 | |
| Founded | October 4, 1873; 152 years ago (1873-10-04) |
|---|---|
| Based in | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Home field | BMO Field |
| Mascot | Jason the Argonaut |
| League | Canadian Football League |
| Division | East |
| Colours | Cambridge Blue, Oxford Blue[1][2][3] |
| Nicknames | Argos, Boatmen, Double Blue, Scullers, Love Boat[4] |
| Personnel | |
| Head coach | Vacant |
| General manager | Pinball Clemons |
| Owner | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment |
| Championships | |
| Grey Cup wins | 19 (1914,1921,1933,1937,1938,1945,1946,1947,1950,1952,1983,1991,1996,1997,2004,2012,2017,2022,2024) |
| Website | argonauts.ca |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
 Current season | |
TheToronto Argonauts (officially theToronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as theArgos) are a professionalCanadian football team based inToronto, Ontario. The Argonauts compete in theEast Division of theCanadian Football League (CFL). Founded in 1873, the team is the oldest professional sports team in North America still using its original name, as well as the oldest-surviving team in both the modern-day CFL and East Division.[5] The team's origins date back to a modified version ofrugby football that emerged in North America in the latter half of the 19th century. The Argonauts played their home games atRogers Centre (originally known as SkyDome) from1989 until 2016, when the team moved toBMO Field, the fifth stadium site (on the footprint of their third homeExhibition Stadium) to host the team.
The Argonauts have won theGrey Cup a record 19 times and have appeared in the final 25 times. Most recently, they defeated theWinnipeg Blue Bombers 41–24 in the111th Grey Cup in 2024.[6] The Argonauts hold the best winning percentage in the championship game (.760)[7] and have the longest active winning streak in games in which they have appeared, at eight. The Argonauts have faced every current western CFL team at least once in the Grey Cup, while their most celebrated divisional rivalry has been with theHamilton Tiger-Cats.
The team was founded and owned by theArgonaut Rowing Club for its first 83 years, and has been owned by a series of business interests since 1956. The Argonauts were a fixture on the Toronto sports scene for decades, with attendance peaking in the 1970s. In May 2015, a consortium ofMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment'sLarry Tanenbaum (via theKilmer Group) andBell Canada reached an agreement to acquire the team. The sale included a scheduled move to the MLSE-run BMO Field for the 2016 season, which had long been proposed given poor attendance at Rogers Centre.[8] MLSE announced in December 2017 that it had agreed to purchase the team outright, with the deal finalized on January 19, 2018.[9] The previous owners continue to indirectly own stakes in the Argos, as Bell Canada and the Kilmer Group respectively hold 37.5% and 25% stakes in MLSE.[10]
Given the length of franchise history, dozens of players, coaches, and management have been honoured in some form over the years. The team recognizes a select group of players with retired numbers - early greatsJoe Krol andDick Shatto, stalwart offensive linemanDanny Nykoluk, andMichael "Pinball" Clemons, who has been the most recent face of the team.
Since the team's foundation in 1873, the Argonauts name has been in continuous use, a record in North American professional sports.[5] TheAtlanta Braves (1871) franchise ofMajor League Baseball is older, but has changed their name and city more than once. The Argonauts are the oldest professional football team in North America.[11]
The name "Argonauts" is derived fromGreek mythology: according to legend,Jason and theArgonauts were a group of heroes who set out to find theGolden Fleece aboard the shipArgo sometime before theTrojan War. Given its nautical theme, the name Argonaut was adopted by a group of amateur rowers in Toronto in 1872. TheArgonaut Rowing Club, which still exists today, went on to found the football club with the same name a year later. Given their roots in a rowing squad, the team is often referred to as "the Boatmen" and less often "the Scullers".[12]
In the 19th century, the most renowned rowing teams in the world were from theUniversity of Oxford and theUniversity of Cambridge in England. The Toronto rowers, many of whom had associations with the English schools, adopted uniforms incorporating the light blue of Cambridge and the dark blue of Oxford.[13] In turn, the footballers adopted the colours and the phrase "double blue" became synonymous with the team.[note 1] Blue has become thetraditional colour of top-level teams inToronto, such as theToronto Maple Leafs andToronto Blue Jays.[14]
The team's other official colour is white. Its current helmet design features a Cambridge blue background, with the team logo featuring a boat incorporating a football.[15]
"On Sunday afternoon a game of foot ball, Rugby rules, was played on the University ground, between the Argonauts, of Toronto, and the Hamilton club. After a most exciting contest, one goal was secured at five o'clock by the Toronto men, the ball being kicked through the Hamilton flags by Buchanan."
