East Division (CFL)
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Formerly | Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (1907–1959) Eastern Football Conference (1960–1980) |
---|---|
League | Canadian Football League |
Sport | Canadian football |
Founded | 1907 |
No. of teams | 4 |
Most recent champion(s) | Montreal Alouettes (17th title) |
Most titles | Toronto Argonauts (24 titles) |
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League, its counterpart being the West Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.
The four teams in the division are the Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Montreal Alouettes, and Ottawa Redblacks. Several now-defunct teams have also played in the East Division including two teams from the United States and a large number of teams that have played in Hamilton, Montreal, and Ottawa prior to the current teams from those cities. Additionally, current West Division team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers have, in the past, spent a number of seasons in the East over three separate stints.
History
Pre–1907
The first organized
The first organized competitions were formed in 1883, when the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) and the Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) were founded. At the time the sport was generally called rugby union or rugby football because its rules were similar to rugby union's, although this would change drastically in the coming decades. The following year, the two provincial unions would form the Canadian Rugby Football Union (CRFU), with Montreal winning the first national championship later that year. The CRFU collapsed before the decade was out, but was re-organized as the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU) in 1891, with Osgoode Hall winning the first CRU championship the following year.
The turn of the 20th century was marked by fundamental changes in the rules of the game. The ORFU was the first competition to adopt the
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (1907–1959)
In 1907, the Hamilton Tigers and Toronto Argonauts of the ORFU joined with the QRFU's Montreal Foot Ball Club and Ottawa Rough Riders (Ottawa had been moving back and forth between the two unions over the past few years) to form an elite competition, the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (also known as the "Big Four"). Montreal won the first championship that year, taking home the James Dixon Trophy. In 1909
From 1925 until 1953, IRFU teams dominated Canadian football, winning 18 of the 26 Grey Cups its clubs contested in that timespan (the IRFU suspended operations from 1942 through 1944 because of
By the mid-1950s, the IRFU had dropped all pretense of amateurism, and it was clear that it was a far higher calibre competition than the ORFU (the Quebec union had faded from the scene in the early part of the century), the only purely amateur union still competing for the Grey Cup. Moreover, the
In 1956, the IRFU and WIFU agreed to form the
Eastern Football Conference (1960–1980)
The IRFU changed its name to the Eastern Football Conference in 1960. In 1961, the EFC agreed to a partial interlocking schedule with what was known by then as the Western Football Conference. Although the EFC was part of the CFL, its merger with the WFC was only a partial merger for the next two decades. During this time, the conferences maintained considerable autonomy, much like Major League Baseball's two leagues operated during the 20th century. For example, the East had a different playoff format until 1973 and a shorter schedule until 1974. During this time, attendances increased substantially for most clubs and television revenue gained prominence and importance. By the 1980s, however, rising player salaries had caused considerable financial losses for some teams. In an effort to bolster the league's stability, the CFL decided to proceed with a complete merger of the two regional conferences.
East Division (1981–1994, 1996–present)
In 1981, the CFL's two conferences agreed to a full merger and a full interlocking schedule. Although the EFC has carried on since that time as the CFL's East Division, full authority was now vested within the CFL. The decision to create a full interlocking schedule meant that the teams were playing fewer divisional games, consequently the league decided to add two extra divisional games per team, thus extending the schedule to 18 games per team starting in 1986.
The East Division has undergone major changes since the dissolution of the EFC. Following the 1981 season the
In 1994, the CFL decided to
Prior to the 1996 season however, all of the American clubs disbanded. The owner of one, the Grey Cup champion Stallions, moved his organization to Montreal as the third and current incarnation of the Alouettes. However, while the Alouettes are now officially reckoned as having suspended operations from 1987 to 1995, they do not acknowledge their past as the Stallions. The pre-1987 divisional alignment was restored, only to see Winnipeg return to the East after one season when the Ottawa Rough Riders folded. The Blue Bombers returned to the West in 2002 after the Ottawa Renegades commenced play in the nation's capital. With the suspension of the Renegades in 2006, the Blue Bombers again were transferred to the East Division. With the East Division Ottawa Redblacks beginning play in 2014, the Blue Bombers moved back to the West Division again.
