140-953: The Banjo Bowl is the annual rematch game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) after the Labour Day Classic . While the traditional Labour Day Classic game is always played on the Sunday before Labour Day at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan (previously held at Taylor Field ), there is usually a rematch on the following weekend between these two rival prairie teams at Princess Auto Stadium (previously held at Canad Inns Stadium ) in Winnipeg , Manitoba . From 1982 to 2003 consecutively, Saskatchewan hosted Winnipeg in
280-569: A halftime show , often featuring performances by well-known Canadian musical acts such as Nickelback , who performed at the 2011 game. In recent years, a former football player, a celebrity, or another special guest participates in the coin toss ceremony to recognize their community involvement or significance. Nicknamed Canada's "Grand National Drunk", 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
420-584: A 14–1–1 record during the season and were considered overwhelming favourites against the surprise Eastern champions, the 5–11 Ottawa Rough Riders. The first half did not go as Edmonton hoped, though, as Ottawa, led by rookie quarterback J.C. Watts , 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. Edmonton's championship run came to an end in 1983 when they lost in
560-758: A 15–3 record, reaching the Grey Cup Final for the third straight season, but the team's hopes of a three-peat were dashed on a last-minute blocked field goal at the hands of the Toronto Argonauts, 24–23. They reached the Grey Cup yet again in 2023, winning the West Division with a 14–4 record, but this time, they were upset by the Alouettes courtesy of a touchdown with 13 seconds left in the game to make it 28–24. Grey Cup The Grey Cup ( French : Coupe Grey )
700-630: A 1947 fire that destroyed numerous artifacts housed in the same building. The Grey Cup was first won by the Toronto Varsity Blues of the University of Toronto . 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. The game was always played on a Saturday until 1968, but since 1969 (except for 1970) has always been on
840-468: A Bob Fritz pass to Bud Marquardt to get the early lead. After scoring another touchdown on a Greg Kabat catch in the endzone, Winnipeg went into halftime up 12–4. Their lead was soon cut to three points in the second half after Hamilton scored a touchdown of their own, helped by a blocked kick that placed the ball on the Winnipeg 15-yard line. Then, after a Hamilton rouge , Winnipeg's Fritz Hanson caught
980-588: A Calgary fumble 109 yards in the 2017 Grey Cup game which was won by Toronto. The 1954 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 Big Four 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,
1120-622: A Canadian viewing audience of about 4 million. Two awards are given for play in the game: the Most Valuable Player and the Dick Suderman Trophy as most valuable Canadian player. In 2019, Andrew Harris was the first player to win both the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian and Most Valuable Player the same year, playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers . The trophy was commissioned in 1909 by The Earl Grey , then Canada's governor general , who originally hoped to donate it for
1260-407: A Sunday. Held in late November (in some years in early December, most recently in 2021), and mostly in outdoor stadiums, 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 minutes of the game had to be postponed to the following day due to a heavy fog, and
1400-597: 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,
1540-661: A brief return to the NFL, that saw him on the verge of making the New Orleans Saints if not for a serious knee injury at the end of training camp, Stegall remained the team's primary receiver. In 1999, the Bombers acquired Khari Jones from the BC Lions . Together, Stegall and Jones brought the Bombers back to prominence, with Jones being the CFL's most outstanding player in 2001, and Stegall getting
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#17328453151141680-499: A few losses to the NFL and a few gains from the draft). The Blue Bombers reversed their standings from last place in the east in 2010 to finishing in first place in the East division with a 10–8 record. The team success hinged on a league-leading defence dubbed Swaggerville, which led them to their first division title in 10 years. The team advanced to the 99th Grey Cup after defeating Hamilton in
1820-521: A preexisting injury. Toronto won the game 13–0, the last time a team has been shut out in a Grey Cup game. The ORFU, the last purely amateur union competing for the Grey Cup, withdrew from Cup competition in 1954. Although the Big Four 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. The Eskimos faced
1960-417: A punt, and after a few moves and a few missed tackles, was on his way to a 78-yard touchdown return, making the score 18–10. Hamilton forced a safety to bring themselves within six points, but failed to cross the goal-line, getting as far as the Winnipeg four-yard line. The final score was Winnipeg 18, Hamilton 12. With that, Winnipeg had become the first team from Western Canada to win the Grey Cup. After
2100-429: A record crowd of 68,318. 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. Upset at losing the 1977 game under poor weather conditions,
2240-594: A record eight games, winning three. Five coaches share the record for Grey Cup championships at five: Wally Buono (the CFL's all-time leader in total games won), Don Matthews , Frank Clair , Hugh Campbell and Lew Hayman . 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 . The Dick Suderman Trophy
2380-423: 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. 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