The first recorded game of what would become known as Canadian football was played in Toronto on November 9, 1861, featuringUniversity of Toronto students. At the time, the game was a modified version of Englishrugby, which gained popularity throughout the 1860s. Rugby itself was still an infant game having evolved out of association football (soccer) in the 1830s.[17] Seeking a way to keep fit after summer, the Argonaut Rowing Club (ARC) formed their own rugby-football squad on October 4, 1873. The Argonauts Football Club played their first game against Hamilton on October 18 of that year (a victory), beginning a storied rivalry.[note 2] H.T. Glazebrook was their first captain and head coach. Establishment of the football team was formalized by the ARC on September 17, 1874, with a subscription fee of one dollar charged per player.[20][21]
The football team played a handful of challenge matches—one team inviting another to play—as an amateur squad against university and city teams every year throughout the 1870s, with one dormant year in 1879, likely due to injuries.[21] In 1883 the Toronto Football Club, other city teams from Ontario and university squads from Toronto, Queens University and Royal Military College formed theOntario Rugby Football Union (ORFU); it was the first rugby football organization with a league and playoff structure in North America.[22] The Toronto Football Club were league victors in the first year.[23] Starting in 1884, a "Dominion Championship"—a precursor to the Grey Cup—was held, pitting the victors of the country's two organized leagues, the ORFU andQuebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU), against each other; it was organized nationally by theCanadian Rugby Union (CRU) from 1892 onwards. In thefirst true national championship, theMontreal Football Club defeated the Toronto Football Club on November 6, 1884, by a score of 30–0.[24][25] Argonauts lost theDominion Title in 1901 toOttawa College.[26] TheOttawa Football Club and theHamilton Football Club were frequent opponents in this era.[citation needed]
Over the thirty years from 1880 onwards, rule changes were incrementally introduced into the game, including the adoption of the line of scrimmage, scoring that began to resemble the modern version, and the down and yardage structure. Popular personalities of the era included player-coachJoe Wright Sr., one of the best all around Canadian athletes at the turn of the century.[27] One major outstanding issue within the CRU at the time was the role of professional versus amateur players; this dispute caused the Argonauts to withdraw from the league in 1903 and eventually led to the establishment of a new league, The Big Four or Interprovincial Rugby Football League.[23][26] Alongside the professionalism dispute, there was serious disagreement over the adoption of theBurnside rules, with Ontario, Quebec, and the intercollegiate league often not in alignment.[28] Among other critical innovations, the Burnside rules reduced the number of men per side to 12 and introduced the ten yards in three downs structure that is central to the modern game.[29]
The Argonauts merged with the Toronto Football Club in 1905, andW. A. Hewitt was manager of the Argonauts until 1907.[30] He was also vice-president of the ORFU for the 1905 and 1906 seasons,[31][32] and sought for ORFU to have uniform rules of play with the CRU, with a preference to use thesnap-back system of play.[33] When the CRU did not adopt the snap-back system, his motion was approved for the ORFU to adopt the CRU rules in 1906.[34]
In December 1906,The Gazette reported that a proposal originated from Ottawa for the ORFU and the QRFU to merge, which would allow for higher calibre of play and create rivalries.[32] Hewitt helped organize the meeting which established theInterprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU) in 1907.[30][35] Seeking looser rules regarding the employment of professional players, Toronto and other cities split from the ORFU and formed the IRFU, along with Hamilton, Ottawa, and Montreal.[23]
The IRFU continued under the larger auspices of the Canadian Rugby Union. Beginning in 1909, the CRU champion was awarded theGrey Cup, with the Big Four competing against university squads and eventually teams from Western Canada. The Argonauts first competed for theCup in 1911, losing 14 to 7 to the University of Toronto in front of a then record 13,687 spectators at the newly openedVarsity Stadium. The team claimed their first championship in 1914, exacting revenge on U of T with a 14 to 2 victory. Their star runner and kicker in their first championship year wasJack O'Connor, who scored a league record 44 points.[36]
After play was halted during World War I, the Argos again achieved success in the early 1920s on the back of one Canada's greatest ever sportsmen.Lionel Conacher, the "Big Train", led the team to two perfect 6–0 seasons in 1921 and 1922. In the first season he accounted for 85 of his team's 167 points, and 15 of the points in theGrey Cup game, a 23–0 drubbing of theEdmonton Eskimos. It was the first east-west Grey Cup championship in Canadian history.[37]
The 1921 Grey Cup victory was their last until 1933, at which point the Argonauts became the dominant team of an increasingly nationwide sport. They put together a number of Grey Cup dynasties in the 1930s and 1940s, winning eight of twenty Grey Cups between 1933 and 1952. TheWinnipeg Blue Bombers were most often on the receiving end of Argo Grey Cup victories in this era.[38] From 1933 to 1941Lew Hayman coached the team with a still unparalleled winning ratio of 45–15–2. Their first back-to-back Grey Cups came in 1937 and 1938. This was also the era of the famed Stukus brothers—Annis,Bill, andFrank—who proved a potent all-purpose trio in the Argonauts' championship years.[39]
Joe "King" Krol andRoyal Copeland, the so-called 'Gold Dust Twins', were the best-known players of the 1940s. In an era where players still played multiple positions, they were a threat in every capacity: running, passing, catching, kicking, and playing defence. Often connecting with each other for points, they led the Argos to a Grey Cup threepeat between 1945 and 1947.[40] In 1948, the team broke a cultural barrier with the signing ofKen Whitlock as not only their first import player in quite some time but also their first ever black player.[41] Whitlock played only 4 games as a halfback & punter before getting released from the team, but his signing also ushered a new era for player acquisitions. 1949 and 1950 marked a watershed in Argonauts history as the team began large scale importation of American players for the first time.[42][43] In 1950, the Argos signed their second ever black player after Whitlock,Ulysses "Crazy Legs" Curtis. Curtis played five strong years with the team as their featured running back.[44]
