet and celebrate the game they love with Players past and present. The Grey Cup is to Canadians what the Super Bowl is to American’s. This fall festival generates a large amount of national media coverage, celebration and fan interest from coast to coast to coast. Many Canadians refer to the Grey Cup as the Grand National Drunk. If you are a football fan and haven’t attended a Grey Cup you should do so it really is a lot of fun. The 2017 Grey Cup will be held in Ottawa. The trophy was commissioned in 1909 by the Earl Grey, at the time he was Canada’s governor general. Making the Grey Cup the oldest Professional Football Trophy and one of the oldest Professional Sports trophy’s in North America.

Grey Cup | Wiki | Everipedia EN Wikipedia URL The Grey Cup is the name of both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing Canadian football . It is contested between the winners of the CFL's East and West Divisional playoffs and is one of Canadian television 's largest annual sporting events. The Toronto Argonauts have 16 championships, more than any other team. The latest, the 103rd Grey Cup , took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba , on November 29, 2015, when the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26–20. The trophy was commissioned in 1909 by the Earl Grey , then Canada's governor general , who originally hoped to donate it for the country's senior amateur hockey championship. After the Allan Cup was later donated for that purpose, Grey instead made his trophy available as the " Canadian Dominion Football Championship " (national championship) of Canadian football. The trophy has a silver chalice attached to a large base on which the names of all winning teams, players and executives are engraved. The Grey Cup has been broken on several occasions, stolen twice and held for ransom.

It survived a 1947 fire that destroyed numerous artifacts housed in the same building. The Grey Cup was first won by the University of Toronto Varsity Blues . Play was suspended from 1916 to 1918 due to the First World War and in 1919 due to a rules dispute. The game has typically been contested in an east versus west format since the 1920s. Traditionally held on a Sunday at the end of November, the Grey Cup has been played in inclement weather at times, including the 1950 " Mud Bowl ," in which a player reportedly came close to drowning in a puddle, then the 1962 " Fog Bowl ," when the final nine minutes of the game had to be postponed to the following day due to a heavy fog, and the 1977 " Ice Bowl ," contested on the frozen-over artificial turf at Montreal 's Olympic Stadium . The Edmonton Eskimos formed the Grey Cup's longest dynasty , winning five consecutive championships from 1978 to 1982.

Competition for the trophy has been exclusively between Canadian teams, except for a three-year period from 1993 to 1995, when an expansion of the CFL south into the United States resulted in the Baltimore Stallions winning the 1995 championship and taking the Grey Cup south of the border for the first time. History Creation and early years (1909–1921) While the Stanley Cup was created in 1893 as the Canadian amateur hockey championship, professional teams were openly competing for the trophy by 1907. Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey , the Governor General of Canada , planned to donate a new trophy to serve as the senior amateur championship; however, Sir Montague Allan donated the Allan Cup before he could finalize his plans. Grey instead offered an award to the Dominion amateur rugby football championship beginning in 1909. He initially failed to follow through on his offer; the trophy was not ordered until two weeks prior to the first championship game.

[2] The first Grey Cup game was held on December 4, 1909, between two Toronto clubs: the University of Toronto Varsity Blues defeated the Parkdale Canoe Club 26–6 before 3,800 fans. The trophy was not ready for presentation following the game, and the Varsity Blues did not receive it until March 1910. [2] They retained the trophy in the following two years, defeating the Hamilton Tigers in 1910 and the Toronto Argonauts in 1911 . The University of Toronto failed to reach the 1912 Grey Cup , which was won by the Hamilton Alerts over the Argonauts. The Varsity Blues refused to hand over the trophy on the belief they could keep it until they were defeated in a title game. They kept the trophy until 1914 when they were defeated by the Argonauts, who made the trophy available to subsequent champions. Canada's participation in the First World War resulted in the cancellation of the championship from 1916 to 1918, during which time the Cup was forgotten.

Montreal Gazette writer Bob Dunn claimed that the trophy was later rediscovered as "one of the family heirlooms" of an employee of the Toronto trust company where it had been sent for storage. The Grey Cup game was also cancelled in 1919 due to a lack of interest from the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and the intercollegiate unions, along with rules conflicts between the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU) and the western union. [3] Competition finally resumed in 1920 with the 8th Grey Cup game, won 16–3 by the Varsity Blues over the Argonauts. It was the University of Toronto's fourth, and final, championship. Western competition (1922–1932) Competition for the Grey Cup was limited to member unions of the CRU, the champions of which petitioned the league body for the right to challenge for the national championship. [4] [5] The Western Canada Rugby Football Union joined in 1921, allowing the Edmonton Eskimos to challenge.

[6] Facing the Argonauts in the 9th Grey Cup , the Eskimos became the first western team – and the first from outside Toronto or Hamilton – to compete for the trophy. [7] The Argonauts entered the game with an undefeated record, having outscored their opposition 226 to 55 during the season. They dominated Edmonton, recording the first shutout in Grey Cup history with a 23–0 victory. Multi-sport star Lionel Conacher was Toronto's top player, scoring 15 of his team's points before leaving the game after the third quarter to join his hockey team for their game. [7] Edmonton challenged for the trophy again in 1922 , but lost 13–1 to their eastern opposition, the Queen's University Golden Gaels . For Queen's, it was the first of three consecutive titles. Western teams continued to vie for the trophy, but were consistently outclassed for several years. Eastern teams and critics felt the quality of the western game was inferior to theirs, and when Queen's defeated the Regina Rugby Club 54–0 in the 1923 final , the critics felt they deliberately ran up the score to prove that point.