Grey Cup record
Prior to 1954, Eastern clubs dominated the Grey Cup games. Since 1954 however, the West has generally been on an equal footing and in recent decades has often dominated the East in the regular season. From 1954 to 2016, the East has won 27 Grey Cups and lost 35. This is not counting the 1995 season. Two of the East's Grey Cup wins were by the Blue Bombers, who have played in the West for most of their history.
Playoff format
Since 1955, three teams have competed in the East playoffs in most seasons. Only the top two teams qualified for the post-season in 1986 when an earlier form of the cross-over rule was in force, while four teams qualified in 1994 when there were six teams. In 1997, the present cross-over rule was implemented, allowing the fourth place team from one division to take the play-off place of the third place team in the other division, should the fourth place team earn a better record. From 1997 to 2016, the fourth place team in the West has taken advantage of the cross-over rule nine times, including four times when there were equal teams in the divisions. However, it was not until
Since the implementation of the crossover rule, the closest an East team has come to earning a cross-over berth in the West playoffs was in 2001 when fourth place Toronto finished one point behind third place BC.
Current teams
- Toronto Argonauts (formed 1873, joined 1907)
- Hamilton Tiger-Cats (formed 1950 as a result of the merger between the Hamilton Tigers and Hamilton Wildcats)
- Montreal Alouettes (formed 1946, renamed Concordes in 1982, renamed Alouettes in 1986, suspended operations in 1987, returned in 1996)
- Ottawa Redblacks (formed 2010, began play 2014)
Former teams
- Hamilton Tigers (formed in 1869, joined in 1907, merged with the Hamilton Wildcats to form the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1950)
- Montreal Football Club (formed in 1872, joined in 1907, disbanded in 1915)
- Ottawa Rough Riders (formed in 1876, joined in 1907, disbanded in 1996)
- Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers (joined in 1919, disbanded in 1935)
- Montreal Indians/Cubs/Royals/Bulldogs (Indians joined in 1936, replaced by Cubs in 1938, replaced by Royals in 1939, disbanded in 1941)
- Hamilton Wildcats (formed in 1941, joined in 1948, merged with the Hamilton Tigers to form the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1950)
- Montreal Hornets (1945)
- Baltimore Stallions (formed in 1994, played in South Division in 1995; relocated to Montreal in 1996)
- Shreveport Pirates (formed in 1994, played in South Division in 1995; disbanded)
- Ottawa Renegades (formed in 2002, suspended in 2006)
- Winnipeg Blue Bombers (formed in 1930, played in the East Division 1987–1994, 1997–2001, and 2006–2013)
List of Eastern champions
IRFU champions
Year | Champion | Runner-up |
---|---|---|
1907 | Montreal Football Club | |
1908 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1909 | Ottawa Rough Riders | |
1910 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1911 | Toronto Argonauts | |
1912 | Toronto Argonauts | |
1913 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1914 | Toronto Argonauts | |
1915 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1916 | No season: World War I | |
1917 | ||
1918 | ||
1919 | Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers | |
1920 | Toronto Argonauts | |
1921 | Toronto Argonauts | |
1922 | Toronto Argonauts | |
1923 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1924 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1925 | Ottawa Senators | |
1926 | Ottawa Senators | |
1927 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1928 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1929 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1930 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1931 | Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers | |
1932 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1933 | Toronto Argonauts | Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers |
1934 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1935 | Hamilton Tigers | |
1936 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Toronto Argonauts |
1937 | Toronto Argonauts | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1938 | Toronto Argonauts | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1939 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Toronto Argonauts |
1940 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Toronto Argonauts |
1941 | Ottawa Rough Riders[a] | Toronto Argonauts |
1942 | No season: World War II | |
1943 | ||
1944 | ||
1945 | Toronto Argonauts | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1946 | Toronto Argonauts | Montreal Alouettes |
1947 | Toronto Argonauts | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1948 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Montreal Alouettes |
1949 | Montreal Alouettes | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1950 | Toronto Argonauts | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1951 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1952 | Toronto Argonauts | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1953 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Toronto Argonauts |
1954 | Montreal Alouettes | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1955 | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
1956 | Montreal Alouettes | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1957 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Montreal Alouettes |
1958 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1959 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ottawa Rough Riders |
Champions of the Eastern Football Conference
Year | Champion | Runner-up |
---|---|---|
1960 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Montreal Alouettes |
1961 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Toronto Argonauts |
1962 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Montreal Alouettes |
1963 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1964 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1965 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1966 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1967 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1968 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Toronto Argonauts |