Frank Clair was brought in as coach in 1950 and left his mark on the revamped roster; he led the team to Grey Cup wins in 1950 and 1952.[45][46] The first of these was a 13–0 victory over Winnipeg in the notoriousMud Bowl. A November snowstorm followed by mild conditions turned Varsity Stadium into a bog and the play was a shambles; one Winnipeg player is reported to have almost drowned in the muck.[47]
At some time during this period, the phrase "Argo Bounce" came to refer to the Argonauts' propensity to receive a lucky bounce of the football. The phrase may date to the Grey Cups of the 1930s, all of which featured improbable bounces and fumbles favouring the Argos; the phrase was popularized in print by Annis Stukus in the 1940s. It is still in use today, with a number of fortunate on-field happenings attributed to the "bounce".[48]
The three decades after the1952 Grey Cup victory have been called the Argonauts' Dark Ages.[49] A year after winning the Grey Cup, the Argos crashed to dead last in the Big Four. It was the start of a 31-year stretch without a Grey Cup, and for the first 19 of those years, they only got as far as the second round of the playoffs. Part of the reason was asalary cap introduced in 1953 that cost them many talented players. For the first time in decades, they were a fixture at or near the bottom of the East.[49] The management style under new ownerJohn W. H. Bassett has also been blamed: young talent was traded or allowed to leave and the team could not form a nucleus of championship players; coaches came and went rapidly.[50] Two notable events occurred off-field at the end of the 1950s. In 1958 the Argonauts became a founding member of theCanadian Football League and a year later found a new home atExhibition Stadium.[note 3]
The Argonauts did have some standout players in the 1950s and 1960s. The stalwart of the era wasDick Shatto, anOhioan who played twelve seasons from 1954 to 1965. Listed as a running back, Shatto was a dual threat to run and receive and continues to hold the team regular season records for touchdowns (91) and total yards gained (6,958).[51] Living in Toronto year round, Shatto set down deep roots in the city and eventually became the Argonauts' general manager.[52] Another American,Tobin Rote, set numerous passing marks in three years at quarterback from 1960 to 1962. Known for his good living off the field, Rote still holds the Argos single game passing record with 524 yards against Montreal on August 19, 1960.[51][53] A pillar on the offensive line wasDanny Nykoluk at tackle, whose career spanned 17 seasons from 1954 to 1971, including one stretch of 12 years where he did not miss a single game.[54] Despite the presence of these veterans, the era was marked by losing seasons and high attrition on the roster. By the 1960s, the annual (and often desperate) mid-season addition of American imports had become known as the "Argo airlift"; American imports often did not last a game before being cut.[55][56]
Eventually, the team became competitive again under head coachLeo Cahill in the late 1960s. They scored a coup over theNational Football League (NFL) with the signing of a youngJoe Theismann (and other American stars) in 1971. The team also saw an attendance bounce, consistently selling out Exhibition Stadium.[57] The Boatmen's best chance to end their Grey Cup drought camethat year, when they faced theCalgary Stampeders in the59th Grey Cup, the first to be played on artificial turf. In a defensive struggle at Vancouver's soggyEmpire Stadium, a now infamous late fumble byLeon "X-Ray" McQuay and a possession-changing kick out of bounds byHarry Abofs sealed a 14–11 Stampeder victory.[58]
Aside from 1971, the 1970s were tumultuous for the team, with numerous hirings and firings of head coaches and consistent losing records. There were stellar players over this era, including defensive all-stars such asJim Stillwagon,Jim Corrigall, andGranville "Granny" Liggins, but the team could not return to winning form.[59] High-profile moves such as hiring Canadian football iconRuss Jackson as head coach in 1975 or signing running back superstarAnthony Davis the next year turned into busts.[60] Ironically, the Argos reached historic attendance highs in this losing decade—regular season average per game attendance reached 47,356 in 1976.[61] The enlargement and reconfiguration of Exhibition Stadium over 1975 and 1976 in anticipation and preparation of the Blue Jays expansion baseball team (who began play in 1977) allowed for these massive crowds.[62]
The Argos reached an all-time low in1981 when they finished 2–14; this despite having such talented players as quarterbackCondredge Holloway, running backCedric Minter, and receiverTerry Greer.[63] The team began the year 0–10 and there was talk of a "perfect" losing season. The team had been inept so long by this point (29 seasons without a Grey Cup win) that the notion of an "Argo Bounce" had become inverted; now "it was the unluckiest bounce in the world, the one that usually arose from the Argos' uncanny ability to lose critical games in the dying minutes by committing an improbable blunder."[64]
However, with the1982 season came the hiring ofBob O'Billovich as head coach andMouse Davis as offensive co-ordinator. Davis implemented therun and shoot offense,[65] and the Argos enjoyed a turnaround, going 9–6–1 that year; Condredge Holloway was theCFL's most outstanding player. The team ultimately fell short in their quest for a Grey Cup, losing 32–16 in a driving rainstorm to the mightyEdmonton Eskimos (in the last of their five consecutive Grey Cup titles) in the final in front of a disappointed crowd at Exhibition Stadium.[66] The1983 season finally brought the championship home. The Argos finished 12–4 and Terry Greer set a CFL record with 2,003 receiving yards.[67]Joe Barnes and Condredge Holloway were a potent duo at quarterback. The Double Blue returned to theGrey Cup, this time facing theBC Lions atBC Place Stadium inVancouver. Despite the hostile crowd, Toronto defeated BC 18–17 to win their first Grey Cup since 1952. The Argos were generally competitive for the remainder of the 1980s, thanks in large part to talented players such asGill "The Thrill" Fenerty andDarrell K. Smith,[68] but a return to the glory of 1983 proved elusive (outside of an appearance in the 1987 Grey Cup game, in which they lost in the last minute to the Edmonton Eskimos 38–36).[69]