Regina was western Canada's dominant team, appearing in the Grey Cup on six occasions between 1928 and 1934, but lost to their eastern opponents each time. Regina helped revolutionize Canadian football in 1929 , however, as they attempted the first forward pass in Grey Cup history. [6] The Winnipeg 'Pegs (now the Blue Bombers ) became the first western Grey Cup champion in 1935 when they defeated the Hamilton Tigers, 18–12. While the Grey Cup was slow to achieve national popularity, [8] the advent of the east versus west format helped make the game the nation's largest sporting event. [9] [10] Canadian Football League (1933–1956) As the quality of senior football improved, university teams realized they were no longer able to compete on equal footing and withdrew from competition for the Grey Cup in 1933. By 1938, only three unions continued to compete under the banner of the CRU: the IRFU and the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) in the east, and the Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU) in the west.

[11] The CRU experimented with a two-game, total points series to determine the champion in 1940 . The Ottawa Rough Riders won both games against Toronto's Balmy Beach , 8–2 and 12–5. The Grey Cup returned to its one-game format the following year. Both the IRFU and WIFU suspended operations in 1942 due to the Second World War . [12] Grey Cup play was expected to be suspended along with the unions; however, the military felt the game and sport would serve as a morale booster and organized teams at bases across the country. For the following three years, Grey Cup competition was limited to military teams, and in the 1942 Grey Cup , the Toronto RCAF Hurricanes defeated the Winnipeg RCAF Bombers 8–5 to become the first non-civilian team to win the national championship. Two years later, the St. Hyacinthe–Donnacona Navy defeated the Hamilton Flying Wildcats , 7–6; no Grey Cup championship since then has featured two eastern teams.

The conclusion of the war led to the reformation of civilian teams; the IRFU resumed play in 1945, and the WIFU the following year. [12] A push by the sport's organizers to adopt an increasingly professional attitude dominated the post-war period: poor field conditions, previously accepted as part of the game, resulted in numerous complaints against the CRU following the 1949 and 1950 Grey Cups. Field conditions at Toronto's Varsity Stadium were so poor in 1950 that the game has since gained infamy as the "Mud Bowl". [13] Deep ruts in the field and poor weather in the days leading up to the game resulted in a sloppy field covered in large puddles of water. The game also gained notoriety for the near drowning of Winnipeg's Buddy Tinsley , who was found face down in a large puddle, apparently unconscious. Tinsley later said that he had not lost consciousness, but his leg had gone numb from a hard hit to a preexisting injury. Toronto won the game 13–0, the last time a team has been shut out in a Grey Cup game.

[13] The ORFU, the last purely amateur union competing for the Grey Cup, withdrew from Cup competition in 1954. Although the IRFU and WIFU champions had faced each other in the Grey Cup final since 1945, the ORFU's withdrawal left the IRFU and WIFU unchallenged as Canada's top football unions. [14] The Eskimos faced the Montreal Alouettes in three consecutive Grey Cups in the mid-1950s, winning all three. [15] Edmonton's third title in 1956 ended in bizarre fashion: after Jackie Parker scored a touchdown late in the game that gave Edmonton a 50–27 lead, fans swarmed the field in celebration. Once officials cleared the field, they discovered that the game ball had disappeared into the crowd. Unable to find another, officials declared the game over. Edmonton was unable to attempt the conversion on their final touchdown. The game also marked the end of the amateur era as the top teams completed their transition to professional organizations.

As the 1950s wore on, the IRFU and WIFU distanced themselves from the CRU, forming the Canadian Football Council in 1956 to administer the game at the professional level. Two years later, on January 18, 1958, the CFC withdrew from the CRU and reorganized as the Canadian Football League (CFL). The new league formally assumed control of the Grey Cup from the CRU. [16] Fog Bowl (1957–1969) In the CFL's initial seasons, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats were the league's dominant team, appearing in nine Grey Cups and winning four titles between 1957 and 1967. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers opposed Hamilton on six of those occasions, winning four titles. [11] The two teams were involved in a series of bizarre incidents, the first occurring during the 1957 Grey Cup . Toronto-based lawyer and fan David Humphrey had talked his way past stadium security and had been allowed to watch the game from the sidelines.

[17] Ten minutes into the fourth quarter, Hamilton's Ray Bawel intercepted a pass and it appeared he would return the ball for a touchdown when Humphrey stuck his leg out and tripped Bawel as he ran up the sideline. Unsure how to handle the situation as there was no rule designed to cover it, referee Paul Dojack invented one on the spot. He placed the ball half the distance to the Winnipeg goal line from the point Bawel was tripped. [18] The incident did not affect the final score, as Hamilton won 32–7. [19] The league also created a new rule during the 1961 Grey Cup as it was the first in history to end regulation time in a tie: CFL Commissioner Sid Halter determined the teams would play an overtime period that consisted of two five-minute halves. That rule remained the CFL standard into the 2000s. [18] Winnipeg scored the lone touchdown in the overtime to defeat Hamilton 21–14. [20] Winnipeg and Hamilton met again in 1962, the 50th Grey Cup , immortalized as the "Fog Bowl".

[19] The game was held at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium , and began on Saturday, December 1, 1962. The fog rolled in early in the second quarter and became increasingly dense as the game progressed. By the fourth quarter, the players were unable to see the sideline markers and the fans unable to see the play. [19] The players were unable to see the ball in the air – kick returners listened for the sound of the ball hitting the ground – and the action was largely invisible to the television audience. [8] With nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds remaining in the game and Winnipeg holding onto a 28–27 lead, officials made the unprecedented decision to suspend play until the next day. Though the league feared that continuing fog on the morning of December 2 would force the complete abandonment of the game, it lifted in time for the contest to resume. Around 15,000 of the original 32,655 spectators watched Winnipeg win the Grey Cup without further scoring by either team. [21] It was the first title game completed on a Sunday; [22] the Grey Cup moved from its traditional Saturday start to Sunday in 1969.