2520-477: 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. Winnipeg scored the lone touchdown in overtime to defeat Hamilton 21–14. Winnipeg and Hamilton met again in 1962, the 50th Grey Cup , immortalized as the "Fog Bowl". The game was held at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium , and began on Saturday, December 1, 1962. The fog rolled in early in
2660-452: Is a not-for-profit community organization incorporated as a Manitoba corporation on March 5, 1951. The object of this organization is the promotion and fostering of football in Manitoba . WFC controls Triple B Stadium Inc., a non-share corporation whose object is to develop, construct, and operate a stadium at the University of Manitoba , Princess Auto Stadium . The stadium is used by WFC,
2800-444: Is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football . The game 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. Since 2022, the game was held on the third Sunday of November. The Toronto Argonauts have
2940-464: 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. Dave Sapunjis and Don Sweet have each won the award three times (however, Sapunjis is the only player to win the award in back-to-back years). Andrew Harris was the first person to win both awards in the 107th Grey Cup for
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#17328453151143080-404: Is made of black-lacquered aluminum with silver plates engraved with the names of each winning team's players and executives since 1909. The trophy, one of Canada's best known symbols, ran out of room for new additions following the 2012 Grey Cup . The league announced that the base would be redesigned but remain similar in shape to its current design. In 2020 the new base required the removal of
3220-403: 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. The Winnipeg 'Pegs (now
3360-530: The 1962 Grey Cup , with the game being postponed with 9:29 left in the fourth quarter due to zero visibility in the famous "Fog Bowl". The game resumed the next morning, with the Bombers winning 28–27. During the second half of the 1960s, the Bombers' domination gave way to lean years, with four seasons of double digits in the loss column. The team bounced back in the early 1970s with the likes of quarterback Don Jonas , running-back Mack Herron , and wide receivers Jim Thorpe and Bob LaRose. The team finished first in
3500-560: 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. 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. The Western Canada Rugby Football Union (WCRFU) was formed in 1911, but
3640-554: 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, the advent of the east versus west format helped make the game the nation's largest sporting event. 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
3780-563: The Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division . They play their home games at Princess Auto Stadium . The Blue Bombers were founded in 1930 as the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club , later changed to the Winnipeg Football Club , which is the organization's legal name. The Blue Bombers are one of two community owned teams, without shareholders, in the CFL. Since their establishment,
3920-601: The Garrison Rugby Club football team. The Winnipegs played in the Manitoba Rugby Football Union from 1930 to 1935 . By 1935 Western teams had been to the Grey Cup game 10 times, but they had always gone home empty-handed. The East was much more powerful, outscoring their opponents 236–29 through those ten games. On December 7, 1935, the Winnipegs got their first trip, to the 23rd Grey Cup . The game
4060-566: 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 for the Canadian 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
4200-577: 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
4340-525: The Montreal Alouettes in three consecutive Grey Cups in the mid-1950s, winning all three. Edmonton's first title in 1954 ended in bizarre fashion after Jackie Parker scored a touchdown (converted by Bob Dean) from a fumble recovery late in the game that gave Edmonton a 26–25 lead. At the time in Canadian football, touchdowns were only worth 5 points. Parker's 90-yard fumble return was the longest in league history until Toronto's Cassius Vaughn returned
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4480-753: The National Hockey League where the Conn Smythe Trophy was presented before the Stanley Cup , the presentation of the trophy has been typically preceded by the presentations of the Dick Suderman Trophy and the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player awards, in contrast to the other three leagues who usually present the World Series MVP , NBA Finals MVP , and Super Bowl MVP awards, respectively, after their championship trophy. Similar to
4620-595: The Rogers Centre in Toronto . During the East division final win over the Toronto Argonauts, quarterback Kevin Glenn broke his arm and Winnipeg was left with an inexperienced rookie to take his place for the championship game. Back-up quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie — in his first CFL start — did not fare well and threw one touchdown pass, fumbled once and threw three interceptions to Saskatchewan cornerback James Johnson. Johnson
4760-655: 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 Big Four resumed play in 1945, and
4900-592: The University of Manitoba Bisons , amateur athletics, and other public purposes. WFC also controls Valour FC Inc., whose object is to operate a professional soccer club in Winnipeg, and participate in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). The first football team in Winnipeg was formed in 1879, named the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club . On June 10, 1930, the Winnipeg Tammany Tigers , who were in financial difficulty, disbanded and merged with some of