The1989 season saw the Argonauts move intoSkyDome, amulti-purpose downtown stadium with a retractable roof. It marked the beginning of an eventful few years. In 1990, one of the most beloved figures in Toronto sporting history emerged on the team:Michael "Pinball" Clemons set a CFL record for all purpose yards with 3,300 in his first full year, a record he broke in 1997 with 3,840.[70]
In 1991 Hollywood prestige arrived in the form of a new ownership trio.Bruce McNall, owner of the NHL'sLos Angeles Kings, bought the team. One of his players, hockey greatWayne Gretzky, became a minority owner, as did Canadian-born comedianJohn Candy. The group stunned the league with the signing ofRaghib "Rocket" Ismail for an unheard of $18.2 million over four years.[71] Ismail immediately impressed, particularly on kickoff returns, and was named player of the game in the1991 Grey Cup, which the Argos won 36–21 over the Calgary Stampeders. Clemons and quarterbackMatt Dunigan (who played the final with a broken collarbone) were the other critical pieces to the championship.[38]
However, the Argos slumped to 6–12 only a year later, beginning a slide that only accelerated when Dunigan and Ismail left after the season. The1992 season was the first of four consecutive losing seasons; while they made the playoffs in 1994, they were promptly eliminated by theBaltimore Stallions in the division semi-finals.[21] Trouble also struck off the field. McNall put the team on the market in 1993 citing massive losses and the strain of being an absentee owner.Labatt Brewing Company, parent of league broadcast partnerThe Sports Network, bought the team in May 1994. The sale would have closed sooner if not for Candy's death in March.[72] McNall would have likely had to sell the team in any event; he confessed to conspiracy and fraud later that year.[73]
Attendance also began to slide in the mid-1990s, raising questions over the team's viability that persist to this day. The per game average was just above 16,000 in 1994 and 1995, much less than half the team's 1970s peak.[61]
Championship material did eventually reemerge in 1996. The team hiredDon Matthews, who was fresh off aGrey Cup victory with the Baltimore Stallions to be the team's new head coach and signedDoug Flutie, one of the greatest quarterbacks in CFL history, to a contract and surrounded him with key personnel. The team included linebackerMike O'Shea, veteran wide receiverPaul Masotti, and running backRobert Drummond.[74]Derrell "Mookie" Mitchell was added at receiver in 1997. The Boatmen took the Grey Cup in both1996 and1997. Flutie set team records for single season passing yards with more than 5,500 in each year and for touchdowns thrown with 47 in 1997 (one less than his CFL record of 48) before crossing the border to join theBuffalo Bills the next year.[51] Masotti retired in 1999 as the team's all time pass reception yardage leader.[74] Clemons ended his own successful career in 2000 before returning to coach in 2000 and 2001 to 2007.[75]
The years after their back-to-back championships saw a return to mediocrity for the Argos. Ticket sales remained flat, and there were changes in ownership. Gimmicks to attract fans were greeted with criticism.[76] The Argos seemingly bottomed out in July 2003 when the CFL stripped control over the team from ownerSherwood Schwarz. The team had amassed debts of over $20 million, including $17.4 owed to Schwarz himself.[77]
New ownership underDavid Cynamon andHoward Sokolowski brought immediate dividends with anotherGrey Cup win in 2004. VeteranDamon Allen led the team to a 27–19 victory over the B.C. Lions, withJon Avery a critical running threat. Allen continued with the team until 2007, and retired withprofessional football's all-time leading passing yardage (72,381).[70]
The Argonauts saw winning seasons from 2005 to 2007 before bottoming out the next two years. They finished 2009 with just three wins. Critical players over this half-decade included receiverArland Bruce III, defensive starByron Parker, and all-star punterNoel Prefontaine.[21] The team generated some controversy in 2006 when they lured running backRicky Williams from the NFL. Williams had repeatedly violated NFL drug policies and was under suspension for the year; he played just one season with the Argos.[78]
In 2010 the team again saw an ownership change, with construction magnateDavid Braley, who also owns the Lions, taking control.[79] After breaking even in 2010 and going 6–12 in 2011, the Argonauts again acquired a championship nucleus in 2012.Ricky Ray was brilliant at quarterback whileChad Owens emerged as arguably the league's best special teams player. Owens broke Michael Clemons CFL record for all purpose yards and won the CFL Most Outstanding Player award that year.[80] The2012 Grey Cup was played in Toronto and the team took their first championship victory in the city since 1952, a 35–22 win over Calgary.[38]
After years of being run on a shoestring budget by ownerDavid Braley and facing the prospect of being evicted out of its longtime home, Braley sold the club to a consortium, led byMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment chairmanLarry Tanenbaum andBCE Inc, a move that solidified the franchise's long-term future.[citation needed]
The Argos moved out ofRogers Centre and intoBMO Field for the2016 season. Despite the initial hype of playing at a fan-friendly outdoor facility, the club finished at the bottom of the standings with a 5–13 record. A front office purge followed, with the firing of general managerJim Barker on January 24, 2017. Head coachScott Milanovich, who was facing an uncertain future with the Argos in the wake of Barker's firing, quit four days later, accepting the quarterbacks coach position for theJacksonville Jaguars underDoug Marrone.[citation needed]
Looking to start afresh both on and off the field, the Argos hired formerMontreal Alouettes general managerJim Popp and head coachMarc Trestman on February 28, 2017. Popp and Trestman won consecutive Grey Cup championships in2009 and2010. Popp, the architect of the Alouettes' resurgence in the Montreal sports scene, acquired some of his former players, such asS. J. Green andBear Woods.[citation needed]
In August 2017, the team moved their practice facility to the formerDon Bosco Catholic Secondary School, with a short-term lease of the facility from theToronto Catholic District School Board.[81]
Despite missing most of the free agency period and having mere months to assemble both a roster and coaching staff, the Double Blue finished the year with a 9–9 record, good enough for first place in a weak East Division and a first-round bye. After a thrilling last-minute comeback win in the Eastern Final over Saskatchewan, 25–21, the Argos capped off the season in true Cinderella fashion, with another thrilling comeback, winning their 17th championship in the2017 Grey Cup. Their 27–24 win over Calgary marked their second Grey Cup victory against the Stampeders in five years.[38][82]
