Calgary Stampeders
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| Founded | 1945 |
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| Based in | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Home field | McMahon Stadium |
| Head coach | Dave Dickenson |
| General manager | John Hufnagel |
| Owner(s) | Calgary Sports and Entertainment (majority) and Doug Mitchell |
| League | Canadian Football League |
| Division | West Division |
| Colours | Red, white, and black |
| Nickname(s) | Stamps, Horsemen |
| Mascot(s) | Ralph the Dog |
| Grey Cup wins | 7 (1948, 1971, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2008, 2014) |
| Website | www.stampeders.com |
| Current uniform | |
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The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta, competing in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-oldest active franchise in the CFL. The Stampeders were officially founded in 1945, although there were clubs in Calgary as early as 1909.[1]
The Stampeders have won seven Grey Cups, most recently in 2014, from their appearances in 14 Grey Cup Championship games. They have won 19 Western Division Championships and one Northern Division Championship in the franchise's history. The team has a provincial rivalry with the Edmonton Eskimos, as well as fierce divisional rivalries with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the BC Lions.
Contents
Team facts[edit]
- Founded: 1945
- Helmet design: red background with a white, running horse. This design has been in place, with slight variations, since the 1967 season.
- Uniform colours: Red, white and black.
- Nicknames: Stamps, Horsemen
- Mascot: Ralph The Dog
- Fight Song: Ye Men of Calgary
- Stadiums: Mewata Park Stadium (1939–1959), McMahon Stadium (1960–present)
- Main Rivals: Edmonton Eskimos (see Battle of Alberta), Saskatchewan Roughriders, BC Lions
- Western Division 1st Place: 19—1937, 1938, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1965, 1967, 1971, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2014
- Northern Division 1st Place: 1—1995
- Western Division Champions: 14—1948, 1949, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2008, 2012, 2014.
- Northern Division Champions: 1—1995
- Grey Cup Championships: 7—1948, 1971, 1992, 1998, 2001, 2008, 2014
- 2015 Regular Season Record: 14 wins, 4 losses
Franchise history[edit]
The first time Calgary took the field in Canadian football was in 1891 when they faced Edmonton in a home and away series. The following years saw the formation of several Calgary-based football teams starting with the Calgary Tigers of the Alberta Rugby Football Union in 1908. This was followed by the likes of Canucks, the 50th Battalion, the Tigers for a second time, and the Altomahs.
Senior football returned to Calgary on September 29, 1945 with the formation of the Calgary Stampeders. In their very first game played on October 22 at Mewata Stadium they beat the Regina Roughriders 12–0 before 4,000 fans in attendance. It was a taste of success to come that decade under the direction of head coach Les Lear and talented stars such as Woody Strode, Paul Rowe, Keith Spaith, Dave Berry, Normie Kwong and Ezzert "Sugarfoot" Anderson.
The year 1948 was perhaps the greatest season in Stamps history, becoming the only professional Canadian football team ever to achieve a perfect season with a record of 12–0 and capping the year with a Grey Cup victory over the Ottawa Rough Riders at Toronto's Varsity Stadium. It was also during that same Grey Cup festival that Calgary fans brought pageantry to the game and made it into a national celebration, featuring pancake breakfasts on the steps of City Hall, starting the Grey Cup parade and even riding horses in the lobby of the Royal York Hotel.
They returned to the Grey Cup the following year (1949), with a 13–1 record but lost to the Montreal Alouettes 28–15 in the title game. It was 19 years until Calgary once again reached the Grey Cup, losing 24–21 to Ottawa in the 1968 final and not until 1971 when they were crowned champions, defeating the Toronto Argonauts 14–11.
The Stampeders nearly folded after the 1985 season due to years of declining attendance, financial woes and a poor 3–13 record. However, a successful Save Our Stamps campaign resulted in season ticket sales of 22,400, additional funds and stability that translated to improved on-field play which laid the groundwork for Grey Cup berths in 1991 and 1992 when they won the title over Winnipeg.
The decade of the 1990s was very successful for the Stampeders, led by quarterbacks Doug Flutie and later Jeff Garcia and Dave Dickenson throwing to receivers Allen Pitts, Terry Vaughn and Dave Sapunjis, and a rock steady defence led by Western All Stars Alondra Johnson, Stu Laird and Will Johnson. They reached the Grey Cup final three more times, losing in 1995 and 1999 and winning in 1998.
After winning their fifth Grey Cup championship in 2001, Calgary went into a brief period of decline until 2005 when they emerged as playoff contenders again, led by Henry Burris at quarterback and Joffrey Reynolds at running back. Nevertheless, they did not win a playoff game for several years, suffering three successive losses in the 2005, 2006, and 2007 Western semi-final games.