5040-408: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers . The city of Toronto has hosted the most Grey Cup games with 48, including 30 of the first 45 games played. 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. The Grey Cup game and champion first left
5180-404: The "Mud Bowl". 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
5320-472: The 1909 plaque. To accommodate all the plaques within the base of the Grey Cup, they were redesigned using laser etching and a modern typeface that allowed for vertical reduction of the characters and letters that had improved legibility. The trophy is customarily escorted to the new champions by two members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and presented by the commissioner of the CFL. Like
5460-457: The 1977 " Ice Bowl ", contested on the frozen-over artificial turf at Montreal 's Olympic Stadium . Most recently, in the 2017 game snow fell, at times heavily, throughout the game. The then-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
5600-527: The Alouettes between 2000 and 2010. 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. The 100th Grey Cup game
5740-643: The Blue Bombers have won the Grey Cup championship 12 times, most recently in 2021 CFL season when they defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33–25 in the 108th Grey Cup . The team holds the record for most Grey Cup appearances of any team (29) and Winnipeg were the first club in Western Canada to win a championship. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are operated by the Winnipeg Football Club (WFC). WFC
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5880-587: The Blue Bombers, Calgary Bronks , and Regina Roughriders formed the Western Interprovincial Football Union at the highest level of play in Western Canada. Between 1936 and 1949, the Bombers won the right to compete for the Grey Cup in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943, and 1945. Of these appearances, Winnipeg won only twice: in 1939 over the Ottawa Rough Riders , and again in their 1941 rematch. Jack Jacobs , known as Indian Jack,
6020-468: The Bombers in 1995 after a three-year career returning kicks and seeing spot duty at receiver with the Cincinnati Bengals . He played in the Bombers' final six games of the 1995 season , racking up 469 receiving yards. In 1997, Stegall set a new league record that still stands today for average gain per reception with 26.5 yards on 61 catches for 1616 yards, including 14 touchdowns. Following
6160-543: The Bombers than other teams were prepared to pay them, in hopes of a Grey Cup run in '08. Tom Canada, in particular, reportedly turned down a much higher contract offer from the Montreal Alouettes, to come back to Winnipeg. The Bombers made a surprise trade when they sent all-star running back Charles Roberts to B.C. for Joe Smith on September 2, 2008. Then on September 8, 2008, they traded all-star DE Tom Canada to Hamilton for Zeke Moreno . But on September 9, 2008,
6300-399: The Bombers welcomed the likes of Ken Ploen , Leo Lewis , Farrell Funston , Ernie Pitts , Charlie Shepard , and Ed Kotowich to the team. The Bombers competed in six Grey Cup games during Grant's tenure, winning four (1958, 1959, 1961, and 1962). In 1961, the Bombers won 21–14 over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the first Grey Cup game to go into overtime. The Bombers and Ticats met again in
6440-514: The CFC withdrew from the CRU and the Big Four & WIFU merged into the Canadian Football League (CFL). The new league formally assumed control of the Grey Cup from the CRU. 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. The two teams were involved in
6580-524: 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 only time in its history. Serious efforts to organize a national governing body and eventually a Dominion championship for what at that time was still a game called and practically identical to rugby union began in the early 1880s, culminating in
6720-536: The CFL which formally ended the Milt Stegall era. The return of Mike Kelly opened a new Cal Murphy era, and the board hoped to bring back Murphy's success. However, Kelly was fired by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Board of Directors on December 17, 2009, after one year of employment. Paul LaPolice was introduced as the 28th head coach in Blue Bombers history on February 5, 2010. The new coach emphasized
6860-509: The CRU did not come to a participation agreement with it until 1921, allowing the Edmonton Eskimos (no lineage to the team that used that name 1949–2020) of the WCRFU to challenge. 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. The Argonauts entered
7000-557: The East Division suddenly down to three teams compared to five in the West, the league moved the Blue Bombers (who had been the easternmost team in the West) into the East Division, to balance the league. Under Riley, the Blue Bombers quickly made an impact in the East, winning Grey Cups over their former division rivals B.C. and Edmonton in 1988 and 1990 respectively, and garnering Riley the coach of
7140-423: The East again for the 1997 season after the Ottawa Rough Riders ceased operations. In November 1996, Cal Murphy left the Blue Bombers' organization after 14 years. This was partly due to a 68–7 playoff thumping by the Edmonton Eskimos, and partly because the team had not had a winning record the previous two years, winning only seven games in 1995, and nine in 1996. Jeff Reinebold was hired to replace Murphy as
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#17328453151147280-571: The Eastern Final. However, they lost to the favoured BC Lions by a score of 34–23. On August 9, 2013, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers announced that CEO Garth Buchko stepped down and General Manager Joe Mack was fired. The CFL returned to Ottawa in 2014 with the establishment of the Redblacks . Initially, the league planned to keep Winnipeg in the East, at least for the short term, due in part to