In 2018, the team's new owners Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment moved the team's practice facility to the nearby MLSE managedLamport Stadium with the football operations staff moving to BMO Field and the nearby MLSE managedCoca-Cola Coliseum.[83]
Since 2015, the team has averaged the lowest home attendance in the CFL every year, their lowest average (in a non-pandemic affected year) being 12,431 in 2015.[84] Despite that, the Argonauts won their 18th Grey Cup championship in team history in2022, hanging on to defeat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 24–23,[85][86] and in2024 they again defeated Winnipeg by a score of 41–24[87][88] to capture their second Grey Cup championship in three seasons and continuing their streak of winning their last eight Grey Cup appearances, dating back to1987.[89]
| Date | Grey Cup | W/L | Opponent | Score | Host City | Victory # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 17, 2024 | 111th | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 41–24 | Vancouver | 19 |
| November 20, 2022 | 109th | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 24–23 | Regina | 18 |
| November 26, 2017 | 105th | W | Calgary Stampeders | 27–24 | Ottawa | 17 |
| November 25, 2012 | 100th | W | Calgary Stampeders | 35–22 | Toronto | 16 |
| November 21, 2004 | 92nd | W | BC Lions | 27–19 | Ottawa | 15 |
| November 16, 1997 | 85th | W | Saskatchewan Roughriders | 47–23 | Edmonton | 14 |
| November 24, 1996 | 84th | W | Edmonton Eskimos | 43–37 | Hamilton | 13 |
| November 24, 1991 | 79th | W | Calgary Stampeders | 36–21 | Winnipeg | 12 |
| November 29, 1987 | 75th | L | Edmonton Eskimos | 38–36 | Vancouver | – |
| November 27, 1983 | 71st | W | BC Lions | 18–17 | Vancouver | 11 |
| November 28, 1982 | 70th | L | Edmonton Eskimos | 32–16 | Toronto | – |
| November 28, 1971 | 59th | L | Calgary Stampeders | 14–11 | Vancouver | – |
| November 29, 1952 | 40th | W | Edmonton Eskimos | 21–14 | Toronto | 10 |
| November 25, 1950 | 38th | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 13–0 | Toronto | 9 |
| November 29, 1947 | 35th | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 10–9 | Toronto | 8 |
| November 30, 1946 | 34th | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 28–6 | Toronto | 7 |
| December 1, 1945 | 33rd | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 35–0 | Toronto | 6 |
| December 10, 1938 | 26th | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 30–7 | Toronto | 5 |
| December 11, 1937 | 25th | W | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 4–3 | Toronto | 4 |
| December 9, 1933 | 21st | W | Sarnia Imperials | 4–3 | Sarnia | 3 |
| December 3, 1921 | 9th | W | Edmonton Eskimos | 23–0 | Toronto | 2 |
| December 4, 1920 | 8th | L | University of Toronto | 16–3 | Toronto | – |
| December 5, 1914 | 6th | W | University of Toronto | 14–2 | Toronto | 1 |
| November 30, 1912 | 4th | L | Hamilton Alerts | 11–4 | Hamilton | – |
| November 25, 1911 | 3rd | L | University of Toronto | 14–7 | Toronto | – |
The Toronto Argonauts currently lead the CFL in total wins and in winning percentage in the Grey Cup.[7] Early success in the final can partly be attributed to the weakness of western teams: between1921 and1952 the Argonauts won in nine straight appearances, including six straight against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The team's success is not merely a historical aberration, however: they have won nine of their 12 appearances since the formation of the CFL, including their last eight straight.[90]
For the entire Grey Cup era some form of playoffs has led up to the Grey Cup game; the 24 Argonauts teams who have won a spot in the final would, in modern terms, be called "Eastern Division Champions". However, the route to the Grey Cup, participating teams, and playoff format have changed repeatedly over time. During the years that they competed in theInterprovincial Rugby Football Union (1907–1957) the Argonauts won the James Dixon Trophy (awarded to the IRFU playoff champion) 14 times, going on to win the Grey Cup on 10 of these occasions. The Argonauts, in the CFL era (since 1958), hold a 7–3 record in the Grey Cup title, despite not winning their first Grey Cup as a CFL team until 1983.[citation needed]
As for the regular season, the CFL records 14 Argonauts teams at the top of the eastern divisional table since its formation in 1958.[91] Earlier data for the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union provides another 9 years from 1907 to 1957 in which the Argos were the best of the "Big Four", for a total of 23 divisional wins.[92][93] The only pre-1958 year in which the Argos won the IRFU but failed to make a Grey Cup appearance was 1922, when they lost in the Eastern Canada final toQueen's University.[94]
Going back to an even earlier era, the Argonauts won theOntario Rugby Football Union championship three times between 1883 and 1906, including the league's first two seasons, 1883 and 1884. Their last victory as ORFU members came in 1901. Given their losses in theDominion Championship in 1884 and 1901, the Argonauts did not earn the title "national champion" until their first Grey Cup win in 1914.[26]
| Toronto Argonauts stadiums[95] | |
| Stadium | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Rosedale Field | 1874–1897 1908–1915 |
| Varsity Stadium | 1898–1907 1916–1958 |
| CNE Stadium | 1959–1988 |
| Rogers Centre | 1989–2015 |
| BMO Field | 2016–present |
The Toronto Argonauts' first home wasRosedale Field atMount Pleasant Road and MacLennan Avenue near the city centre. The team suggests its capacity was 10,000 total with 4,000 seated,[95] though O'Leary and Parrish list smaller numbers, noting that a $32,000 renovation in 1883 allowed for a capacity of 2,000.[27] The field has historic significance as the site of thefirst Grey Cup game in 1909; the CFL lists the game's attendance as 3,807.[38] The field still exists as part of Rosedale Park, although there are no grandstands.[citation needed]
Sources again differ on when the team permanently moved toVarsity Stadium on the grounds of theUniversity of Toronto. The team gives dates of 1874–1897 and 1908–1915 at Rosedale, while other sources suggest the team had moved to Varsity by 1911.[note 4] Varsity became indelibly linked with the Argonauts and the early years of Canadian football; it was the home field of the great Argo dynasties of the 1930s and 1940s. For most of the Argos time at the stadium, its capacity was about 16,000, but this jumped above 20,000 with a renovation in 1950. Although it has not hosted a professional game since 1958, it still holds the record for hosting the most Grey Cups with 30.[96]