[23] Eskimos' dynasty (1970–1988) The Montreal Alouettes' 1970 Grey Cup championship, an upset win over the favoured Calgary Stampeders , served as a morale booster for the city of Montreal, which was reeling in the aftermath of the October Crisis . [11] The 1970s belonged to the Edmonton Eskimos, however, as they ended the decade as one of the most dominant teams in CFL history, reaching the Grey Cup nine times between 1973 and 1982. [24] The team competed in three consecutive finals early in the decade, losing to Ottawa in 1973 and Montreal in 1974 , before winning the franchise's fourth championship in 1975 . The 1975 championship was held in Calgary and was the first Grey Cup played on the Canadian Prairies . [25] A young woman infamously streaked across the field during the national anthem despite frigid temperatures well below freezing.

[26] The only time the Eskimos did not reach the Grey Cup final during this span was in 1976 , when the Saskatchewan Roughriders met the Ottawa Rough Riders. Both teams would fight a see-saw battle, which was decided in the dying seconds of the game when Ottawa quarterback Tom Clements threw to Tony Gabriel , which stood out as the winning touchdown, 23-20. The 1977 Grey Cup was the first held at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, contested by the home town Alouettes and the Eskimos in front of a record crowd of 68,318. [24] The game became known as the "Ice Bowl", as low temperatures froze snow on the field that had been melted by groundskeepers with salt, making the artificial turf extremely slippery. The Alouettes adapted to the field conditions by affixing staples to the soles of their shoes, improving their traction, and won the game by a 41–6 score. [11] Upset at losing the 1977 game under poor weather conditions, the Eskimos hoped for a rematch with Montreal in 1978 .

Both teams reached the final game, which Edmonton won 20–13. It was the first of five consecutive championships, a streak that remains unmatched in the history of the Grey Cup. The Eskimos' dynasty dominated the league, losing a total of only six games during the three seasons from 1979 to 1981. The 1981 Grey Cup was expected to be yet another easy win for Edmonton, who posted a 14–1–1 record during the season and were considered overwhelming favourites against the 5–11 Ottawa Rough Riders. The first half did not go as Edmonton hoped, though, as Ottawa emerged with a 20–1 lead. Quarterback Warren Moon led the Eskimos back in the second half, and with the game tied at 23, Dave Cutler kicked the game-winning field goal with just three seconds remaining. [27] Edmonton's championship run came to an end in 1983 when they failed to reach the final; the Argonauts defeated the BC Lions to win the championship. [24] Despite Toronto's win, the CFL felt that the overall quality of play in the East Division had deteriorated compared to that of the West.

In 1986, it altered the playoff format to allow the first non-playoff team in one division to take the last playoff spot, but stay in their division if they had a better record. The consequences of the new rules were felt immediately, as the league gave a playoff spot to the Stampeders having a better record than the Alouettes, and decided the East Division Final would be a 2-game-total-point Final between the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, who finished first and second, respectively. The crossover, if necessary, would begin in 1987. In financial difficulty, the loss of the playoff spot was disastrous for Montreal, which ceased operations one year later. Reduced to eight teams, the CFL shifted Winnipeg to the East Division, making the 1988 Grey Cup between the Blue Bombers and Lions the first championship game between two western Canadian teams. CFL USA (1989–1995) The 1989 Grey Cup is considered one of the finest games in Canadian football history: [28] The Saskatchewan Roughriders defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 43–40 in the highest scoring Grey Cup game of all-time.

[24] Saskatchewan kicker Dave Ridgway 's last-second field goal won the game and made him a legend in the prairie province. [29] Declining interest in the CFL during the 1990s left the league in financial difficulty. Hoping to restore the league's credibility with fans, a new ownership group featuring Bruce McNall , hockey player Wayne Gretzky and actor John Candy purchased the Toronto Argonauts in 1991 and lured American college standout Rocket Ismail to Canada with a four-year, $26.2 million contract which made him the highest paid player in football history at that time. [30] The Argonauts reached the 1991 Grey Cup and defeated the Calgary Stampeders 36–21. With 261 all-purpose yards on the game, including a then-Grey Cup record 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Ismael was named Grey Cup Most Valuable Player . The potential for the league to enter the American market was discussed in 1987 when operators of the defunct United States Football League approached the CFL about merging the two leagues.

[31] The league showed little interest at the time, but as it continued its decline, the CFL reevaluated its position. In 1992, the CFL announced that it would expand into the United States . The Sacramento Gold Miners joined the league and became the first American team eligible to win the Grey Cup. The league added three additional American teams in 1994 and two in 1995 (with one team folding), but the initiative failed in most markets, and by 1996, the CFL again operated exclusively within Canada. The lone successful American market was in Baltimore, home to the Stallions . The team averaged over 35,000 fans per game in its inaugural season, nearly double that of Toronto or Hamilton. They matched that success on the field by becoming the first American team to play in the Grey Cup. [32] The BC Lions kept the Grey Cup in Canada with a 26–23 victory in the 1994 final . Baltimore returned to the title game one year later and became the only American team to win the trophy by defeating the Calgary Stampeders, 37–20.

The relocation of the National Football League 's Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1996 caused the Stallions to seek a new city to avoid direct competition with an NFL team. The team moved to Montreal, forming the current incarnation of the Alouettes franchise and ending the CFL's excursion into the United States. [33] Renaissance (1996–present) The league approached the 1996 Grey Cup in dire financial straits: the American expansion had been a failure, the 120-year-old Ottawa Rough Riders franchise ceased operations at the conclusion of the regular season, [34] and out of the eight remaining teams, seven had lost money and two required direct assistance from the league to stay afloat. The Edmonton Eskimos could not afford to bring their players' families to the championship game. [35] The Toronto Star echoed fears spoken by fans and media across the country when it asked if the 1996 championship, won by Toronto over Edmonton, would be the final Grey Cup. [34] While the league struggled, the Grey Cup game itself retained its popularity and remained a national institution. [36] The strength of the contest allowed the league to endure its challenges.