7420-444: 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
7560-462: 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. 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
7700-670: The Grey Cup in 1933. By 1938, only three unions continued to compete under the banner of the CRU: the IRFU (now commonly known as the Big Four) and the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) in the east, and the Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU) in the west. 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
7840-649: 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 establishment of the National Football League 's Baltimore Ravens in 1996 caused the Stallions to seek a new city to avoid direct competition with an NFL team. The team moved to Montreal, forming
7980-459: The Grey Cup victory in 1935, The Winnipeg Tribune sports writer Vince Leah called the team the "Blue Bombers of Western football". Until then, the team had no official nickname, but they quickly began using "Winnipeg Blue Bombers". Journalist Jim Coleman wrote that the name came at a time when boxer Joe Louis had international success with his similar nickname, the Brown Bomber. In 1935,
8120-467: The Grey Cup was not contested since 1919. The trophy was commissioned in 1909 at a cost of $ 48. The chalice is made of sterling silver and stands 33 centimetres (13 in) tall. 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
8260-620: The Hall of Fame at all times. Like the Stanley Cup, but unlike the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the NFL's Super Bowl, a new trophy is not made every year for the winning team to keep; rather, the Grey Cup is loaned to the winning team for a year. English and French are the official languages of the game. 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
8400-530: The Labour Day Classic. This game was always held in Regina on the Sunday before Labour Day Monday. Some of these Labour Day Classic games were part of a home-and-home series. In 1984 and 1988, Winnipeg hosted Saskatchewan in the game before the Labour Day Classic. In 1986, 1991 to 1995, and 1998, Winnipeg hosted Saskatchewan in the game after the Labour Day Classic. Dave Ritchie , Winnipeg's head coach from 1999 to 2004, would ask, "Why can’t we play [the Labour Day Classic] game in Winnipeg once in awhile?" Ritchie knew
8540-463: The Labour Day Rematch. As of the 2024 season, Winnipeg leads the series 13–7. As on Labour Day weekend when many Winnipeg fans visit Regina to support the Bombers , many Saskatchewan fans visit Winnipeg the following weekend to support the 'Riders . Many come, tongue-in-cheek, with banjos. Despite not being an official event, the Canadian Football League website promotes the game by referring to it as "Banjo Bowl" in some of its online coverage as does
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#17328453151148680-408: The Ottawa Rough Riders, in the final all-"Roughriders" Grey Cup game. Both teams fought 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
8820-403: 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. The victory completed the only undefeated season in the history of Canadian professional football. 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
8960-498: The Royal York Hotel. 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. A 2012 survey found that Canadians consider the Grey Cup to be the most important annual event to attend. Fans of all teams converge at the game venue, including some who have attended 60 or more Grey Cups. The influx of people from across
9100-440: The Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1999. Winnipeg played a total of eight consecutive seasons in the East before moving to the newly created North Division in 1995 during the CFL's expansion to the United States . When the CFL's American experiment ended a year later, and the Alouettes were re-established, the Blue Bombers returned to the re-constituted West Division. This arrangement also lasted only one season, as Winnipeg returned to
9240-473: The Toronto Argonauts celebrated; in 2014 when the chalice broke away from its base again as the Calgary Stampeders celebrated their win. 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 . The thieves attempted to ransom
9380-408: The WIFU the following year. 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
9520-418: The West Final 21–17, setting up a rematch of the 2019 Grey Cup game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Bombers won the 2021 Grey Cup in overtime 33–25, the first back-to-back Grey Cup champions since the Montreal Alouettes won the 97th and 98th Grey Cup, and the first West Division team to win them since the Edmonton Eskimos ' 1978–1982 run of five straight. In 2022, the team finished atop the West again with
9660-448: The West Semi-Final game; the Argonauts defeated the BC Lions to win the championship that year, ending the team's 31-year Grey Cup title drought. 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
9800-438: The Western Conference in 1972, the first time it had done so since 1962. However, the Bombers came up short in the Western final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders , squandering a 13-point third-quarter lead en route to a heartbreaking 27–24 loss, with Saskatchewan kicker Jack Abendschan scoring on a short field goal attempt on the last play of the game to send the 'Riders to the 1972 Grey Cup against Hamilton. The 1972 season