In 2008, the Stampeders ended their playoff drought en route to winning the team's sixth Grey Cup 22–14 against the Montreal Alouettes. Burris was named the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player with DeAngelis being the top Canadian for their efforts. John Hufnagel has been interviewed by several NFL and College football teams, but is still the teams's general manager to this day. Hufnagel was also the team's head coach until the end of the 2015 season, when he turned over the head coaching duties to former Stampeder and BC Lions star Dave Dickenson.
Between 2009 and 2014, the Stampeders have reached the Western Final every year except 2011, when the team lost the semi-final game to the Eskimos in Edmonton, 33–19. They were able to reach the Grey Cup game the following year only to come up short against the Argonauts, falling by a score of 35–22. Following another heartbreaking defeat in the Western Final in 2013, the Stampeders were once again able to reach the Grey Cup the following year. This time, they came out on top with the franchise's seventh championship, defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20–16.
Grey Cup championships[edit]
| Year | Winning team | Score | Losing team | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Calgary Stampeders | 12–7 | Ottawa Rough Riders | 36th Grey Cup | Varsity Stadium, Toronto |
| 1971 | Calgary Stampeders | 14–11 | Toronto Argonauts | 59th Grey Cup | Empire Stadium, Vancouver |
| 1992 | Calgary Stampeders | 24–10 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 80th Grey Cup | SkyDome, Toronto |
| 1998 | Calgary Stampeders | 26–24 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 86th Grey Cup | Winnipeg Stadium, Winnipeg |
| 2001 | Calgary Stampeders | 27–19 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 89th Grey Cup | Olympic Stadium, Montreal |
| 2008 | Calgary Stampeders | 22–14 | Montreal Alouettes | 96th Grey Cup | Olympic Stadium, Montreal |
| 2014 | Calgary Stampeders | 20–16 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 102nd Grey Cup | BC Place, Vancouver |
Builders of note[edit]
Builders honoured as of 2012
- 2001 Tony Anselmo
- 2001 Tom Brook
- 2001 Roy Jennings
- 2001 George McMahon
- 2001 Frank McMahon
- 2004 Rogers Lehew
- 2004 Stan Schwartz
- 2006 Dr. Vince Murphy
- 2010 Jim Finks
- 2012 Sig Gutsche
- 2012 Norman Kwong
Players of note[edit]
Retired numbers[edit]
| 5 | Harry Hood |
| 10 | Willie Burden |
| 13 | Mark McLoughlin |
| 18 | Allen Pitts |
| 22 | Tom Forzani |
| 55 | Wayne Harris |
| 67 | Jamie Crysdale |
| 75 | Stu Laird |
Canadian Football Hall of Famers[edit]
Head coaches[edit]
- Carl Cronin (1935–1938)
- Dick Haughian (1939)
- Larry Haynes (1940)
- Dean Griffing (1945–1947)
- Les Lear (1948–1952)
- Bob Snyder (1953)
- Larry Siemering (1954)
- Jack Hennemier (1955–1956)
- Otis Douglas (1956–1960) (Douglas resigned August 19, 1960 with the Stampeders 0–2–1)
- Jim Finks (1960) (GM Finks acted as co-ordinator of the coaching staff for the August 22 loss to the BC Lions.)
