- 1950
- 1951
- 1960 -1968 - 1969
- 1973 - 1976
- 1997
-
Rough Riders Team Formation
The Rough Riders were pioneers in international play in the 1950s. In 1950 and 1951, Ottawa hosted the New York Giants in exhibition games; the Giants won both times, and NFL-CFL matches would not be attempted again until 1959. In the first season of the CFL, the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats made history when they played the ... -
Grey Cup Champs 1951
The 39th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League’s championship game of the 1951 season, played on November 24, 1951. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 21 to 14 at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium before a crowd of 27,341 fans in the first Grey Cup match-up between the two similarly named teams. -
Grey Cup Champs 1960 -1968 – 1969
Grey Cup 1960 The 48th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) championship game of the 1960 season on November 26, 1960. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Edmonton Eskimos 16 to 6 at Vancouver’s Empire Stadium before a crowd of 38,102 fans. Grey Cup 1968 56th Grey Cup was played November 30, 1968, and the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Calgary Stampeders 24 to 21 before 32,655 fans at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium. Vic Washington’s 79-yard run is still ... -
Grey Cup Champs 1973 – 1976
Grey Cup 1973 The 61st Grey Cup game was played at Toronto’s CNE Stadium on November 25, 1973. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Edmonton Eskimos before a crowd of 36,653. Grey Cup 1976 The 64th Grey Cup was played on November 28, 1976, at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto. The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 23-20 in what is considered one of the most thrilling Grey Cup games, featuring some of the most exciting plays in Grey Cup history. The attendance ... -
Rough Riders Fold
Following the 1996 season, years of poor ownership and mismanagement took a toll on the Rough Riders franchise that ultimately led to its folding after a storied 120 years. After the Rough Riders folded, the CFL moved its easternmost-West Division team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, back to the East Division for a second time to take Ottawa’s place and to balance ...
History of the Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, in which they won five Grey Cups. The team's fortunes waned in the 1980s and 1990s, and they ultimately ceased operations following the 1996 season. Five years later, a new CFL team known as the Ottawa Renegades was founded, though they suspended operations in 2006. The Ottawa Redblacks, which own the Rough Riders' intellectual properties, joined the league in 2014.
Established
1876
City
Ottawa
League History
1958 - 1996 / Canadian Football League
Team History
1876 - 1996 / Ottawa Rough Riders
Nickname
Rough Riders - The nickname Roughriders adopted by Regina likely comes from the name given to horsemen, specifically those that broke broncos. NWMP members who played two rugby matches in Winnipeg in 1890 were referred to as "Roughriders" and Regina was home to the NWMP, who later became the RCMP. While the team was referred to casually as the Roughriders once in 1915 in the Regina Leader the team officially adopted the name in 1924. Prior to that they were known as the Regina Rugby Club. In 1946 the team switched to a provincial designation and became the Saskatchewan Roughriders, officially adopting that moniker in 1950.
Championship
Grey Cup 9
1976, 1973, 1969, 1968, 1960, 1951, 1940, 1926, 1925
Stadium
1908 - 1996 / Frank Clair Stadium
Owner
1996 / Canadian Football League
1995 - 1996 / Horn Chen
1994 - 1995 / Bruce Firestone
1991 - 1994 / Bernard Glieberman
1991 / Canadian Football League
1987 - 1991 / Limited Partnership of 27 businessmen
1977 - 1987 / Alan Waters
1969 - 1977 / David Loeb
1960 - 1969 / David Loeb and Unknown
1950 - 1960 / Sam Berger
1897 - 1950 / Community - Widely Held
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
Retired Number
11 / Ron Stewart
12 / Russ Jackson
26 / Whit Tucker
40 / Bruno Bitkowski
60 / Jim Coode
62 / Moe Racine
70 / Bobby Simpson
71 / Gerry Organ
72 / Tony Golab
77 / Tony Gabriel
*Blue is this team’s history