9940-448: The basis of the fact his wife wanted to have their next child in Winnipeg, and the fact that they were in line to be a contender for the Grey Cup. He took a $ 50,000 pay cut, and started the season 159 yards away from breaking Allen Pitts' all-time receiving yards record. Other returning players who were free agents going into the 2008 season, including star DE Tom Canada, OL's Dan Goodspeed, and Matt Sheridan, signed for less money from
10080-557: The career receiving yards record held by Allen Pitts . The 2007 season was rumoured to be Stegall's last, as he was 37 years old and had been contemplating retirement for the previous two seasons. The 2007 Grey Cup game was played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the first time the two teams met for the championship. Winnipeg was defeated by the Saskatchewan Roughriders 23–19 in
10220-472: The championship game as the Western representative until their victory in the 107th Grey Cup . Murphy was named coach of the year in both 1983 and 1984. In 1987, Murphy stepped down as head coach to become general manager, and assistant coach Mike Riley (son of former Winnipeg coach Bud Riley ) took over head-coaching duties. Then, just prior to the start of the 1987 season, the Montreal Alouettes folded. With
10360-399: The club on November 12, 2013. The shake-up of the top brass in 2013 also led to Kyle Walters having to take over the acting GM duties, which were made officially his on November 26, when he was named the general manager. Mike O'Shea was hired by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on December 4, 2013, to become the team's 30th head coach. O'Shea helped the team return to the playoffs when he made
10500-453: The contest allowed the league to endure its challenges. The CFL survived into 1997 and was buoyed by an interest-free loan from the NFL, 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. That year's Grey Cup, held in Edmonton and won by Toronto, drew nearly 22,000 more fans than
10640-422: The country is estimated to have an economic impact of over $ 120 million for the region hosting the championship game. The Toronto Argonauts have won the most Grey Cup championships (19), followed by the Edmonton Eskimos (now Elks) (14) and Winnipeg Blue Bombers (12). The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have made the most Grey Cup appearances (30). The Tiger-Cats remain the only team yet to win this millenium. Since
10780-570: The country's senior amateur hockey championship. After the Allan Cup was donated for that purpose, Grey instead made his trophy available to the winner of the Canadian Dominion Football Championship , the 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
10920-498: The creation of the Canadian Rugby Union in 1891 and the first CRU-recognized national championship the following year. After that, national championship games were held every year prior to the creation of the Grey Cup except 1899, 1903 and 1904. 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 ,
11060-477: The current incarnation of the Alouettes franchise and ending the CFL's excursion into the United States. 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, and out of the eight remaining teams, seven had lost money and two required direct assistance from
11200-456: The days leading up to the championship game. 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; this was discontinued in 1992. The game itself includes a performance of the Canadian national anthem (usually sung in both English and French, the official languages of the game) and
11340-497: The defunct United States Football League approached the CFL about merging the two leagues. 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
11480-567: The dominant performance of the defence saw the team win their 11th championship at the 107th Grey Cup , breaking a 28-year drought. Hometown player Harris became the first player ever to win the Grey Cup MVP and Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian . After the CFL cancelled its 2020 season, the league returned in 2021, and the Bombers finished atop the West with an 11–3 record, claiming their first first-place West Division finish since 1972. The team outlasted their arch-rival Saskatchewan Roughriders in
11620-526: The favoured Calgary Stampeders , served as a morale booster for the city of Montreal, which was reeling in the aftermath of the October Crisis . 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. The team competed in three consecutive finals early in the decade, losing to Ottawa in 1973 and Montreal in 1974 , before winning
11760-446: The first CFL player to reach the century mark in receptions in a season. Goodlow caught 100 passes for 1,494 yards and 14 touchdowns. That season, the Bombers became one of the first teams to have three receivers with at least 1,000 yards in a season: Goodlow with 1,494, Joe Poplawski with 1,271, and Rick House with 1,102. In 1983, Cal Murphy was hired to be the new head coach of the Blue Bombers. Almost immediately, Murphy set
11900-409: The first championship game between two western Canadian teams. The 1989 Grey Cup is considered one of the finest games in Canadian football history: The Saskatchewan Roughriders won their second championship by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 43–40 in the highest scoring Grey Cup game of all-time. Saskatchewan kicker Dave Ridgway 's last-second field goal won the game and made him a legend in
12040-462: The first championship game. 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. They retained the trophy in the following two years, defeating
12180-473: The following year. Both the Big Four and WIFU suspended operations in 1942 due to the Second World War . 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 ,
12320-521: 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 . A young woman infamously streaked across the field during the national anthem despite frigid temperatures well below freezing. The only time the Eskimos did not reach the Grey Cup final during this span was in 1976 , when the Saskatchewan Roughriders met