[37] The CFL survived into 1997 and was buoyed by a new television deal with The Sports Network which, along with the launch of its popular Friday Night Football program, has been credited with saving the league. [38] That year's Grey Cup, held in Edmonton and won by Toronto, drew nearly 22,000 more fans than the previous year. [24] The CFL restored its reputation over time, enjoying new popularity into the 2000s such that it no longer had to rely on an exciting Grey Cup final to achieve stability for the next season. [37] In 2000 , the 8–10 BC Lions made history when they defeated the Montreal Alouettes, 28–26, becoming the first team in history to win the Grey Cup with a losing record in the regular season. In the game, 25-year veteran Lui Passaglia ended the longest career in CFL history by kicking what was ultimately the game-winning field goal.

[39] The Calgary Stampeders matched the Lions' feat the next year by becoming the second 8–10 team to win the Grey Cup, defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by a 27–19 score in front of 65,255 fans, the second largest crowd in the game's history. [40] The 2005 Grey Cup was the second overtime game in Grey Cup history, and the first one using the league's shootout overtime format (introduced in 2000). Both the Eskimos and Alouettes scored touchdowns on their first possessions, while Edmonton scored a field goal in its second and held Montreal scoreless to win the game by a 38–35 score. [28] The game was played in the middle of a stretch of eight Grey Cup appearances by the Alouettes between 2000 and 2010. [24] In 2009 , they defeated the Roughriders in dramatic fashion: placekicker Damon Duval missed a last-second field goal attempt that appeared to give Saskatchewan the victory.

However, the Riders were penalized for having too many men on the field, allowing Duval a second opportunity. His second attempt was successful, giving Montreal a 28–27 victory. [41] The 100th Grey Cup game was played on November 25, 2012 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto between the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders. The Toronto Argonauts won the Grey Cup with a score of 35-22. [42] As per a new title sponsorship deal with Shaw Communications announced in May 2015, the event will henceforth be known as the Grey Cup presented by Shaw. [43] The 104th Grey Cup game will be played at BMO Field in Toronto, which will become the new home of the Argonauts beginning in the 2016 season. [44] Trophy The trophy was commissioned in 1909 at a cost of $48. [2] The chalice is made of sterling silver and stands 33 centimetres (13 in) tall.

[45] Its original base was made of wood, with silver shields listing each championship year and winning team's name, beginning with the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. The players of the 1915 championship Hamilton team, apparently as revenge for Toronto's refusal to relinquish the trophy in 1912 and 1913, added a shield for the 1908 Tigers team to give the appearance that their organization had won the first Grey Cup. A 1947 fire destroyed the clubhouse of the Toronto Argonaut Rowing Club and damaged the Grey Cup. [46] Many other trophies and artifacts in the clubhouse melted or were damaged beyond repair but the Grey Cup survived by catching onto a nail when the shelf upon which it sat collapsed.

The trophy has been broken on six other occasions: in 1978, when it was dropped by celebrating Edmonton Eskimos players; in 1987, when an Eskimos' player sat on it; in 1993, when Edmonton's Blake Dermott head-butted it; in 2006, when the trophy broke away from its base as the BC Lions celebrated their victory; in 2012 when one of the handles broke off as the Toronto Argonauts celebrated; and finally in 2014 when trophy broke from its base again by the Calgary Stampeders after their win. [47] [48] The CFL commissioned a replica of the trophy in 2008. The Grey Cup has been stolen on two occasions: it disappeared for three days in 1967 when it was taken from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a prank, and in December 1969 it was stolen from the offices of the Ottawa Rough Riders at Lansdowne Park . [49] The thieves attempted to ransom the trophy, but the CFL refused to pay and made plans to replace it with a duplicate.

[50] An anonymous phone call led to the trophy's recovery two months later in a locker at Toronto's Royal York Hotel . [3] The thieves were never found. [3] The current design of the Grey Cup's base was introduced in 1987. [53] The base stands 84 centimetres (33 in) high and is made of black-lacquered aluminum with silver plates engraved with the names of each winning team's players and executives since 1909. [45] [53] The trophy, one of Canada's best known symbols, will run out of room for new additions following the 2012 Grey Cup. The league has announced that the base will be redesigned but will remain similar in shape to its current design. [3] Members of the winning teams are allowed time to celebrate with the trophy in their own fashion, often taking it to their home towns or tours in locations across Canada. [3] The board of directors for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame act as the Grey Cup's trustees and control its rental for events. The trophy is accompanied by a designated representative of the Hall of Fame at all times.

[3] Grey Cup festival Each year, the host city organizes numerous events as part of the annual Grey Cup festival. Gala concerts, parties, and fan festivals are held in the days leading up to the championship game. [3] The CFL hands out its annual awards during the festival, and an annual Grey Cup parade is held. Historically, the festival also featured the "Miss Grey Cup" beauty pageant. [3] The game itself includes a halftime show , often featuring performances by well-known Canadian musical acts such as Nickelback , who performed at the 2011 game. [3] Nicknamed Canada's "Grand National Drunk", [59] the Grey Cup party originated in the 1948 championship when hundreds of Calgary Stampeders fans descended on Toronto for their team's first appearance in the game. [60] Bringing chuckwagons and horses, the fans organized a pancake breakfast – a staple of the Calgary Stampede – for bewildered Torontonians.