1969 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Toronto Argonauts |
1970 | Montreal Alouettes | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1971 | Toronto Argonauts | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1972 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1973 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Montreal Alouettes |
1974 | Montreal Alouettes | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1975 | Montreal Alouettes | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1976 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1977 | Montreal Alouettes | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1978 | Montreal Alouettes | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1979 | Montreal Alouettes | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1980 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Montreal Alouettes |
Champions of the East Division
Year | Champion | Runner-up |
---|---|---|
1981 | Ottawa Rough Riders | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1982 | Toronto Argonauts | Ottawa Rough Riders |
1983 | Toronto Argonauts | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1984 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Toronto Argonauts |
1985 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Montreal Concordes |
1986 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Toronto Argonauts |
1987 | Toronto Argonauts | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
1988 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Toronto Argonauts |
1989 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
1990 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Toronto Argonauts |
1991 | Toronto Argonauts | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
1992 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1993 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
1994 | Baltimore CFLers | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
1995 | Baltimore Stallions[b] | San Antonio Texans |
1996 | Toronto Argonauts | Montreal Alouettes |
1997 | Toronto Argonauts | Montreal Alouettes |
1998 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Montreal Alouettes |
1999 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Montreal Alouettes |
2000 | Montreal Alouettes | Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
2001 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
2002 | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
2003 | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
2004 | Toronto Argonauts | Montreal Alouettes |
2005 | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
2006 | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
2007 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Toronto Argonauts |
2008 | Montreal Alouettes | Edmonton Eskimos |
2009 | Montreal Alouettes | BC Lions |
2010 | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
2011 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
2012 | Toronto Argonauts | Montreal Alouettes |
2013 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Toronto Argonauts |
2014 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Montreal Alouettes |
2015 | Ottawa Redblacks | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
2016 | Ottawa Redblacks | Edmonton Eskimos |
2017 | Toronto Argonauts | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
2018 | Ottawa Redblacks | Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
2019 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Edmonton Eskimos |
2020 | No season: COVID-19 pandemic | |
2021 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | Toronto Argonauts |
2022 | Toronto Argonauts | Montreal Alouettes |
2023 | Montreal Alouettes | Toronto Argonauts |
Total playoff berths while in the CFL East
This reflects Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Baltimore Football Club, and Shreveport Pirates results only while in the East Division.
Team | Division Titles |
Playoff Berths |
East Division Championships |
Grey Cup/Dominion Championships |
---|---|---|---|---|
Toronto Argonauts | 23 | 55 | 24 | 17 |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 19 | 56 | 20 | 9 |
Montreal Alouettes | 15 | 49 | 19 | 8 |
Ottawa Rough Riders | 19 | 48 | 9 | 6 |
Hamilton Tigers[c] | 14 | 16 | 14 | 6 |
Winnipeg Blue Bombers[d] | 7 | 14 | 7 | 2 |
Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Ottawa Redblacks | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
Montreal Football Club | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Baltimore Football Club | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Montreal Indians | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Montreal Cubs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Montreal Royals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hamilton Wildcats[e] |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Shreveport Pirates | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Ottawa Renegades |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Notes
- ^ The Eastern Rugby Football Union was formed for one season in 1941 when the IRFU decided to suspend operations during World War II.
- ^ In 1995, Canadian teams competed in the North Division and American teams in the South Division. The Baltimore Stallions won the South Division.
- ^ Played in the IRFU from 1907 to 1947
- ^ Played in the East Division 1987–1994, 1997–2001, 2006–2013
- ^ Played in the IRFU from 1948 to 1949
References
- ^ "CFL History 1860s". Archived from the original on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
- ^ "CFL History 1870s". Archived from the original on 2014-12-13. Retrieved 2017-08-25.
- ^ "Sport Review". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario. December 7, 1904. p. 4.
- ^ a b "The Sport Review". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario. December 5, 1906. p. 2.
- ^ "Meet In Kingston". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario. December 11, 1905. p. 3.
- ^ Sullivan, Jack (January 13, 1961). "Dapper Little Hewitt Hasn't Got An Enemy". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. p. 24.