 | |
| Founded | 1928; 97 years ago (1928) |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1955; 70 years ago (1955) |
| Based in | Sarnia, Ontario, Canada |
| Home field | Athletic Park / Norm Perry Memorial Park ~1931-1960 |
| League | Ontario Rugby Football Union 1929-1960: American Football Conference 1961 |
| Division | ORFU Group 1 (1928) ORFU Western (1929-1931) |
| Colours | Red, blue, gold, and white[1] |
| Nickname | Imps |
| Championships | |
| League titles (0) | 1934 & 1936 |
TheSarnia Imperials were a professional-amateurCanadian football team competing in theOntario Rugby Football Union (ORFU), based inSarnia,Ontario. The team played their home games at Athletic Park (now known as Norm Perry Park). Preceding the formation of theCanadian Football League (CFL), teams in the ORFU contested for theGrey Cup until 1955. In their history, the Imperials appeared in three Grey Cup championship games, winning twice in 1934 and in 1936.
The Imperials first began playing in theORFU in 1928, enjoying immediate success, as they finished first in their division that year, only to lose the ORFU final to theToronto Balmy Beach Beachers. Their early success was attributed to being sponsored byImperial Oil (for which the team was named and logo stylized after) during theGreat Depression. Imperial Oil's involvement and offering of well-payingpetrochemical industry jobs to players meant the team could attract high-quality talent.[2] The team went on to enjoy great success for the next 12 years, missing the postseason only once and winning the ORFU final 10 of those 12 years. Sarnia played in their firstGrey Cup championship game in1933, which was also the only time the city hosted the Grey Cup game, but they lost a low-scoring affair, falling 4–3 to theToronto Argonauts in the lowest-scoring Grey Cup game to date.[3]
The team reversed their fortunes the next year, as they returned to the Dominion championship and came out victorious, defeating theRegina Roughriders 20–12 in the22nd Grey Cup game.[4] After losing to theHamilton Tigers in the Eastern final in1935, the Imperials returned to the Grey Cup game in1936. The team secured their second Grey Cup win after their victory over theOttawa Rough Riders in the24th Grey Cup game.[5] To date, they are the last amateur team to win the Grey Cup in peacetime.
While they did not return to the Grey Cup game, one of their more memorablevictories came in1937, when they crushed Montreal 63–0 in a Grey Cup quarterfinal. This came at a time when touchdowns were worth only five points. The Imperials ceased play in the ORFU after the1939 season due toWorld War II.[6]
After the Second World War, the Imperials were not as dominant as they had been before, but recovered by 1949, finishing with a winning record every year from that year until the end of their existence. In their last 10 years of existence, they won two ORFU titles, in 1951 and 1952; they finished second several times in that span.
By this time, however, the ORFU was reckoned as a minor league. In the years after World War II, competing against theIRFU and theWIFU, both of which were now fully professional, became increasingly difficult. After the 1954 season, the ORFU dropped out of contention for the Grey Cup, beginning the modern era of professional Canadian football.
Overall, the Imperials won their first ORFU title in 1929, then reeled off nine straight Ontario championships from 1931 to 1939. They also won the ORFU crown in 1951 and 1952, giving them a total of 12 championships, in addition to their two Grey Cups.
The team played its home matches at Sarnia's Athletic Park (opened in 1928 and also referenced as Davis Field during 1933 Grey Cup), renamed in 1957 asNorm Perry Park after the former star football player and Sarnia mayor.
The team ceased operations in 1955. ORFU football in Sarnia returned under the name of the Sarnia Golden Bears for the 1956 ORFU season. The Golden Bears won the 1958 and 1959 ORFU championships. The Golden Bears then joined theAmerican Football Conference in 1961 and ceased operations along with AFC in 1962.
Imperials who were elected to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, based solely on their play in Sarnia, included:
Stirling was also named Canadian Male Athlete of the Year in 1938.
| Season | Wins | Losses | Ties | PF | PA | Points | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 28 | 4 | 1st, ORFU Group 1 | Lost ORFU final |
| 1929 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 19 | 12 | 1st, ORFU Western | Lost East semifinal |
| 1930 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 76 | 25 | 8 | 2nd, ORFU Western | Missed playoffs |
| 1931 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 24 | 5 | 1st, ORFU Western | Lost East semifinal |
| 1932 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 125 | 37 | 10 | 1st, ORFU | Lost East semifinal |
| 1933 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 95 | 25 | 10 | 1st, ORFU | Lost21st Grey Cup |
| 1934 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 137 | 28 | 12 | 1st, ORFU | Won22nd Grey Cup |
| 1935 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 69 | 9 | 8 | 1st, ORFU | Lost Eastern final |
| 1936 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 102 | 27 | 6 | 1st, ORFU | Won24th Grey Cup |
| 1937 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 81 | 19 | 7 | 1st, ORFU | Lost Eastern final |
| 1938 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 95 | 27 | 8 | 1st, ORFU | Lost Eastern final |
| 1939 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 70 | 38 | 8 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost Eastern final |
| 1940-45 | Did not play due toWorld War II. | |||||||
| 1946 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 88 | 158 | 8 | 4th, ORFU | Lost ORFU semifinal |
| 1947 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66 | 166 | 0 | 6th, ORFU | Missed playoffs |
| 1948 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 72 | 130 | 8 | 3rd, ORFU | Missed playoffs |
| 1949 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 142 | 101 | 16 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU final |
| 1950 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 164 | 102 | 10 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU finals |
| 1951 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 268 | 60 | 18 | 1st, ORFU | Lost Eastern final |
| 1952 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 312 | 68 | 22 | 1st, ORFU | Lost Grey Cup semifinall |
| 1953 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 231 | 101 | 16 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU semifinal |
| 1954 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 218 | 193 | 15 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU final |
| 1955 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 140 | 182 | 13 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU final |
| 1956 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 218 | 247 | 12 | 3rd, ORFU | Lost semifinal to Kitchener-Waterloo |
| 1957 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 367 | 169 | 13 | 3rd, ORFU | Lost semifinal to Kitchener-Waterloo |
| 1958 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 339 | 187 | 22 | 1st, ORFU | Won ORFU final |
| 1959 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 259 | 179 | 14 | 1st, ORFU | Won ORFU final |
| 1960 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 232 | 335 | 6 | 3rd, ORFU | Team folded and joined AFC 1961 |
| Season | W | L | T | PF | PA | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 323 | 66 | 1st in Eastern Division | Won Championship vs Toledo Tornadoes |
In 2006, the team was resurrected under the same name to play in theNorthern Football Conference, Canada's top league for adult amateur play.[7]