According to historian Hugh Dempsey , "The Grey Cup was just another game until Calgary went down to Toronto with chuckwagons and everything and turned it into an event." The Stampeders won the game on the strength of the "sleeper play", a touchdown scored by Norm Hill after he hid himself from the Ottawa defence by lying down on the sidelines, as if asleep. He received the pass from quarterback Keith Spaith while still on his back. [61] The victory completed the only undefeated season in the history of Canadian professional football. [62] The boisterous celebrations that followed the win gave rise to the legend of Calgary alderman and future mayor Don Mackay riding his horse into the lobby of the Royal York Hotel. [63] This event was repeated in the 2012 Grey Cup game in Toronto to much of the delight of the fans of both teams. The Calgary Grey Cup Committee maintains the tradition of organizing a pancake breakfast at each year's championship. [64] A 2012 survey found that Canadians consider the Grey Cup to be the most important annual event to attend.

[65] Fans of all teams converge at the game venue, [59] including some who have attended 60 or more Grey Cups. [66] The influx of people from across the country is estimated to have an economic impact of over $120 million for the region hosting the championship game. [65] Champions 1 1 The Toronto Argonauts have won the most Grey Cup championships (16), followed by the Edmonton Eskimos (14) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (10). [47] The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have made the most Grey Cup appearances (24). [24] Since the Canadian Football League began in 1958, The Eskimos have won the most Grey Cup Championships (11) and have made the most Grey Cup appearances (19). The Saskatchewan Roughriders have the most losses in Grey Cup play (15), including five consecutive losses between 1928 and 1932. [47] The defending champions are the Edmonton Eskimos, who won the 103rd Grey Cup in 2015.

Six teams in CFL history have won the Grey Cup at home, the 2013 Saskatchewan Roughriders, the 2012 Toronto Argonauts, the 2011 BC Lions, the 1994 BC Lions, the 1977 Montreal Alouettes, and 1972 Hamilton Tiger-Cats. [67] The Blue Bombers were the losing team in 2011, extending Winnipeg's championship drought to 21 seasons, the longest active streak in the CFL. [68] Individually, three players have won seven Grey Cups: Jack Wedley (Toronto, Montreal Navy), Bill Stevenson (Edmonton) and Hank Ilesic (Edmonton, Toronto). Ilesic is one of seven players to appear in nine Grey Cup games. Among quarterbacks, Anthony Calvillo appeared in a record eight games, winning three. [24] Five coaches share the record for Grey Cup championships at five: Wally Buono (the CFL's all-time leader in wins), Don Matthews , Frank Clair , Hugh Campbell and Lew Hayman . [4] [4] Two individual awards are handed out following each game.

The Most Valuable Player award is given to the top performer in the Grey Cup. Between 1974 and 1990, the league named both offensive and defensive most valuable players. Three people have been named MVP on three occasions: Doug Flutie , Damon Allen and Sonny Wade . [24] The Dick Suderman Trophy is given to the most valuable Canadian. It is named in honour of Dick Suderman , who died of a brain hemorrhage in 1972 while an active player for the Edmonton Eskimos. [4] Dave Sapunjis and Don Sweet have each won the award three times. [24] Host cities The city of Toronto has hosted the most Grey Cup games with 47, including 30 of the first 45 games played. [24] The first game was held on December 4, 1909, at Rosedale Field . Hamilton and Ottawa hosted several early games while Sarnia and Kingston each hosted one as the game's early years were dominated by teams in southern Ontario.

[24] The Grey Cup game and champion first left the province in 1931, when Montreal hosted the event and the Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers won the 19th Grey Cup . [4] The game did not leave central Canada until 1955 when the 43rd Grey Cup was played in Vancouver. [4] That contest achieved what was at the time an all-time Canadian football attendance record of 39,491. [4] It was the first of 16 games hosted by the British Columbia city, second among all host cities. [24] Vancouver's attendance record stood until 1976, when 53,389 fans attended the 64th Grey Cup in Toronto. [4] The four highest attended Grey Cup games have been held at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, [24] with an all-time record of 68,318 set in 1977. [11] The 100th Grey Cup was hosted by Toronto in 2012.

[42] Regina hosted its third championship game in 2013, [4] with a win by the hometown Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 over the Hamilton Tiger Cats . Vancouver hosted the 102nd Grey Cup in 2014. [4] Grey Cup host cities [24] City The 1940 Grey Cup was a two-game series. Toronto and Ottawa each hosted a game. Broadcasting The Grey Cup game was first broadcast on radio in 1928. [4] The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) carried radio coverage of the game for 51 years until 1986, when a network of private broadcasters took over. [78] Canadian television was in its infancy in 1952 when Toronto's CBLT paid $7,500 for the rights to carry the first televised broadcast of a Grey Cup game. [79] Within two years, it was estimated that 80 percent of the nation's 900,000 television sets were tuned into the game, [80] even though the first national telecast did not occur until 1957.

The Grey Cup continues to be one of Canada's most-viewed sporting events. [81] The 1962 " Fog Bowl " game was the first Grey Cup to be broadcast on American television. [11] The CBC carried the first national telecasts exclusively, but the CTV Television Network purchased rights to the 1962 game. The move sparked concern across Canada as the newly formed network was not yet available in many parts of the country. [79] The debate over whether an "event of national interest" should be broadcast by the publicly funded CBC or private broadcasters reached the floor of Parliament as members of the federal government weighed in. [82] It was decided that both networks would carry the game. [79] The two networks continued with the simulcast arrangement until 1986 when CTV ceased its coverage. [83] The CFL operated the Canadian Football Network , a coalition of private broadcasters that shared league games and the Grey Cup with the CBC, from 1987 to 1990.

[84] CBC then broadcast the championship game alone until 2007, when the CFL sold exclusive rights to all games, including the Grey Cup, to specialty channel The Sports Network (TSN) and its French-language sister station Réseau des sports (RDS), a deal that was criticized by Canadians without cable access. [85] Nonetheless, TSN and RDS achieved a record audience for the 2009 Grey Cup, with 6.1 million Canadians watching the game in its entirety, and over 14 million viewing at least part of the contest. [86] Viewership has declined in recent years, and in 2014, about 33%, of Canadians watched at least some of the game, peaking at 5.1 million viewers in the fourth quarter. [87] grey cup - 必应 Sign in Grey Cup The Grey Cup is the name of both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing Canadian football. It is contested between the winners of the CFL's East and West Divisional playoffs and is one of Canadian television's largest annual sporting events.

