1909 in Canadian football

The 1909 Canadian football season was the 18th season of organized play since the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU) was founded in 1892 and the 26th season since the creation of the founding leagues, the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) and the Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) in 1883.[1] The season concluded with Toronto Varsity defeating Toronto Parkdale in the 1909 Dominion Championship game.[2][3] This year was notable for being the first year that the champions were awarded the Grey Cup trophy, although it was not delivered to the University of Toronto until March 1910.[4]

Canadian football news in 1909

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Lord Earl Grey, the Governor General of Canada, donated a trophy to be awarded for the Dominion Football Championship of Canada. Only teams registered with the Canadian Rugby Union were eligible to compete for the trophy. The championship game was played in Toronto at Rosedale Field on December 4 between the University of Toronto and the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club with the University of Toronto winning 26–6 before 3,807 fans. Hugh Gall kicked a record eight singles in the game for the U of T. The gross revenue was $2,616.40.

On December 11, following an invitation from the New York Herald newspaper, the Hamilton Tigers and Ottawa Rough Riders played an exhibition game of Canadian football in New York City at Van Cortland Park. The Tigers won 11–6 before 15,000 fans.

Saskatchewan Rugby Football League did not play in 1909.

Regular season

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Final regular season standings

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Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union[5]
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Hamilton Tigers 6 5 1 0 111 22 10
Ottawa Rough Riders 6 5 1 0 76 71 10
Toronto Argonauts 6 1 5 0 54 93 2
Montreal Football Club 6 1 5 0 36 91 2
Ontario Rugby Football Union[6]
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Toronto Amateur Athletic Club 4 3 1 0 51 30 6
Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 4 3 1 0 92 20 6
Peterboro 4 0 4 0 19 112 0
Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union[6]
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Toronto 6 6 0 0 166 27 12
Queen's 6 3 3 0 84 63 6
McGill 6 2 4 0 75 56 4
Ottawa 6 1 5 0 31 179 2

*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs

Manitoba Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
St.John's Rugby Football Club 4 3 1 0 38 35 6
Winnipeg Rowing Club 4 1 3 0 35 38 2
Calgary Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Calgary Tigers 3 3 0 0 55 5 6
Calgary YMCA 3 1 2 0 18 49 2
Hillhurst Hornets 2 0 2 0 5 24 0

League Champions

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Football Union League Champion
IRFU Ottawa Rough Riders
CIRFU University of Toronto
ORFU Toronto Parkdale
MRFU St.John's Rugby Football Club
ARFL Calgary Tigers

Grey Cup Playoffs

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Note: All dates in 1909

Alberta Rugby Football League Playoffs

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Date Away Home
ARFL Finals Games 1 & 2
October 25 Calgary Tigers 25 Edmonton Esquimaux 1
October 30 Edmonton Esquimaux 6 Calgary Tigers 23
  • Calgary wins the total-point series 48-7.

IRFU Playoff

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November 20

IRFU Playoff: Rosedale FieldToronto, Ontario

Ottawa Rough Riders 14 Hamilton Tigers 8
  • Ottawa advances to the East Semi-Final.[7]

ORFU Playoff

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November 20

ORFU Playoff: Varsity Grounds – Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Parkdale 8 Toronto Amateur Athletic Club 3
  • Toronto Parkdale advances to the Grey Cup.[8]

Dominion Semi-Final

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Panoramic photograph of the Grey Cup playoffs between the Ottawa Rough Riders and Toronto Varsity, 27 November 1909
November 27

Dominion Semi-Final: Rosedale FieldToronto, Ontario

Ottawa Rough Riders 7 Toronto Varsity 31
  • Toronto Varsity advances to the Grey Cup.[9]

Playoff Bracket

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IRFU Playoff Semi-Finals Dominion Final
         
CIRFU University of Toronto 37
IRFU Ottawa Rough Riders 7
IRFU Ottawa Rough Riders 14
IRFU Hamilton Tigers 8
CIRFU University of Toronto 26
ORFU Toronto Parkdale 6
ORFU Toronto Parkdale 9
ORFU Toronto Amateur Athletic Club 3

Grey Cup Championship

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December 4

1st Annual Grey Cup Game: Rosedale FieldToronto, Ontario

Toronto Varsity 26 Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 6
Toronto Varsity are the 1909 Grey Cup Champions[2]

References

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  1. ^ Sproule, Robert. "The Ontario Rugby Football Union" (PDF). Pro Football Researchers. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Toronto off form". The Montreal Gazette. December 3, 1909. p. 5 of 20. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  3. ^ "CFL Guide and Record Book, 2017 Edition" (PDF). Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "History of the Grey Cup". Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  5. ^ 2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 978-0-9739425-4-5, p.294
  6. ^ a b "1909". cflapedia.com. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "Beat Tigers 14 to 8 Ottawa Won Title". The Montreal Gazette. November 22, 1909. p. 4 of 47. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  8. ^ "Parkdale in the O.R.F.U. Defeated Toronto A. C. in Play-Off Game, 8 to 3". The Montreal Gazette. November 22, 1909. p. 2 of 47. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  9. ^ "Toronto 'Varsity Won Rugby Honors". The Montreal Gazette. November 29, 1909. p. 4 of 16. Retrieved July 5, 2020.


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