The University of Toronto's Grey Cup dynasty continued in 1911, when they defeated their cross-town rival Toronto Argonauts at the new Varsity Stadium.
Canadian football news in 1911 Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta Unions formed the Western Canada Rugby Football Union on October 21. The Regina Rugby Club changed its colours to blue and white. Winnipeg realtor Hugo Ross donated the championship trophy bearing his name; he subsequently drowned in the sinking of the S.S. Titanic in April 1912.
The WCRFU, with the support of the Albertan and Manitoban unions, adopted a playoff format in which the MRFU champion would host the SRFU champion, with ARFU hosting the winner of that game in the Western final. Although this was done ostensibly to minimize travel the SRFU champion Regina Rugby Club balked at the prospect of traveling for two playoff games and boycotted the Western playoffs altogether. This conflict was resolved the following year by changing the format so that it was the union without a home game in the Western playoffs that would receive the bye to the Western final.
The Calgary Tigers of the ARFU won the Western Championship, and challenged for the Grey Cup, but the CRU would not accept the challenge because the WCRFU was not a full member of the CRU.
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 Union2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, , p.294 Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Toronto Argonauts 6 5 1 0 56 31 10 Hamilton Tigers 6 3 3 0 83 57 6 Ottawa Rough Riders 6 3 3 0 61 83 6 Montreal Football Club 6 1 5 0 49 78 2+ Ontario Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Hamilton Alerts 5 5 0 0 151 25 10 Toronto Amateur Athletic Club 5 3 2 0 102 40 6 St. Michael's College 5 2 3 0 42 112 4 Dundas Rugby Club 5 0 5 0 19 96 0+ Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Varsity Blues 6 5 1 0 112 67 10 University of Ottawa 6 4 2 0 85 93 8 McGill Redmen 6 3 3 0 121 93 6 Queen's University 6 0 6 0 59 124 0*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs + Manitoba Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Winnipeg Rowing Club 4 3 1 0 61 24 6 St.John's Rugby Football Club 4 1 3 0 24 61 2 + Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Regina Rugby Club 4 3 1 0 51 27 6Moose Jaw Tigers 4 3 1 0 60 39 6 Saskatoon Rugby Club 4 0 4 0 15 60 0 + Alberta Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Calgary Tigers 6 5 0 1 109 13 11 Edmonton Eskimos 6 4 1 1 73 41 9 Edmonton YMCA 6 2 4 0 24 85 4 Calgary Rough Riders 6 0 6 0 18 85 0
League Champions Football Union League ChampionIRFUToronto ArgonautsWCRFUCalgary TigersCIRFUUniversity of TorontoORFUHamilton AlertsMRFUWinnipeg Rowing ClubSRFURegina Rugby ClubARFUCalgary Tigers
Playoffs Note: All dates in 1911
SRFU tie-breaker final Date Away HomeNovember 4 Moose Jaw Tigers 11 Regina Rugby Club 21
Regina is SRFU champions
Alberta Rugby Football Union final Date Away HomeNovember 4 Edmonton Eskimos 0 Calgary Tigers 14
Western final Date Away HomeNovember 18 Winnipeg Rowing Club 6 Calgary Tigers 13 CRU would not accept Calgary's Grey Cup challenge because the WCRFU was not a full member of the CRU
East semifinal Date Away HomeNovember 18 Toronto Argonauts 9 Hamilton Alerts 2 Toronto Argonauts advance to the Grey Cup.
Playoff bracket
Grey Cup Championship November 25 3rd Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium – Toronto, Ontario Toronto Argonauts 4 Toronto Varsity Blues 11 Toronto Varsity Blues are the 1911 Grey Cup Champions
References