The Toronto Argonauts have 16 championships, more than any other team. The latest, the 103rd Grey Cup, took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on November 29, 2015, when the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26–20. The trophy was commissioned in 1909 by the Earl Grey, then Canada 's governor general, who originally hoped to donate it ... (展开) for the country's senior amateur hockey championship. After the Allan Cup was later donated for that purpose, Grey instead made his trophy available as the "Canadian Dominion Football Championship" (national championship) of Canadian football. The trophy has a silver chalice attached to a large base on which the names of all winning teams, players and executives are engraved. The Grey Cup has been broken on several occasions, stolen twice and held for ransom. It survived a 1947 fire that destroyed numerous artifacts housed in the same building. The Grey Cup was first won by the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. Play was suspended from 1916 to 1918 due to the First World War and in 1919 due to a rules dispute.

The game has typically been contested in an east versus west format since the 1920s. Traditionally held on a Sunday at the end of November, the Grey Cup has been played in inclement weather at times, including the 1950 "Mud Bowl," in which a player reportedly came close to drowning in a puddle, then the 1962 "Fog Bowl," when the final nine minutes of the game had to be postponed to the following day due to a heavy fog, and the 1977 "Ice Bowl," contested on the frozen-over artificial turf at Montreal 's Olympic Stadium. The Edmonton Eskimos formed the Grey Cup's longest dynasty, winning five consecutive championships from 1978 to 1982. Competition for the trophy has been exclusively between Canadian teams, except for a three-year period from 1993 to 1995, when an expansion of the CFL south into the United States resulted in the Baltimore Stallions winning the 1995 championship and taking the Grey Cup south of the border for the first time.

Grey Cup Champions Grey Cup Champions John Candy (1950 - 1994) John Franklin Candy (October 31, 1950 – March 4, 1994) was a Canadian comedy actor known mainly for his work in Hollywood films. Candy rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of the Sec... Nobby Wirkowski (1926 - 2014) From SharingMemories.ca : It is with heavy hearts we announce that Nobby passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 15th in his 89th year surrounded with the love of his family. Married to Theresa ... Frank Clair (1917 - 2005) Frank James Clair (May 12, 1917 – April 3, 2005) was a coach in the Canadian Football League, nicknamed "the Professor" for his ability to recognize and develop talent. Clair is the 3rd most s... history The Grey Cup (French: La Coupe Grey ) is the name of both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing Canadian football.

It is contested between the winners of the CFL's East and West Divisional playoffs and is one of Canadian television's largest annual sporting events. The Toronto Argonauts have 16 championships, more than any other team. The latest, the 103rd Grey Cup, took place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on November 29, 2015, when the Edmonton Eskimos defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 26–20. The trophy was commissioned in 1909 by the Earl Grey , then Canada's governor general, who originally hoped to donate it for the country's senior amateur hockey championship. After the Allan Cup was later donated for that purpose, Grey instead made his trophy available as the "Canadian Dominion Football Championship" (national championship) of Canadian football. The trophy has a silver chalice attached to a large base on which the names of all winning teams, players and executives are engraved. The Grey Cup has been broken on several occasions, stolen twice and held for ransom. It survived a 1947 fire that destroyed numerous artifacts housed in the same building. The Grey Cup was first won by the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.

Play was suspended from 1916 to 1918 due to the First World War and in 1919 due to a rules dispute. The game has typically been contested in an east versus west format since the 1920s. Traditionally held on a Sunday at the end of November, the Grey Cup has been played in inclement weather at times, including the 1950 "Mud Bowl," in which a player reportedly came close to drowning in a puddle, then the 1962 "Fog Bowl," when the final nine minutes of the game had to be postponed to the following day due to a heavy fog, and the 1977 "Ice Bowl," contested on the frozen-over artificial turf at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. The Edmonton Eskimos formed the Grey Cup's longest dynasty, winning five consecutive championships from 1978 to 1982.

Competition for the trophy has been exclusively between Canadian teams, except for a three-year period from 1993 to 1995, when an expansion of the CFL south into the United States resulted in the Baltimore Stallions winning the 1995 championship and taking the Grey Cup south of the border for the first time. Add profiles to this project Add collaborators to this project Add Profiles Government of Canada Recognizes the National Historic Significance of the Grey Cup Government of Canada Recognizes the National Historic Significance of the Grey Cup Tweet Share TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov 20, 2012) - On behalf of the Honourable Peter Kent, Canada''s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, Member of Parliament for York-Simcoe and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, today recognized the Grey Cup as an event of national historic significance. Minister Van Loan made the announcement during a Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque-unveiling ceremony at Varsity Centre in Toronto.

"I am proud to participate in the commemoration of the Grey Cup, which for a century has been a defining and unifying part of being Canadian," said Minister Van Loan. "As we mark the 100th Grey Cup game, we celebrate a uniquely Canadian event that brings us together to celebrate our brand of football, our country, and the bond between them." The Grey Cup championship game has crowned a national champion for Canada''s distinctive brand of football, which emerged from a strictly amateur, rugby-like sport developed in the last half of the 19th century and evolved into the highly exciting sport played in communities, schools and professionally across Canada at the dawn of the 21st century. On 25 November 2012, the 100th Grey Cup game will be played in Toronto. Donated in 1909 by Governor General Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey, the Grey Cup trophy was first won by the University of Toronto and is now awarded to the champions of the Canadian Football League. Known for its festival flavour and celebratory events that precede the championship game, the Grey Cup brings Canadians together in the host city and across the nation.