Another home beckoned in 1959 with the renovation of the newExhibition Stadium (also called CNE Stadium) to accommodate Canadian football. Often remembered ruefully by Torontonians for its exposure to weather, as well as poor sightlines after it was converted in the 1970s toadditionally accommodate baseball, the stadium was nevertheless the site of the Argos' greatest attendance in the late 1960s and 1970s. Particularly brutal conditions at the70th Grey Cup in 1982 paved the way for the construction of a domed stadium in Toronto.[97]
Rogers Centre (Skydome before 2004) had provided the Argonauts a marquee venue from 1989 to 2015, but also been criticized for its football sightlines and atmosphere. Even crowds of about 30,000 looked sparse in a stadium that seats up to 50,000 people. The domed environment did, at least, remove the elements and was an advantage to passers and comfortable for fans. Two critical opportunities to find a new home were missed in 2004 and 2005: plans for a revamped Varsity Stadium to accommodate CFL-sized crowds were thwarted by community opposition in 2004, and the Argonauts withdrew from an alternate plan atYork University the following year.[98][99]
It was announced in 2013 that Rogers Centre'sartificial turf would be replaced by natural grass within five years to better facilitateToronto Blue Jays baseball. Replacing the playing surface would require permanently locking Rogers Centre into its baseball configuration, making it impossible to host CFL games. (However, since this time the stadium has retained its artificial turf surface [albeit with a full dirt infield], and it is unclear whether it will be replaced.)[100][101][102] The stadium issue generated significant press and raised concerns over the team's long-term viability given that the Argonauts' losses have been estimated anywhere from $2 to $6 million annually.[103][104] While various stadium rumours swirled over the course of David Braley's tenure (including building a new facility), it became increasingly clear that a move to a renovatedBMO Field was the only viable option.[105][106]
The BMO Field move became finalized on May 20, 2015, concurrent with the announcement of the team's sale to a consortium of MLSE shareholdersLarry Tanenbaum andBell Canada. The team moved following the completion of stadium renovations for the 2016 season. The $120 million renovation plan had originally been announced in March 2014, and raised the stadium's seating capacity from 21,566 seats to 30,000 for soccer, with 25,000 seats in CFL configuration (due to space and safety issues, the endzones are only 18 yards deep [as opposed to the standard 20 yards], with part of both end zones covered in artificial turf,[107] the remainder of the field has natural grass), and is temporarily expandable with additional endzone seating to 40,000 for big events[108] such as aGrey Cup.[109] The agreement required MLSE to reach a "long-term use (i.e. 20 years)" lease with the Argos for usage of the stadium.[108][110][111] The inclusion of the CFL configuration had partly been at the insistence of theCity of Toronto government, which owns BMO Field, and had been planned in the original stadium agreement.[110][111][112]
Following the demolition and reconstruction of the 5,000 seat Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto, the Argos returned to the stadium, hosting preseason games from 2013 to 2015.[113][114][115] The team also acquired a much-needed training facility in July 2014 when it was announced that MLSE had partnered with the Argonauts to expandKIA Training Ground,Toronto FC's new state-of-the-art academy and training facility.[116]
Since 2018, afterMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment became the new owners of the Argonauts, the team has usedLamport Stadium as their practice field, while their weight rooms are atCoca-Cola Coliseum; both locations are within walking distance of BMO Field.[117] Since 2022, the Argonauts have usedAlumni Stadium inGuelph as their home stadium forpreseason games.[118]
| Ownership of the Toronto Argonauts [119][120][121] | |
| Owner | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Argonaut Rowing Club | October 4, 1873 – October 1, 1956 |
| John W. H. Bassett,Charlie Burns,Eric Cradock | October 1, 1956 – January 1, 1960 |
| John Bassett, Charlie Burns,Len Lumbers | January 1, 1960 – August 31, 1971 |
| Baton Broadcasting (John Bassett) | August 31, 1971 – February 27, 1974 |
| William R. Hodgson | February 27, 1974 – June 25, 1976 |
| William R. Hodgson,Carling O'Keefe | June 25, 1976 – January 12, 1979 |
| Carling O'Keefe | January 12, 1979 – December 12, 1988 |
| Harry Ornest, Carling O'Keefe | December 12, 1988 – February 25, 1991 |
| Bruce McNall,John Candy,Wayne Gretzky | February 25, 1991 – May 5, 1994 |
| TSN Enterprises (Labatt) | May 5, 1994 – July 26, 1995 |
| Labatt Brewing Company (Interbrew) | July 26, 1995 – December 20, 1999 |
| Sherwood Schwarz | December 20, 1999 – July 29, 2003 |
| Canadian Football League | July 29, 2003 – November 5, 2003 |
| Howard Sokolowski andDavid Cynamon | November 5, 2003 – February 9, 2010 |
| David Braley | February 9, 2010 – December 31, 2015 |
| Kilmer Sports andBell Canada[8][122] | December 31, 2015 – January 18, 2018 |
| Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment | January 19, 2018 – present[123] |
For more than eight decades, the Toronto Argonauts Football Club was the sole property of its namesakerowing club. By the 1950s, the team's complex management structure made the arrangement increasingly awkward. Facing overdraft and with wealthy suitors knocking, the Argonaut rowers finally sold the team to a consortium led byJohn W. H. Bassett,Eric Cradock, andCharlie Burns in 1957. Each held about 20% share in the company, with the balance made up by small investors who had some affinity with the club; the initial agreement called for a long-termdebenture of $400,000 to be set up that would sustain the rowing club in the absence of its football income.[124] Bassett was the operating head of the franchise and is often given sole credit for the initial purchase of the Argos, but Cradock was also instrumental in spearheading the drive. He sold his share toLen Lumbers just two years into his tenure in part because of Bassett's controlling nature.[125] Bassett arranged a complete buyout of the other shareholders for $2.31 million in 1971 through his holdings inBaton Broadcasting.[126][127]
