Grey Cup | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Grey Cup

The Grey Cup is a trophy produced by Birks Jewellers that has been part of Canadian sports since 1909, when it was donated by Governor General Earl Grey for the Canadian football championship. The original conditions stated that the "cup must remain always under purely amateur conditions,"although there is good reason to believe that this was at the urging of P. D. Ross of the Ottawa Journal rather than Lord Grey. The name "Grey Cup" has since been used to refer both to the trophy and the event.

Football was suspended between 1916 and 1918, during the First World War, and in 1919, though there was a season, there was no playoff or Grey Cup game due to a dispute about the rules. Until 1966, the cup was presented to the Canadian champion by various trustees, including, from 1921, the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU). In 1966, the CRU named the Canadian Football League (CFL) trustee. In the early years (1909-24) the university teams were invariably the Grey Cup champions. From 1925 to 1945 the representatives from senior city leagues were supreme, and they continued to contest the cup until the early 1950s, when the professional teams that later comprised the Canadian Football League began to dominate.

In 1948 the Calgary Stampeders and their supporters transformed the Grey Cup game into a week-long carnival of festivities, a national celebration, and the most watched sporting event in Canada. In 1962, hailing the game as an instrument of national unity, Parliament decreed that both major Canadian television networks must make the television transmission of the game available to the other so that all regions could see it. This has been borne out as the game has consistently been the nation's highest-rated television program.

The Grey Cup has been an east-west battle for the Canadian football championship since 1921, when the Edmonton Eskimos (now the Edmonton Elks) journeyed eastward to play the Toronto Argonauts. An attempt was made in 1995 to change the focus to north-south. The CFL expansion into the US in 1993 resulted in a re-alignment in 1995 of a Southern Division of five American teams: San Antonio, Shreveport, Birmingham, Memphis and Baltimore. The Northern or Canadian Division had eight teams: Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, Calgary, Edmonton and British Columbia. The object was to build on the successful Grey Cup game of 1994, the first time an American team played in the final. The BC Lions defeated the Baltimore CFLers 26-23. Baltimore, known as the Stallions in 1995, returned to the 1995 Grey Cup final in Regina, where it was being played for the first time, and defeated the Calgary Stampeders 37-20. It was the first time an American-based team had won the Grey Cup. The distinction will probably stand for some time since the Southern Division was disbanded after the 1995 season. Four of the American teams ceased operations while the fifth, Baltimore, transferred its franchise to Montréal, where it was revived as the Montreal Alouettes.

The trophy itself has had a storied past, enduring fire, theft and damage, most recently in 2006 when the BC Lions broke the base during victory celebrations. In 2008 it travelled to Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan where, on Canada Day, it was passed around by Canadian personnel stationed there.

Grey Cup Scores 1909-1944

Year
Won Lost Host City
1909 University of Toronto: 26 Toronto Parkdale: 6 Toronto
1910 University of Toronto: 16 Hamilton Tigers: 7 Hamilton
1911 University of Toronto: 14 Toronto Argonauts: 7 Toronto
1912 Hamilton Alerts: 11 Toronto Argonauts: 4 Hamilton
1913 Hamilton Tigers: 44 Toronto Parkdale: 2 Hamilton
1914 Toronto Argonauts: 14 University of Toronto: 2 Toronto
1915 Hamilton Tigers: 13 Toronto Rowing: 7 Toronto
1916 No game due to WWI
1917 No game due to WWI
1918 No game due to WWI
1919 No game due to rules dispute
1920 University of Toronto: 16 Toronto Argonauts: 3 Toronto
1921 Toronto Argonauts: 23 Edmonton Eskimos: 0 Toronto
1922 Queen's University: 13 Edmonton Elks: 1 Kingston
1923 Queen's University: 54 Regina Roughriders: 0 Toronto
1924 Queen's University: 11 Toronto Balmy Beach: 3 Toronto
1925 Ottawa Senators: 24 Winnipeg Tammany Tigers: 1 Ottawa
1926 Ottawa Senators: 10 University of Toronto: 7 Toronto
1927 Toronto Balmy Beach: 9 Hamilton Tigers: 6 Toronto
1928 Hamilton Tigers: 30 Regina Roughriders: 0 Hamilton
1929 Hamilton Tigers: 14 Regina Roughriders: 3 Hamilton
1930 Toronto Balmy Beach: 11 Regina Roughriders: 6 Toronto
1931 Montreal Winged Wheelers: 22 Regina Roughriders: 0 Montreal
1932 Hamilton Tigers: 25 Regina Roughriders: 6 Hamilton
1933 Toronto Argonauts: 4 Sarnia Imperials: 3 Sarnia
1934 Sarnia Imperials: 20 Regina Roughriders: 12 Toronto
1935 Winnipeg Winnipegs: 18 Hamilton Tigers: 12 Hamilton
1936 Sarnia Imperials: 26 Ottawa Rough Riders: 20 Toronto
1937 Toronto Argonauts: 4 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 3 Toronto
1938 Toronto Argonauts: 30 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 7 Toronto
1939 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 8 Ottawa Rough Riders: 7 Ottawa
1940 Ottawa Rough Riders: 20 Toronto Balmy Beach: 7 Ottawa
1941 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 18 Ottawa Rough Riders: 16 Toronto
1942 Toronto R.C.A.F. Hurricanes: 8 Winnipeg R.C.A.F. Bombers: 5 Toronto
1943 Hamilton Flying Wildcats: 23 Winnipeg R.C.A.F. Bombers: 14 Toronto
1944 St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy: 7 Hamilton Flying Wildcats: 6 Hamilton