12460-408: The game 25–22. It is considered by many as the greatest play in CFL history. Aided by the "miracle" catch, the Bombers ended up making their first playoff appearance in two years. Despite losing in the first round, optimism going into the 2007 was higher than ever. The 2007 CFL season was in some ways the year of Milt Stegall: he broke the career CFL touchdown record and fell just short of overtaking
12600-423: 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. It
12740-458: 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. The same Edmonton team (renamed as Elks for that single season) challenged for
12880-455: The game, 25-year veteran Lui Passaglia ended the longest career in CFL history by kicking what was ultimately the game-winning field goal. 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. The 2005 Grey Cup
13020-510: The game. 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
13160-410: The highest paid player in football history at that time. 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, Ismail was named Grey Cup Most Valuable Player . The potential for the league to enter the American market was discussed in 1987 when operators of
13300-523: The honour in 2002. During the 2006 Grey Cup, Khari Jones and Milt Stegall were voted and honoured as the best QB/WR combo in CFL history. Charles Roberts joined them in 2001, a year which the Bombers went to the Grey Cup, which they eventually lost to the Calgary Stampeders . The following season, Winnipeg returned to the West Division following the establishment of the Ottawa Renegades . The team
13440-438: The idea of "team" and playing for the uniform. He also made it a point to talk about fixing problems rather than making excuses. The new paradigm was tested in the 2010 season in which the team finished 4–14 and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. Nine of those games were lost by four points or fewer, while 10 were lost by a touchdown or less. The 2011 season featured an almost completely unchanged team (save for
13580-518: 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. The BC Lions kept
13720-435: The league to stay afloat. The Edmonton Eskimos could not afford to bring their players' families to the championship game. 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. While the league struggled, the Grey Cup game itself retained its popularity and remained a national institution. The strength of
13860-517: The league's official television broadcaster, TSN . In 2013, the Premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall , joined in the spirit of the event by posting a video on his YouTube channel making reference to the rivalry and the Banjo Bowl game. The Riders themselves have avoided the use of the title "Banjo Bowl" in official communications, referring to the game as the "Labour Day rematch". The "Banjo Bowl" moniker
14000-507: The league, Ottawa hosted the 105th Grey Cup at TD Place Stadium in 2017, as part of celebrations to mark 150 years of Confederation . The 55th Grey Cup , played at the end of the 1967 CFL season , was also held in Ottawa as part of celebrations to mark 100 years of Confederation. In May 2020, due to postponement of the regular season and other factors relating to the COVID-19 pandemic , it
14140-401: The loss of the playoff spot was disastrous for Montreal, which ceased operations one year later. The crossover rule was eliminated and not revisited until a decade later due to Montreal's folding (ironically, the crossover rule returned with the Alouettes' revival). Reduced to eight teams, the CFL shifted Winnipeg to the East Division, making the 1988 Grey Cup between the Blue Bombers and Lions
14280-468: The merger and creation of 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 Winnipeg Blue Bombers have the most losses in Grey Cup play (19). The defending champions are the Toronto Argonauts who won the 111th Grey Cup in 2024, their second title in 3 years. Six teams in CFL history have won
14420-535: The more famous Stanley Cup used exclusively today by the NHL, 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. 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
14560-604: The most Grey Cup wins (19) since its introduction in 1909, while the Edmonton Elks (formerly the Edmonton Eskimos) have the most Grey Cup wins (11) since the merger in 1958. The latest, the 111th Grey Cup , took place in Vancouver , British Columbia, on November 17, 2024, when the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 41-24. The Grey Cup is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing
14700-503: The new home of the Argonauts beginning in the 2016 season. The 104th turned out to be one of the most memorable, with the Ottawa Redblacks winning their first Grey Cup by a score of 39-33 over the heavily favoured Calgary Stampeders as Henry Burris passed to Ernest Jackson for a touchdown in overtime--only the third overtime game in the history of the Grey Cup. After having been promised the 102nd Grey Cup game as an incentive to rejoin
14840-437: The offensive core of Stegall and Roberts still intact, Glenn led the Bombers back to respectability in 2006. The season included many highlights, but none as exciting at what is simply known as "The Play". On July 20, 2006, trailing the Edmonton Eskimos on the road 22–19, and facing third and long on their own 10-yard line with 4 seconds left in the game, Milt Stegall caught a 100-yard TD pass from Kevin Glenn as time expired to win
14980-503: The ongoing competitive dominance of the West. Despite this, Blue Bombers management lobbied heavily to return to the West Division immediately (for historical reasons), and eventually the league relented. The Blue Bombers finished last place in their first season back in the West, with a 7–11 record. After being named the acting CEO in August 2013 Wade Miller was announced as the CEO and president of
