Hamilton Wildcats (Canadian football)
Encyclopedia
The Hamilton Wildcats were a Canadian football
team based in Hamilton, Ontario
that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union
from 1941 to 1947, and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1948 to 1949. The team was formed to play in the ORFU in 1941 to fill the void left by the Hamilton Tigers
, who ceased operations that year due to a large number of players joining the army. In 1943 and 1944, the team assumed the name Hamilton Flying Wildcats to reflect the Royal Canadian Air Force
personnel on the team. After struggling to compete on a sound financial level with the Hamilton Tigers, who resumed operations following World War II
, the two clubs merged in 1950 to form the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
.
, with various teams folding and being renamed. In 1941, the city's IRFU team, the Hamilton Tigers
, folded due to a large number of players leaving to fight in World War II
. As such, this left a void in Hamilton
's football, which would be filled that year by an ORFU team named the Hamilton Wildcats. The Wildcats were granted permission to use the Tigers' players, but not their colours, so they adopted the colours of red and white.
Between 1942 and 1944, the IRFU suspended operations due to the war, leaving many talented players to join teams in the ORFU. This led the Wildcats to a very successful three years in which they posted a 19-6-1 record with two appearances in the Grey Cup
championship game with one win coming in 1943
. In the 1943 and 1944 seasons, the team is officially recognized as the Hamilton Flying Wildcats due to the RCAF personnel playing on the team. Consequently, the team that won the 31st Grey Cup is recorded as the Hamilton Flying Wildcats.
After the war ended, the IRFU resumed operations and players that had played for the Tigers were returned to their club. The Wildcats dropped the "flying" from their nickname since the RCAF personnel no longer played for them. After a difficult season in 1945, which saw the club miss the playoffs, the Wildcats claimed back-to-back regular season first place finishes in 1946 and 1947, but lost in the ORFU finals both years.
football club began play in 1950 in the IRFU as the singular representative of the city of Hamilton.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
team based in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union
Ontario Rugby Football Union
The Ontario Rugby Football Union or ORFU was an early amateur Canadian football league with teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded in 1883 and in 1903 became the first major competition to adopt the Burnside Rules, from which the modern Canadian football code would...
from 1941 to 1947, and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1948 to 1949. The team was formed to play in the ORFU in 1941 to fill the void left by the Hamilton Tigers
Hamilton Tigers (football)
The Hamilton Tigers were a Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union from 1883 to 1906 and 1948 to 1949 and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1907 to 1947. The club was a founding member of both the ORFU in 1883 and the IRFU in...
, who ceased operations that year due to a large number of players joining the army. In 1943 and 1944, the team assumed the name Hamilton Flying Wildcats to reflect the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
personnel on the team. After struggling to compete on a sound financial level with the Hamilton Tigers, who resumed operations following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the two clubs merged in 1950 to form the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
.
Ontario Rugby Football Union
For many years, Hamilton had an unstable presence in the ORFUOntario Rugby Football Union
The Ontario Rugby Football Union or ORFU was an early amateur Canadian football league with teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded in 1883 and in 1903 became the first major competition to adopt the Burnside Rules, from which the modern Canadian football code would...
, with various teams folding and being renamed. In 1941, the city's IRFU team, the Hamilton Tigers
Hamilton Tigers (football)
The Hamilton Tigers were a Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union from 1883 to 1906 and 1948 to 1949 and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1907 to 1947. The club was a founding member of both the ORFU in 1883 and the IRFU in...
, folded due to a large number of players leaving to fight in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. As such, this left a void in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
's football, which would be filled that year by an ORFU team named the Hamilton Wildcats. The Wildcats were granted permission to use the Tigers' players, but not their colours, so they adopted the colours of red and white.
Between 1942 and 1944, the IRFU suspended operations due to the war, leaving many talented players to join teams in the ORFU. This led the Wildcats to a very successful three years in which they posted a 19-6-1 record with two appearances in the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
championship game with one win coming in 1943
31st Grey Cup
The 31st Grey Cup was played on November 27, 1943, before 16,423 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Hamilton Flying Wildcats defeated the Winnipeg RCAF Bombers 23 to 14....
. In the 1943 and 1944 seasons, the team is officially recognized as the Hamilton Flying Wildcats due to the RCAF personnel playing on the team. Consequently, the team that won the 31st Grey Cup is recorded as the Hamilton Flying Wildcats.
After the war ended, the IRFU resumed operations and players that had played for the Tigers were returned to their club. The Wildcats dropped the "flying" from their nickname since the RCAF personnel no longer played for them. After a difficult season in 1945, which saw the club miss the playoffs, the Wildcats claimed back-to-back regular season first place finishes in 1946 and 1947, but lost in the ORFU finals both years.
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union and merger
Due to monetary disputes that the Hamilton Tigers were having with the IRFU, the Tigers transferred to the ORFU, with the Wildcats switching to the IRFU on April 9, 1948. The switch proved to be difficult for the team, who went from first in the ORFU to dead last in the IRFU, with only one win in their two seasons in that league. Both teams were struggling to compete for fan support and the financial repercussions started to mount. As a result, local prominent citizens including Mr. Ralph W. Cooper, Mr. F.M. Gibson, Mr. C.C. Lawson and Mr. Sam Manson decided that the two clubs should amalgamate and operate as one entity. As such, the Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
football club began play in 1950 in the IRFU as the singular representative of the city of Hamilton.
Canadian Football Hall of Famers
- Len Back
- Tom Casey
- Joe "King" KrolJoe KrolJoe "King" Krol was a Canadian football quarterback, running back, defensive back, and placekicker/punter from 1942 to 1953 and 1955...
- Vince ScottVince ScottVincent Joseph "Boomer" Scott was a Canadian football player. He played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and was later a Hamilton city councillor. He became a Canadian citizen in the mid 1950s...
- Jimmie Simpson