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

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

Final regular season standings

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

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

Note: All dates in 1909

Alberta Rugby Football League Playoffs

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

November 20 IRFU Playoff: Rosedale Field – Toronto, Ontario Ottawa Rough Riders 14 Hamilton Tigers 8

• Ottawa advances to the East Semi-Final.^[7]

ORFU Playoff

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

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

November 27 Dominion Semi-Final: Rosedale Field – Toronto, Ontario Ottawa Rough Riders 7 Toronto Varsity 31

• Toronto Varsity advances to the Grey Cup.^[9]

Playoff Bracket

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

December 4 1st Annual Grey Cup Game: Rosedale Field – Toronto, Ontario Toronto Varsity 26 Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club 6 Toronto Varsity are the 1909 Grey Cup Champions[2]