Today, millions of Canadians follow Grey Cup coverage, making it one of Canada''s biggest television sporting events of the year. "Our Government is committed to celebrating events in Canadian history that are of importance to our national character and unique identity," added Minister Kent. "Designating the Grey Cup as a national historic event highlights its significance and underlines its importance in our history, which will be passed on to future generations." "It is an honour to host this commemoration of the 100th Grey Cup game," said David Naylor, President of the University of Toronto. "We have a long and proud history associated with Canadian football and the Grey Cup. In fact, the first three Grey Cups were won by the University of Toronto beginning in 1909 - so Varsity Stadium is a most fitting place for this celebration." "We are proud of the fact that the Grey Cup trophy is presented to the champions of our league, but we are prouder still that the Grey Cup has evolved into a true Canadian icon, symbolic of Canadians'' ability to come together and celebrate what is truly and uniquely ours," said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.

"We are thrilled that the Government of Canada is officially recognizing in this way the Grey Cup and its place in Canada''s culture and history. This makes our celebration of the upcoming 100th Grey Cup championship game all the more special." The new designation will be included in Canada''s system of national historic sites, persons and events on the recommendation of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC). The HSMBC was established in 1919 and is supported by Parks Canada. It advises the Minister of the Environment regarding the national significance of places, persons and events that have marked Canada''s history. On behalf of the people of Canada, Parks Canada manages a nationwide network that makes up a rich tapestry of Canada''s historical heritage and offers the public opportunities for real and inspiring discoveries. For additional information, please see the accompanying backgrounder at under Media Room.

BACKGROUNDER The Grey Cup Since 1909, the Grey Cup championship game has crowned a national champion for Canada''s distinctive brand of football, which emerged from a strictly amateur, rugby-like sport developed in the last half of the 19th century and evolved into the highly exciting sport played in communities, schools and professionally across Canada at the dawn of the 21st century. Initially confined to eastern Canadian teams, the Grey Cup game, as it came to be known, soon evolved into a truly national championship with an East versus West format. Traditionally contested at the end of November, the Grey Cup has produced such memorable games as the "Mud Bowl," the "Fog Bowl," and the "Ice Bowl." Since 1958, the Grey Cup game has been exclusively contested by teams belonging to the Canadian Football League, the second oldest, continuously operating gridiron football league in North America, and the highest level of competition in Canada. On 25 November 2012, the 100th Grey Cup game will be played in Toronto. Read More The Grey Cup trophy was donated to Canadian football by Governor General Albert Grey, the 4th Earl Grey.

The trophy was first won by the University of Toronto, which became the first Dominion championship team to be awarded the Cup when it defeated the Parkdale Canoe Club on 4 December 1909 in Toronto. The team, however, famously left the field empty-handed because the trophy was not yet ready. Several months later, a sterling silver chalice, crafted by the Toronto jewellers Henry Birks and Sons, was finally presented to its first champions, in March 1910. Since then, the Grey Cup trophy has been the symbol of excellence in Canadian football, awarded to the sport''s national champions. The Grey Cup has become known for its festival flavour and the celebratory events that precede the championship game. This tradition was inaugurated by fans from Calgary who travelled to Toronto in 1948 to cheer the Stampeders to their first Grey Cup championship (12-7 over the Ottawa Rough Riders). It has continued to grow and in 2012 there are expected to be 10 days of activities and events leading up to the actual championship game. Over the years, media coverage has expanded and attendance has grown.

From fewer than 4,000 spectators in 1909, the Grey Cup game has filled major Canadian stadiums since the Second World War, establishing its attendance record of 68,318 fans at Montreal''s Olympic Stadium in 1977. Radio coverage began in 1928, while live national and television broadcasts were inaugurated in 1952. Today, millions of Canadians follow Grey Cup coverage, making it one of Canada''s biggest television sporting events of the year. Reblog 103rd Grey Cup Awarded to Winnipeg - Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers 103rd Grey Cup Awarded to Winnipeg Share 103rd Grey Cup Awarded to Winnipeg Cohon: Grey Cup at Investors Group Field in 2015 Will Celebrate the Modern CFL WINNIPEG — The 103rd Grey Cup in Winnipeg in 2015 will be an opportunity to celebrate our game, our country and the bright future they share, says the Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.

“What better way to showcase our modern league than to bring our biggest game to beautiful Investors Group Field, one of the new stadiums that are home to today’s CFL?” Mark Cohon said here today after officially announcing the Grey Cup has been awarded to the city of Winnipeg. “And I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Canada than to bring our fans together from across the country, not just to mark one of our grandest traditions, but to celebrate what is a very bright future, in one of Canadian football’s proudest homes.” The Winnipeg Blue Bombers proudly welcome the opportunity to welcome Canadians to their city and province for the Grey Cup game on November 29, 2015, said Brock Bulbuck, Chairperson of the football club’s Board of Directors. “When this community came together to build Investors Group Field, a facility every Manitoban could be proud of, this day and this opportunity were very much part of the dream we all shared. We’re thrilled it has arrived.” The Grey Cup trophy is one of Canada’s most powerful icons, a symbol that has been celebrated on stamps, coins and the Canadian passport.

The Grey Cup game, which now routinely sells out months in advance, commands one of the largest television audiences of the year. One in three Canadians watched at least part of last year’s Grey Cup from Regina, Saskatchewan. And when combined with the Grey Cup festival that precedes it, the game has become an economic juggernaut. Independent studies of the economic impact of recent Grey Cups on their host cities and provinces have pegged it at well over $100 million. The 100th Grey Cup in Toronto in 2012 generated more than $133 million in economic activity, while the impact of previous year’s Grey Cup in Vancouver exceeded $118 million. “Hosting the Grey Cup is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the best of Manitoba while providing a major boost to our growing economy,” said Greg Selinger, Premier of Manitoba. “Bomber fans are among the most passionate in the league, and our stadium is among the finest in the country.