15120-430: The other teams in the city to create the new Winnipeg Rugby Football Club , known unofficially and simply as the Winnipegs or even the shorter 'Pegs , adopting the colours green and white. The Winnipegs played their first game against St.John's Rugby Football Club on June 13, 1930, losing 7–3. In 1932, the Winnipegs and St. John's joined and adopted blue and gold as their colours. In 1933 they also absorbed
15260-518: The people in Saskatchewan have no idea how to play the banjo." This further fuelled the Winnipeg–Saskatchewan football rivalry and has made the rematch game even more of an event. The game has been sold out every year since 2005. Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg , Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in
15400-430: The prairie province. 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
15540-406: The previous year. 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. 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
15680-659: The province in 1931, when Montreal hosted the event and the Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers won the 19th Grey Cup . The game did not leave central Canada until 1955 when the 43rd Grey Cup was played in Vancouver. That contest achieved what was at the time an all-time Canadian football attendance record of 39,491. It was the first of 16 games hosted by the British Columbia city, second among all host cities. The four highest attended Grey Cup games have been held at
15820-433: 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. 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. With nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds remaining in
15960-450: 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 chalice broke away from its base as the BC Lions celebrated their victory; in 2012 when one of the handles broke off as
16100-425: 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. The incident did not affect the final score, as Hamilton won 32–7. The league also created a new rule during the 1961 Grey Cup as it was the first in history to end regulation time in
16240-416: The small, outdated Osborne Stadium to the new Winnipeg Stadium (later known as Canad Inns Stadium ). ). Jacobs was so well-liked that fans even referred to the new stadium as "The House that Jack Built". Jacobs retired in 1954 to become a talent scout for the team. In 1951, Jack Jacobs became the first professional football quarterback to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season, with 3,248. That year, he
16380-460: The switch to Matt Nichols as the starting quarterback. The team still failed to advance to a Grey Cup despite the rise in success. During the 2019 season , an injury to Matt Nichols and a suspension to Andrew Harris seemed to end their season. The Bombers traded for Zach Collaros right before the trade deadline, who joined his third team for the year. Collaros formed a quarterback pairing with Chris Streveler . The two quarterbacks' play, behind
16520-482: The team coach, and despite a huge amount of hype, and championship promises going into the 1997 season, he proved to be one of the least successful head coaches in team history. The Bombers won four games in 1997, and just three in 1998. The few notable highlights from that era include: The few memorable players on the team during that time included linebacker K.D. Williams, safety Tom Europe , running back/returner Eric Blount , and Milt Stegall. Milt Stegall joined
16660-464: The time), he accepted the position of head coach of the Bombers in 1957. Grant went on to coach the team for the next 10 years before becoming the head coach of the NFL's Minnesota Vikings . In 1956, Blue Bombers fans named Labatt's Pilsener Lager, which had a blue label, Labatt Blue, in honour of their team. In 1958, the Blue Bombers joined the newly formed Canadian Football League, and have competed there since. During Grant's tenure as head coach,
16800-550: The tone for his career with the Bombers by trading popular QB Dieter Brock at midseason (because of Brock's desire to play in the USFL) to Hamilton in exchange for QB Tom Clements . Trading Brock turned out to be a wise decision; Clements led the Bombers to a crushing victory in the 1984 Grey Cup , coincidentally over the Brock-led Tiger-Cats. This was Winnipeg's first Grey Cup in 22 years, and also their last win and appearance in
16940-464: The trade was cancelled because Canada was injured and could not play for at least 10 weeks. So, since they could not trade Canada, they sent over Corey Mace and a first-round pick for Moreno. Following the 2008 season in which the Bombers were defeated in the division semifinals, Doug Berry (the head coach) was fired. Mike Kelly was chosen to replace him. At the end of the Cal Murphy era, Mike Kelly
17080-523: 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
17220-560: The trophy available to subsequent champions. Canada's participation in World War I 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
17360-490: 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. Many other trophies and artifacts in the clubhouse melted or were damaged beyond repair but the Grey Cup survived by catching onto a nail attached to a surviving wall when
17500-429: The trophy, but the CFL refused to pay and made plans to replace it with a duplicate. An anonymous phone call led to the trophy's recovery two months later in a locker at Toronto's Royal York Hotel . The thieves were never found. The current design of the Grey Cup's base was introduced in 1987, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the first Grey Cup championship. The base stands 84 centimetres (33 in) high and
