Grey Cup Winners, 1909-2018

Congratulations to the Calgary Stampeders, who won the Grey Cup, the Championship of the Canadian Football League, tonight, 27-16 over the Ottawa Redblacks. After losing the Final 2 straight years, to the Toronto Argonauts last year and the Redblacks the year before that, they've reached the top.

To make matters even better, the game was played at Commonwealth Stadium, home of the Stamps' Provincial arch-rivals, the Edmonton Eskimos.

The trophy was named for Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey, Governor-General of Canada (the British monarch's representative in the country) from 1904 to 1911. He was the grandson of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister of Britain from 1830 to 1834, for whom Earl Grey tea was named. Of course, the Stanley Cup was also named for a Governor-General, Frederick Arthur Stanley, serving from 1888 to 1893, when he had to return home to Britain upon his father's death, and become the 16th Earl of Derby.

Grey Cup Winners

Due to Canada's membership in the British Empire (now, the British Commonwealth), there was no competition from 1916 to 1919 due to World War I (the players who had served hadn't been demobilized in time for a 1919 season to be played). In World War II, from 1942 to 1945, service teams replaced the professional teams.

Toronto, 24: University of Toronto Varsity Blues, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1920; Toronto Balmy Beach, 1927, 1930; Toronto RCAF Hurricanes, 1942; Toronto Argonauts, 1914, 1921, 1933, 1937, 1938, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1983, 1991, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2012, 2017. The Argos do not claim the Grey Cups won by previous teams.

Hamilton, 15: Hamilton Alerts, 1912; Hamilton Wildcats (merged with Hamilton Tigers 1950), 1943; Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 1913, 1915, 1928, 1934, 1932 (known as Hamilton Tigers), 1953, 1957, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1986, 1999. The Tiger-Cats may claim the Grey Cups won by the old Tigers, but not the Wildcats, nor the Alerts.

Edmonton, 14: Edmonton Eskimos, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1993, 2003, 2005, 2015.

Ottawa, 10: Ottawa Rough Riders, 1925, 1926 (known as Ottawa Senators), 1940, 1951, 1960, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1976; Ottawa Redblacks, 2016. The Redblacks, an homage to the Senators/Rough Riders, were allowed to claim that team's history. But, not wanting a repeat of the old confusion, Saskatchewan refused to let them use the name "Rough Riders." There were "All-Roughriders Finals" in 1951 (Ottawa won), 1966 (Saskatchewan), 1969 (Ottawa) and 1976 (Ottawa).

Montreal, 9: Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers, 1931; St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy, 1944; Montreal Alouettes, 1949, 1970, 1974, 1977, 2002, 2009, 2010. The Als do not claim the Grey Cups won by previous teams.

Winnipeg, 9: Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 1935 (known as Winnipeg 'Pegs), 1939, 1941, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1984, 1988, 1990.

Calgary, 8: Calgary Stampeders, 1948, 1971, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2008, 2014, 2018.

Vancouver, British Columbia, 6: BC Lions, 1964, 1985, 1994, 2000, 2006, 2011.

Regina, 4: Saskatchewan Roughriders, 1966, 1989, 2007, 2013.

Kingston, Ontario, 3: Queen's University Golden Gaels, 1922, 1923, 1924.

Sarnia, Ontario, 2: Sarnia Imperials, 1934, 1936.

And there was the CFL's desperate attempt to hold off bankruptcy in the 1990s, by adding teams in the U.S. One of them, the Baltimore Stallions -- playing in Memorial Stadium, wearing blue, and obviously an homage to the Baltimore Colts -- won the 1995 Grey Cup. In other words, since 1993, Grey Cups won by American teams 1, Stanley Cups won by Canadian teams 0. The American teams were soon folded, and the Stallions were moved, to become the new Montreal Alouettes, who had folded in 1997.

By Province:

1. Ontario, 54: Toronto, 24, Hamilton 15, Ottawa 10, Kingston 3, Sarnia 2.
2. Alberta, 22: Edmonton 14, Calgary 8.
3. Manitoba, 9. Tiebreaker is that it's all by 1 team.
4. Quebec, 9. Quebec City has never had a professional football team.
5. British Columbia, 6.
6. Saskatchewan, 4.

None of the Maritime Provinces -- New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island -- has ever had a CFL team, although Halifax, Nova Scotia and Moncton, New Brunswick have tried to gain admission.

Current Teams:

1. Toronto Argonauts. 17, last in 2017.
2. Edmonton Eskimos, 14, last in 2015.
3. Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 13, last in 1999.
4. Ottawa Redblacks, 13, last in 2016.
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 9, last in 1990, the longest current drought.
6. Calgary Stampeders, 8, last in 2018.
7. Montreal Alouettes, 7, last in 2010.
8. BC Lions, 6, last in 2011.
9. Saskatchewan Roughriders, 4, last in 2013.

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