- Steve Owen (1960) (Owen was hired August 23, 1960 with the Stampeders 0–3–1)
- Bobby Dobbs (1961–1964)
- Jerry Williams (1965–1968)
- Jim Duncan (1969–1973)
- Jim Wood (1973–1975)
- Bob Baker (1975–1976)
- Joe Tiller (1976)
- Jack Gotta (1977–1979)
- Ardell Wiegandt (1980–1981)
- Jerry Williams (1981)
- Jack Gotta (1982–1983)
- Steve Buratto (1984–1985)
- Bud Riley (1985)
- Bob Vespaziani (1986–1987)
- Lary Kuharich (1987–1989)
- Wally Buono (1990–2002)
- Jim Barker (2003)
- Matt Dunigan (2004)
- Tom Higgins (2005–2007)
- John Hufnagel (2008–2015)
- Dave Dickenson (2016–Future)
General managers[edit]
- Bob Robinett (1953–1955)
- Bob Masterson (1956)
- Jim Finks (1957–1964)
- Pat Mahoney (1964)
- Rogers Lehew (1965–1973)
- Gary Hobson (1974–1976)
- Jack Gotta (1977–1983)
- Steve Buratto (1984)
- Earl Lunsford (1985–1987)
- Vern Siemens (1987) Interim
- Norm Kwong (1988–1991)
- Wally Buono (1992–2002)
- Fred Fateri (2003)
- Mark McLoughlin (2003)
- Matt Dunigan (2004)
- Jim Barker (2005–2007)
- John Hufnagel (2008–present)
The Presidents' Ring[edit]
The Presidents' Ring was established in 1967 by Calgary Stampeders Football Club team president George McMahon and general manager Rogers Lehew. Formerly presented to the team's most valuable player,[2] it is currently awarded to the player who best demonstrates leadership ability.[3] As of 2012[update], 29 players have won the award, including three-time winners Henry Burris, Danny Barrett and Stu Laird.[4]
- 1967 Wayne Harris
- 1968 Herm Harrison
- 1969 Jerry Keeling
- 1970 Wayne Harris
- 1971 Jerry Keeling
- 1972 Larry Robinson
- 1973 Rudy Linterman
- 1974 John Helton
- 1975 Willie Burden
- 1976 Tom Forzani
- 1977 Willie Burden
- 1978 James Sykes
- 1979 Ed McAlaney
- 1980 James Sykes
- 1981 Lloyd Fairbanks
- 1982 Ed McAleney
- 1983 Danny Bass
- 1984 Lyall Woznesensky
- 1985 Bernie Morrison
- 1986 Bob Poley
- 1987 Bernie Morrison
- 1988 Stu Laird
- 1989 Danny Barrett
- 1990 Danny Barrett
- 1991 Lloyd Fairbanks
- 1992 Stu Laird
- 1993 Andy McVey
- 1994 Allen Pitts
- 1995 Stu Laird
- 1996 Danny Barrett
- 1997 Rocco Romano
- 1998 Mark McLoughlin
- 1999 Allen Pitts
- 2000 Dave Dickenson
- 2001 Alondra Johnson
- 2002 Alondra Johnson
- 2003 Joe Fleming
- 2004 Jamie Crysdale
- 2005 Jay McNeil
- 2006 Jay McNeil
- 2007 Henry Burris
- 2008 Henry Burris
- 2009 Henry Burris
- 2010 Rob Lazeo
- 2011 Keon Raymond
- 2012 Keon Raymond
- 2013 Rob Cote
- 2014 Corey Mace
Wall of Fame[edit]
The Stampeders Wall of Fame recognizes the greatest players and most important off-field contributors in Stampeders history; it was Instituted in 1985.
- 1985 Paul Rowe 1945–50
- 1985 Wayne Harris 1961–72
- 1985 John Helton 1969–78
- 1986 Don Luzzi 1958–69
- 1986 Larry Robinson 1961–74
- 1988 Herm Harrison 1964–72
- 1988 Harvey Wylie 1956–64
- 1990 Jerry Keeling 1961–72
- 1990 Sugarfoot Anderson 1949–54
- 1992 Willie Burden 1974–81
- 1992 Harry Langford 1950–58
- 1994 Tom Forzani 1973–83
- 1994 Earl Lunsford 1956, 1959–63
- 1996 Tony Pajaczkowski 1955–65
- 1996 Lloyd Fairbanks 1975–82, 1989–91
- 1999 Lovell Coleman 1960–67
- 1999 George Hansen 1959–66
- 2002 Peter Liske 1966–68, 1973–74
- 2002 Keith Spaith 1948–54
- 2004 Allen Pitts 1990–2000
- 2006 Dave Sapunjis 1990–96
- 2006 J.T. Hay 1979–88
- 2008 Doug Flutie 1992–95
- 2008 Frank Andruski 1966–73
- 2008 Rocco Romano 1987, 1992–2000
- 2010 Alondra Johnson 1991–2003
- 2010 Will Johnson 1989–96
- 2010 Bernie Morrison 1978–88
- 2012 Kelvin Anderson 1996–2002
- 2012 Jeff Garcia 1994–98
- 2012 Rudy Linterman 1968–77
- 2014 Ron Allbright 1956–67
Current coaching staff[edit]
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Calgary Stampeders Staff
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Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
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Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
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Current roster[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Internet Archive Wayback Machine". Web.archive.org. 2011-04-29. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
- ^ Maki, Alan (1982-11-17). "Stamps zero in on Reeves". Calgary Herald. p. D2. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
- ^ Busby, Ian (2010-06-29). "Familiar faces among Stamps' captains". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
- ^ "Raymond wins second President's Ring". Calgary Stampeders Football Club. 2013-05-02. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
Jim Finks as 1960 interim coach: Toronto Globe and Mail, Saturday 20 August 1960, p. 21, "Calgary Coach Resigns".
External links[edit]
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