The Bassett years of the late 1950s to early 1970s were marked by mediocrity on the field but consistent success at the turnstiles. An issue that has become a perennial concern in the city also emerged at this time: the possibility of aNational Football Leagueteam in Toronto. Various machinations were entertained by Bassett including moving the Argos to the NFL, bringing an American expansion team to the city (e.g. theToronto Northmen of theWFL), orexpanding the CFL itself in the opposite direction. Other team owners steadfastly opposed Bassett's moves and almost rescinded his franchise in 1974; angered, he sold the team for $3.3 million to hotel magnateWilliam R. Hodgson in the same year.[128][129]
Hodgson sold toCarling O'Keefe in 1979, who had been minority owners since 1976. The brewing company's total investment in the team was $5.8 million.[130] At the time it was rapidly ramping up its sports sponsorship (it also owned theQuebec Nordiques before they moved from theWorld Hockey Association to the NHL) and would become a huge benefactor to the CFL itself, inking television rights deals that reached $11 million annually by 1984. Reports at the time suggest the league became spoiled by the partnership and that when the money dried up in 1987, the transition was difficult.[131] For the Argos, the Carling O'Keefe years were marked by their first modern-era Grey Cup in 1983.[132]
The years following the Carling O'Keefe era were marked by increasingly short ownership stints. Canadian businessmanHarry Ornest bought the team off Carling O'Keefe for $5 million at the end of 1988[133] and then sold to the trio ofBruce McNall (60%),John Candy (20%), andWayne Gretzky (20%) for the same amount in 1991.[71][134] Of the three, Candy is best remembered for his emotional investment in the team and a team player award continues in his honour.[135][136] The era was tumultuous despite a Grey Cup win in 1991, and the last in which the club regularly made front-page headlines. After a little over three years of ownership, McNall concluded he could no longer justify massive losses from an asset 3,000 miles away from his base in Los Angeles. He sold the now money-losing team to theLabatt Brewing Company through itsTSN unit in May 1994 for $4.5 million; the closing was delayed by Candy's unexpected death that March.[72] At the time, Labatt also owned theToronto Blue Jays. In 1995, Labatt was acquired byInterbrew;[137] The Interbrew years saw two championships but also the worst Argo attendance of the modern era.[61] Interbrew soon lost interest in sports ownership and the team was sold again at the end of 1999 to New York businessmanSherwood Schwarz.[138]
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After the debacles of the Schwarz era and brief control of the team by the CFL (see above) the Argos were rescued byDavid Cynamon andHoward Sokolowski in 2004. There was optimism surrounding the duo's arrival and attendance figures improved in their six years heading the organization. It was also appreciated that the two were Torontonians after a quarter-century of foreign and/or corporate ownership.[139] But by 2010 losses were great enough that the team was again put on the block and eventually sold toDavid Braley. There was some controversy surrounding Braley's takeover. He was simultaneously owner of the BC Lions, raising questions of competitive integrity. It was also revealed that Braley had bankrolled half of Cynamon and Sokolowski's initial $2 million buy-in of the Argos in 2004, and covered half their subsequent losses, in exchange for half of the 2007 Grey Cup profits.[140][141]
By 2014Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and its chairman and minority ownerLarry Tanenbaum had emerged as serious suitors for the team.[142][143][144] On May 20, 2015, it was announced that an agreement had been reached for Argonauts to be sold to Tanenbaum'sKilmer Sports andBell Canada, who both own a stake in MLSE withRogers Communications. Financial details were not disclosed. Despite its shared stake in MLSE, Rogers was not interested in having an ownership share in the Argonauts because it does not have any media relationships with the CFL (unlike Bell, whose TSN division holds thebroadcast rights to the league).[145][146] Argonauts Holdings Limited Partnership, aholding company which Bell and Kilmer each own 50% of, formally acquired the franchise on December 31, 2015.[122]
On December 13, 2017, MLSE announced that it would acquire the Argos.[123] This sale transferred ownership from Tanenbaum's Kilmer Sports and Bell Media to MLSE, which itself is owned by Tanenbaum, Bell Media and Rogers Communications. The sale was finalized on January 19, 2018[9] and with the sale, MLSE owns four of the five major professional sports franchises in the city of Toronto (only the Blue Jays are not owned by MLSE, although its owner, Rogers Communications, has 75% ownership stake of MLSE).[147]
| Toronto Argonauts senior executives[119] | ||||
| General manager | Tenure | President | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lew Hayman | 1957–1970 | Lew Hayman | 1966–1981 | |
| John Barrow | 1971–1975 | Ralph Sazio | 1982–1989 | |
| Dick Shatto | 1976–1978 | Mike McCarthy | 1990–1993 | |
| Tommy Hudspeth | 1979–1981 | Ron Barbaro | 1993 | |
| Jim Eddy | 1982–1983 | Paul Beeston | 1994 | |
| Ralph Sazio | 1984–1985 | Bob Nicholson | 1995–1999 | |
| Leo Cahill | 1986–1988 | Sherwood Schwarz | 2000–2001 | |
| Ralph Sazio | 1989 | Pinball Clemons | 2002 | |
| Mike McCarthy | 1990–1993 | Dan Ferrone | 2003 | |
| Bob O'Billovich | 1994–1995 | Keith Pelley | 2004–2007 | |
| Don Matthews | 1996 | Pinball Clemons (CEO) Brad Watters (COO) | 2008 | |
| Eric Tillman | 1997 | Bob Nicholson | 2009–2011 | |
| Don Matthews | 1998 | Chris Rudge | 2012–2015 | |
| Eric Tillman | 1999 | Michael Copeland | 2016–2017 | |
| J. I. Albrecht | 2000 | Bill Manning | 2018–2024 | |
| Paul Masotti | 2001 | |||
| Gary Etcheverry | 2002 | |||
| Pinball Clemons | 2003 | |||
| Adam Rita | 2004–2010 | |||
| Jim Barker | 2011–2017 | |||
| Jim Popp | 2017–2019 | |||
| Pinball Clemons | 2019–present | |||
Below the ownership level, the two most senior positions within the Toronto Argonauts organization are its president and general manager.[119] The GM role was titled as "managing director" from 1957 to 1966, when head coachBob Shaw was also named "manager" of the team, "with full operating control", and managing directorLew Hayman was named club president.[148] The role of club president had formerly been an honorary position; Hayman was the first president with a salary and executive role. The president role is now included in the title of CEO.[citation needed]