Grey Cup Scores 1945-1969

Year
Won Lost Host City
1945 Toronto Argonauts: 35 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 0 Toronto
1946 Toronto Argonauts: 28 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 0 Toronto
1947 Toronto Argonauts:10 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 9 Toronto
1948 Calgary Stampeders: 12 Ottawa Rough Riders: 7 Toronto
1949 Montreal Alouettes: 28 Calgary Stampeders: 15 Toronto
1950 Toronto Argonauts: 13 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 0 Toronto
1951 Ottawa Rough Riders: 21 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 14 Toronto
1952 Toronto Argonauts: 21 Edmonton Eskimos: 11 Toronto
1953 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 12 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 6 Toronto
1954 Edmonton Eskimos: 26 Montreal Alouettes: 25 Toronto
1955 Edmonton Eskimos: 34 Montreal Alouettes: 19 Vancouver
1956 Edmonton Eskimos: 50 Montreal Alouettes: 27 Toronto
1957 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 32 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 7 Toronto
1958 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 35 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 28 Vancouver
1959 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 21 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 7 Toronto
1960 Ottawa Rough Riders: 16 Edmonton Eskimos: 6 Vancouver
1961 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 21 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 14 Toronto
1962 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 28 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 27 Toronto
1963 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 21 British Columbia Lions: 10 Vancouver
1964 British Columbia Lions: 34 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 24 Toronto
1965 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 22 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 16 Toronto
1966 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 29 Ottawa Rough Riders: 14 Vancouver
1967 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 24 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 14 Ottawa
1968 Ottawa Rough Riders: 24 Calgary Stampeders: 21 Toronto
1969 Ottawa Rough Riders: 29 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 11

Grey Cup Scores 1970-1995

Year
Won Lost Host City
1970 Montreal Alouettes: 23 Calgary Stampeders: 10 Toronto
1971 Calgary Stampeders: 14 Toronto Argonauts: 11 Vancouver
1972 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 13 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 10 Hamilton
1973 Ottawa Rough Riders: 22 Edmonton Eskimos: 18 Toronto
1974 Montreal Alouettes: 20 Edmonton Eskimos: 7 Vancouver
1975 Edmonton Eskimos: 9

Montreal Alouettes: 8

Calgary
1976 Ottawa Rough Riders: 23 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 20 Toronto
1977 Montreal Alouettes: 41 Edmonton Eskimos: 6 Montreal
1978 Edmonton Eskimos: 20 Montreal Alouettes: 13 Toronto
1979 Edmonton Eskimos: 17 Montreal Alouettes: 9 Montreal
1980 Edmonton Eskimos: 48 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 10 Toronto
1981 Edmonton Eskimos: 26 Ottawa Rough Riders: 23 Montreal
1982 Edmonton Eskimos: 32 Toronto Argonauts: 16 Toronto
1983 Toronto Argonauts: 18 British Columbia Lions: 17 Vancouver
1984 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 47 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 17 Edmonton
1985 British Columbia Lions: 37 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 24 Montreal
1986 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 39 Edmonton Eskimos: 15 Vancouver
1987 Edmonton Eskimos: 38 Toronto Argonauts: 36 Vancouver
1988 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 22 British Columbia Lions: 21 Ottawa
1989 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 43 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 40 Toronto
1990 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 50 Edmonton Eskimos: 11 Vancouver
1991 Toronto Argonauts: 36 Calgary Stampeders: 21 Winnipeg
1992 Calgary Stampeders: 24 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 10 Toronto
1993 Edmonton Eskimos: 33 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 23 Calgary
1994 British Columbia Lions: 26 Baltimore Stallions: 23 Vancouver
1995 Baltimore Stallions: 37 Calgary Stampeders: 20 Regina

Grey Cup Scores 1996-Present

Year
Won Lost Host City
1996 Toronto Argonauts: 43 Edmonton Eskimos: 37 Hamilton
1997 Toronto Argonauts: 47 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 23 Edmonton
1998 Calgary Stampeders: 26 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 24 Winnipeg
1999 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 32 Calgary Stampeders: 21 Vancouver
2000 British Columbia Lions: 28 Montreal Alouettes: 26 Calgary
2001 Calgary Stampeders: 27 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 19 Montreal
2002 Montreal Alouettes: 25 Edmonton Eskimos: 16 Edmonton
2003 Edmonton Eskimos: 34 Montreal Alouettes: 22 Regina
2004 Toronto Argonauts: 27 British Columbia Lions: 19 Ottawa
2005 Edmonton Eskimos: 38 Montreal Alouettes: 35 Vancouver
2006 British Columbia Lions: 25 Montreal Alouettes: 14 Winnipeg
2007 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 23 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 19 Toronto
2008 Calgary Stampeders: 22 Montreal Alouettes: 14 Montreal
2009 Montreal Alouettes: 28 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 27 Calgary
2010 Montreal Alouettes: 21 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 18 Edmonton
2011 BC Lions: 34 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 23 Vancouver
2012 Toronto Argonauts: 35 Calgary Stampeders: 22 Toronto
2013 Saskatchewan Roughriders: 45 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 23 Regina
2014 Calgary Stampeders: 20 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 16 Vancouver
2015 Edmonton Eskimos: 26 Ottawa Redblacks: 20 Winnipeg
2016 Ottawa Redblacks: 39 Calgary Stampeders: 33 Toronto
2017 Toronto Argonauts: 27 Calgary Stampeders: 24 Ottawa
2018 Calgary Stampeders: 27 Ottawa Redblacks: 16 Edmonton
2019 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 33 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 12 Calgary
2020 Season cancelled

2021 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 33 Hamilton Tiger-Cats: 25 Hamilton
2022 Toronto Argonauts: 24 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 23 Regina
2023 Montreal Alouettes: 28 Winnipeg Blue Bombers: 24 Hamilton

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