17640-481: The visitors should have a clear disadvantage playing in a jacked-up, jam-packed stadium, and felt that Winnipeg should benefit once in a while. At one time, there were discussions about occasionally letting Winnipeg enjoy the home-field advantage and perhaps alternating year by year the site of the Labour Day Classic. Every year starting in 2004, Saskatchewan has hosted the Labour Day Classic and Winnipeg has hosted
17780-420: The year award in both championship seasons. After Riley left, Darryl Rogers and Urban Bowman each led the team for a season until 1993, when Cal Murphy took over head-coaching duties again. Murphy went on to lead the team to a total of five Grey Cup appearances, winning as a coach in 1984, and as GM in 1988 and 1990. He left the club after the 1996 season , having spent 14 years with the team. Later, he coached
17920-408: Was a Creek quarterback from Oklahoma. He came to the Bombers in 1950 after a successful career in the United States. He led the Bombers to two Grey Cup appearances, losing both. His exciting style of play and extreme talent increased ticket sales and overall awareness and popularity of the club. The revenue the Bombers were getting from their newfound popularity was enough to convince them to move from
18060-475: Was a powerhouse during this period, being one of the best teams in the league from 2001 until 2003. Midway through the 2004 season, Jones was traded to the Calgary Stampeders, with backup QB Kevin Glenn taking over the starting duties. Glenn led the team to two mediocre seasons after the trade. Prior to the 2006 season, the Renegades suspended operations and Winnipeg once again returned to the East Division. With
18200-590: 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; Canada was still struggling in its recovery from the Spanish flu epidemic that occurred during the last months of World War I. Competition finally resumed in 1920 with
18340-483: Was also the first professional football quarterback to throw for at least 30 touchdowns, with 33. The next year he bested that mark with 34. Bud Grant joined the team in 1953 after a two-year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles , as one of numerous NFL players lured to Canada during the first part of the decade for then-better salaries. After a four-year career as a receiver (classified only as "offensive end" at
18480-460: Was also the last time the team finished first in the West until the 2021 season. The team struggled for a few more seasons under coaches Jim Spavital and Bud Riley before Ray Jauch was brought in as head coach before the 1978 season. Under Jauch, the Bombers became one of the stronger teams in the West, but usually behind Jauch's former team, the powerhouse Edmonton Eskimos coached by Hugh Campbell . In 1981, wide receiver Eugene Goodlow became
18620-418: Was announced that the 108th Grey Cup festivities in Regina, Saskatchewan (which were to be the first to be hosted by the new Mosaic Stadium ) had been cancelled and postponed to 2022, and that the site of the game, if held, would be based on regular season records rather than as a neutral site . The Grey Cup itself was later cancelled in August along with the 2020 CFL season , which was the first year that
18760-524: Was being held in Hamilton , with the home-town Tigers their opponents. It was a rainy day at Hamilton Amateur Athletic Association Grounds , with 6,405 fans in attendance. Winnipeg was up 5–0 before many fans had even reached their seats. Hamilton player Jack Craig let the opening kickoff bounce to the turf, and a Winnipeg player promptly recovered the ball at the Hamilton 15-yard line. Winnipeg scored quickly on
18900-432: Was coined by Blue Bombers board member David Asper in early 2004, inspired by an infamous comment made by Bombers placekicker Troy Westwood in the week prior to a 2003 Western Division Semi-final game between the two teams. Westwood was quoted in the media as saying that people from Regina were "a bunch of banjo -pickin' inbreds ." He later apologized halfheartedly for those comments, saying that "the vast majority of
19040-410: Was later declared the game MVP. One of the picks was shown in the instant replay to have hit the ground before it was caught. Despite his rookie mistakes, Dinwiddie showed promise going into the 2008 season. He was released prior to the 2009 season. It was announced on January 31, 2008, that Milt Stegall would return for one more year for the 2008 season . He signed a one-year contract for $ 200,000 on
19180-470: 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. As per a new title sponsorship deal with Shaw Communications announced in May 2015, the event was thenceforth known as the Grey Cup presented by Shaw . The 104th Grey Cup game was played at BMO Field in Toronto, which became
19320-500: Was the first title game completed on a Sunday; the Grey Cup moved from its traditional Saturday start to Sunday in 1969; however, the game was played on a Saturday for the last time in 1970. The Saskatchewan Roughriders won their first ever Grey Cup in 1966 when they defeated the Ottawa Rough Riders 29–14 at Empire Stadium in Vancouver before 36,553 fans. The Montreal Alouettes' 1970 Grey Cup championship, an upset win over
19460-414: Was the offensive coordinator and was passed over for the top job in favour of Jeff Reinebold . With Milt Stegall's early-season knee surgery and drop in production, it was once again speculated that Milt Stegall would retire. The departure of Brendan Taman on January 13, 2009, was another sign that this era was coming to an end and a new one was beginning. On February 18, 2009, Milt Stegall did retire from
19600-402: 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. The game was played in the middle of a stretch of eight Grey Cup appearances by
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