The longest serving executive in the organization is Lew Hayman, who had a five-decade career beginning in the 1930s as coach and administrator. A Jewish-American, Hayman served with both the Argos andMontreal Alouettes and has been called "the architect of Canadian football".[149] He was the team's first president and managing director at the insistence of Eric Cradock in 1957,[150] and would continue in the former role until 1981.Ralph Sazio took over from Hayman and is another hall of fame builder.[151]
After relative stability at the senior executive level for three decades, there has been significant turnover in the positions since the 1990s. The team had eight general managers in eight years, for example, between 1996 and 2003. The current GM isMike "Pinball" Clemons who was appointed to the position in October 2019.[152] Chris Rudge, former head of theCanadian Olympic Committee, took over as president and CEO from the beginning of 2012 to the end of 2015,[153] whenMichael Copeland took over.[154] The most recent president wasBill Manning who was also president ofToronto FC.[citation needed]
Fifty-nine men have been Toronto Argonauts head coach. The most recent coach,Ryan Dinwiddie, was appointed following the end of the 2019 season, and led the team to Grey Cup victories in 2022 and 2024.[155][156][157]
The longest total tenure at head coach belongs toBob O'Billovich, who led the team for 11 years over three stints in the 1980s and early 1990s. Other notable coaching careers include those ofJoe Wright, Sr. at the end of the nineteenth century,Ted Morris andFrank Clair in the post-war years,Leo Cahill in the late 1960s and early 1970s, andPinball Clemons after the turn of the millennium.[citation needed]
Since 1961, the Canadian Football League has awarded theAnnis Stukus Trophy annually to the league's outstanding coach. (Alongside his playing career, Stukus achieved fame as a coach, promoter, and newspaper columnist.)[158] Argonauts coaches have been honoured nine times: Cahill (1971), O'Billovich (1981 & 1987),Adam Rita (1991), Don Matthews (1997), Jim Barker (2010), Milanovich (2012),[159] Trestman (2017),[160] and Dinwiddie (2023).[161]
Front office and support staff
| Head Coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
| |||||
Argonauts games are currently carried onTSN's national and regional television channel as part ofCFL on TSN broadcasts. Radio coverage is carried onCHUM (AM) or onCFRB 1010 when there is a scheduling conflict and another sport is being carried on TSN Radio.[citation needed]
Notable Argonauts' broadcasters includeJohn Badham, who had three tenures on three separate radio stations and was inducted into the media wing of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1995, and longtime colour analyst Peter Martin, an Argo linebacker from 1965 to 1972, also inducted into the Hall of Fame's media wing in 2000.[162][163]
With few teams, but a long history, it is inevitable that intense rivalries have developed in Canadian football. Far and away the greatest Argonaut rivalry has been with theHamilton Tiger-Cats and its precursor teams. Fittingly, the Argonauts' first game was against a club from Hamilton,[20] while the raucous Eastern Final of 2013—featuring a Tiger-Cat win over the Argos in front of 35,000 at the Rogers Centre—proved the rivalry is alive and well.[186] The two teams meet in Hamilton every year in theLabour Day Classic, a league-wide tradition in which these two teams have participated since 1950.[187]
To the east, the Argonauts have also faced teams from Montreal and Ottawa since their earliest days. In recent years, theMontreal Alouettes have consistently fielded strong teams which have often run up against the Argos in the playoffs; the teams have met 11 times in the Eastern Final, with Montreal taking six.[188][needs update]
In 2014, the Argonauts reignited their historic rivalry with an Ottawa club, the expansionOttawa Redblacks (earlier rivalries involved theOttawa Renegades andOttawa Rough Riders). In games against the current Ottawa franchise, as of the end of 2024 the Argos hold a 19–6 advantage; 20–6 if the 2024 East Semi-Final result is included.[189]
In Grey Cups, the Argonauts have faced an assortment of teams in recent decades rather than any one team regularly. The Edmonton Eskimos, for years a dominant team in the league, have been an occasional rival. The two teams' five Grey Cup matchups include an epic 38–36 Toronto loss in1987 and most recently, theSnow Bowl victory in 1996 led by the arm ofDoug Flutie.[38] In pre-CFL days, the Argos had a Grey Cup rivalry with theWinnipeg Blue Bombers.[190]
| Toronto Argonauts retired numbers[191] | ||||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Dick Shatto1 | RB | 1954–1965 | – |
| 31 | Michael "Pinball" Clemons2 | RB/SB/KR/PR | 1989–2000 | 1991, 1996, 1997 |
| 55 | Joe Krol | QB/RB/P/K/DB | 1945–1952, 1955 | 1945, 1946, 1947, 1950, 1952 |
| 60 | Danny Nykoluk | OT | 1955, 1957–1971 | – |
| 1 General manager from 1976 to 1978. 2 Head coach from 2000 to 2007, president from 2001 to 2002, vice-chairman from 2009 to 2019, and general manager 2019–present. | ||||
The highest distinction the Toronto Argonauts can accord a player is to retire their number; just four players have received the honour. Starting in 1996, the team began another category of distinction with its list of "All-Time Argos". Twenty-four players have been rewarded so far and a banner in their honour hangs at BMO Field.[192]
Players and management personnel may be separately inducted into theCanadian Football Hall of Fame.[193] A total of 56 people who have been part of the team are in the Hall. The All-Time Argos list does not extend back to before the Second War era while the Hall of Fame does. Thus, for instance, Lionel Conacher is in the Hall but not listed as an All-Time Argo.[citation needed]
Finally, players may be honoured on an annual basis through the CFL awards. The most prestigious of these is theMost Outstanding Player Award, awarded since 1953. Seven Argonauts have been recipients:Chad Kelly (2023),Chad Owens (2012),Damon Allen (2005),Doug Flutie (1996 & 1997),Michael "Pinball" Clemons (1990),Condredge Holloway (1982), andBill Symons (1968).[citation needed]
Jason is the mascot for the Toronto Argonauts, replacing the previous mascot, Argo Bounce, in 2005, who in turn replaced the team's first mascot, Scully, in 2003.[195]
Footnotes
Citations
;Sullivan, Jack (December 8, 1953)."Sportsmen Honour W. A. (Billy) Hewitt at Dinner Tonight".The Kingston Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario.The Canadian Press. p. 11.MLSE currently owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto FC, Toronto Argonauts football team and related minor league and e-league properties.