Grey Cup 2015 has all the makings of a classic Manitoba barnburner.” The city has what it takes to host a tremendous Grey Cup, including top hotels, meeting facilities, and one of North America’s most beautiful and modern stadiums, said Sam Katz, Mayor of Winnipeg. “Winnipeg is blessed with a number of festivals and special events,” said Mayor Sam Katz. “No matter the size, each event enhances the recreation and cultural experience for our residents and our visitors, while at the same time contributing to our growth and development. “Hosting the 103rd Grey Cup is a wonderful opportunity to showcase or City’s many attractions and to confirm why Winnipeg is one of the best cities in the world to work, live, play and invest. Winnipeggers are known for their warm hospitality and incredible spirit, and we are thrilled to be named as hosts for Canada’s premier football event in 2015.” Wade Miller, President and CEO of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, said planning is already underway to make one of the biggest events in the country the best Grey Cup ever. “This is going to be successful, it’s going to be big, and it’s going to make Manitobans proud,” Miller said.

“Our fans will see to that. They’ve waited a long time for another Grey Cup and they’re going to make it the best ever.” Details on tickets and festival events are still in the works, but Winnipeg Blue Bombers season ticket holders will have priority access to Grey Cup tickets, he said. Winnipeg last hosted the Grey Cup in 2006, when the British Columbia Lions defeated the Montreal Alouettes 25-14. This November, Vancouver will host the 102nd Grey Cup at beautiful BC Place, which was completely refurbished in 2011. This summer, Hamilton will open Tim Horton’s Field, the new home of the CFL’s Tiger-Cats, while Ottawa will open TD Place and launch a new CFL entry, the REDBLACKS. In 2017, Regina, Saskatchewan plans to open a new home for the Roughriders.

A Canadian icon travels the country in the most Canadian way - CFL.ca A Canadian icon travels the country in the most Canadian way Share A Canadian icon travels the country in the most Canadian way Canadian Football League Share CFL.ca Staff TORONTO — The Canadian icon that has inspired so many pilgrimages is embarking on its own: the Grey Cup 100 Tour presented by RONA will take Canada by train this Fall. “The Grey Cup really belongs to every Canadian, so our goal for this special year of the 100th Grey Cup game is to bring it to as many cities, towns and Canadians as we can,” said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League. “And thanks to our presenting partner RONA, we are doing it in a way that will make Canadians proud, and in the most Canadian way possible: by train.” The Grey Cup 100 Tour presented by RONA will make 100 stops across Canada, including all eight CFL cities — Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto and Montreal — as well as Ottawa, the national capital and site of so much Canadian football history, Quebec City, Moncton and Halifax.

Dates and times, and a full list of stops, will be released in the weeks ahead and can be found on . “We will take the Cup to places it has called home, and places it has never been before, and each time it arrives, we will host a celebration worthy of its stature and full of fun,” Cohon said. The Grey Cup will arrive in several cities aboard a specially retrofitted train that includes a car showcasing the trophy, a special museum car that captures its long and storied history, and a team car that celebrates the special place today’s CFL teams have in their communities and the hearts of their fans across the country. The train will be surrounded by fun activities for families as well as pomp and ceremony. Fans can have their photo taken with the Grey Cup and immediately share their pride via social media with family, friends and fellow fans. The trophy will be transported by road to other cities and towns not directly accessible by rail, visiting schools, hospitals and community centres. Cohon thanked the Government of Canada for its support — announced in last year’s federal budget — for the 100th Grey Cup celebrations including the train tour.

“It revolves around a great Canadian sport, but the Grey Cup has evolved into so much more,” said the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. “It’s a source of pride and unity, part of our history and heritage, and something that plays an important role each year in the cultural life of Canadians. Sharing the celebration of the 100th Grey Cup by bringing the trophy and its lore to Canadians is a worthy and exciting endeavour.” RONA, a proud partner of the CFL, will mark this Canadian milestone with a special 100th Grey Cup legacy project by using its RONA Home-Field Advantage Program. “2012 marks a special year of celebrations for us, we are thrilled to partner with the CFL to present the 100th Grey Cup Tour’’, said Karim Salabi, Executive Vice President, Marketing at RONA. ‘’Bringing our expertise to the communities where we live and investing $ 240,000 through the RONA Home-Field Advantage Program makes us extremely proud’’ he added. Mr Salabi mentioned that RONA will unveil the football fields to be refurbished with donated materials and volunteers’ time during the Tour.

Premier partners TELUS, TSN, RDS and Cisco have also been intimately involved in the support and planning of the tour which launches from Vancouver September 7th, spans 72 days, and will conclude in November when the Grey Cup arrives in Toronto for the 100th Grey Cup Festival followed, of course, by the 100th Grey Cup game on November 25th. GMR, a global full-service and award-winning engagement marketing company with Canadian offices in Toronto and Vancouver, is the lead agency and producer of the Grey Cup 100 Tour. “Our entire agency is rallying around the CFL and GMR’s team of experts to help create this historic Canadian celebration. We are proud to be the lead agency producing one of Canada’s largest, most complex tours ever,” says Sean Cunningham, GMR’s Director of Partnerships and project lead. Donated by then Governor General Earl Grey in 1909, the Grey Cup has, like Canada, emerged from two World Wars, a Depression, and countless challenges and triumphs, to be stronger than ever. “We are proud that the Grey Cup has for decades been the trophy awarded to the champions of our league,” Cohon said.

“We are prouder still that it has become something even bigger than our game. It is a symbol of Canadian unity, of our ability to compete and come together at the same time. The Grey Cup is special. It’s ours. And it’s time to celebrate it — and Canada.” Recent

Question: The Grey Cup is awarded to the champions of the Football League in which country?
Answer: Canada