1907 in Canadian football

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The 1907 Canadian football season was the 16th season of organized play since the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU) was founded in 1892 and the 25th season since the creation of the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) and the Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) in 1883.[1] This year also marked the first for the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, which is a predecessor of the modern day's CFL East Division. The season concluded with the Montreal Football Club defeating Peterboro in the 1907 Dominion Championship game.[2][3]

Canadian Football News in 1907[edit]

In December 1906, The Gazette reported that a proposal originated from Ottawa for the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) and the Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) to merge, which would allow for higher calibre of play and create rivalries.[4] W. A. Hewitt and the Toronto Argonauts favoured the higher-level league, and sought for all players to have unquestioned amateur status.[5] He helped organize the meeting which established the Inter-provincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU) in 1907.[6][7]

The Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (also referred to as the Big Four) grew out of an amalgamation between the Hamilton Tigers and the Toronto Argonauts of the ORFU and the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Montreal Foot Ball Club of the QRFU on September 13. As a result of Ottawa and Montreal leaving, the QRFU withdrew from senior competition. The Ottawa entry was the result of the amalgamation of the Ottawa St. Pats and Rough Riders.[citation needed]

Montreal won the Big Four's first game, 17–8 over Toronto and later became the league's first championship team.[citation needed]

The CRU adopted the intercollegiate rule of one yard between opposing lines and stated that the lines could not move until the ball was put into play by the Scrimmage. Teams had to gain 10 yards in three downs; a Try was five points; a Goal from a Try was one point; a Goal from the Field was four points; a Free Kick was three points and a Penalty Kick was worth two points. The ORFU adopted the CRU rules.[citation needed]

Calgary City Rugby Football Club played its first game on October 31 and defeated the Strathcona Rugby Football Club 15–0 at Calgary. The Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club was formed on April 10 and adopted the uniform colors of black with yellow facings. Edmonton played its first game on November 9 and defeated the Calgary City Rugby Football Club 23–5 at the Edmonton Exhibition Grounds.[citation needed]

The Saskatchewan Rugby Football League was formed.[citation needed]

Regular season[edit]

Final regular season standings[edit]

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union[8]
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Montreal Football Club 6 5 1 0 85 33 10
Hamilton Tigers 6 4 2 0 71 50 8
Ottawa Rough Riders 6 2 4 0 78 102 4
Toronto Argonauts 6 1 5 0 63 112 2
Ontario Rugby Football Union[9]
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
ORFU West
Toronto Victorias 2 1 1 0 32 60 2
Peterboro 2 1 1 0 60 32 2
ORFU East
Montreal Westmounts 2 2 0 0 37 6 4
Kingston Granites 2 0 2 0 6 37 0
Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union[9]
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Ottawa 6 4 1 1 71 74 9
Toronto 6 3 3 0 70 58 6
Queen's 6 2 3 1 53 76 5
McGill 6 2 4 0 75 61 4

*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 55 21 6
St.John's Rugby Football Club 4 1 3 0 21 55 2
Saskatchewan Rugby Football League
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Moose Jaw Tigers 4 2 1 1 38 21 5
Regina Civil Service 4 2 2 0 23 32 4
Regina City Football Club 4 1 2 1 28 36 3

League champions[edit]

Football Union League Champion
IRFU Montreal Football Club
CIRFU Ottawa College
ORFU Peterboro
MRFU Winnipeg Rowing Club
SRFL Moose Jaw Tigers
ARFL Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club

Playoffs[edit]

Alberta Rugby Football League Playoffs[edit]

ARFL Playoffs Game
Date Away Home
October 31 Strathcona 0 Calgary Rugby Foot-ball Club 15
  • Calgary advances to final
ARFL Finals Games 1 & 2
Date Away Home
November 9 Calgary Rugby Foot-ball Club 5 Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club 26
November 16 Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club 10 Calgary Rugby Foot-ball Club 5
  • Edmonton wins the total-point series 36-10.

ORFU West Final[edit]

Away Home
Peterboro 15 Toronto Victorias 6
  • Peterboro advances to the ORFU Final.

ORFU Final[edit]

Away Home
Peterboro 25 Montreal Westmounts 4

Dominion Championship[edit]

November 30

1907 Dominion Championship Game: McGill University - Montreal, Quebec

Montreal 71 Peterboro 10
Montreal Football Club are the 1907 Dominion Champions[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Sproule, Robert. "The Ontario Rugby Football Union" (PDF). Pro Football Researchers. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Peterboro swamped". The Ottawa Citizen. December 2, 1907. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  3. ^ "CFL Guide and Record Book, 2017 Edition" (PDF). Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "The Sport Review". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario. December 5, 1906. p. 2.Free access icon
  5. ^ "The Sport Review". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Kingston, Ontario. September 16, 1907. p. 3.Free access icon
  6. ^ Sullivan, Jack (December 8, 1953). "After 60 Years In Sport: 500 Sportsmen To Honor William "Billy" Hewitt". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. p. 19.Free access icon; 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.Free access icon
  7. ^ Sullivan, Jack (January 13, 1961). "Dapper Little Hewitt Hasn't Got An Enemy". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. p. 24.Free access icon
  8. ^ 2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 978-0-9739425-4-5, p.294
  9. ^ a b "1907". cflapedia.com. Retrieved July 4, 2020.