The
Montreal Alouettes are a
Canadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
team based in
MontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
,
QuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from
BaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
,
MarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, in 1996 where they had been known as the
Baltimore StallionsThe Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
. The CFL considers all clubs that have played in Montreal since
1946The 1946 Montreal Alouettes finished their inaugural season in 1st place in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union with a 7–3–2 record, but lost the IRFU Finals to the Toronto Argonauts.-Preseason:-Standings:-Schedule:-Postseason:...
as one franchise in their league records, including those of the original Alouettes (1946–1981), Montreal Concordes (1982–1985) and Montreal Alouettes (1986). The Alouettes and the CFL, however, do not recognize the Baltimore franchise, or its records, as part of the official team history. Including all aforementioned incarnations of the franchise, Montreal has won the
Grey CupThe 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...
a total of seven times.
The Alouettes' home field is Percival Molson Memorial Stadium for the regular season and
Olympic StadiumThe Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
for the playoffs. The Alouettes are the former two time defending Grey Cup Champions, having won back to back Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010.
The Alouettes played in the
96th Grey CupThe 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
at Olympic Stadium on Nov. 23, 2008 in which they lost to the
Calgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
. On November 29, 2009, the Montreal Alouettes won the 2009 Grey Cup in
CalgaryCalgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
against the
Saskatchewan RoughridersThe Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in a dramatic game where the Alouettes rallied from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to win with a field goal which was, at first, missed. However a penalty for too many men was called against the Roughriders and the field goal was reattempted. Damon Duval didn't miss the second time. One year later, in the
98th Grey CupThe 98th Grey Cup was a Canadian football game played between the Eastern Division champion Montreal Alouettes and Western Division champion Saskatchewan Roughriders to decide the champion of the Canadian Football League for the 2010 season...
on November 28, 2010, Montreal prevailed again, this time by a 21–18 score.
Team facts
- Founded: The original Montreal club was founded on April 8, 1872. The original club was renamed as the Montreal Alouettes (Skylark
The Skylark is a small passerine bird species. This lark breeds across most of Europe and Asia and in the mountains of north Africa. It is mainly resident in the west of its range, but eastern populations are more migratory, moving further south in winter. Even in the milder west of its range,...
s or Larks in English translation) in 1946. However, the original Alouettes club ceased operations following the 1981 season and was replaced by a new team, the Montreal Concordes, which played from 1982 to 1985. The Concordes were rechristened the "new" Alouettes for the 1986 season, but ceased operations the day before the 1987 seasonThe 1987 Montreal Alouettes played two preseason games before folding on June 24, 1987, just one day before their scheduled Thursday game against the Toronto Argonauts. Consequently, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers moved to the East Division and played the Argonauts that day...
was due to start, on the Quebec national holiday, June 24. The Baltimore StallionsThe Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
were founded in 1994 and moved to Montreal in 1996 to become the third team to take the Alouettes name.
- Formerly Known as: Montreal Concordes (1982–1985), Montreal Alouettes (1986), Baltimore Colts, Baltimore CFL Colts, Baltimore CFLers, Baltimore Football Club (1994)*, Baltimore Stallions (1995).
- *The team was originally to be known as the Colts, but had to change its name following an injunction from the NFL Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, who previously played in Baltimore.
- Preceded in the market by: Montreal Football Club
The Montreal Football Club was a Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec that played in the Quebec Rugby Football Union from 1883 to 1906 and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1907 to 1915. The club was a founding member of the QRFU and played in the first football game in...
(1872–1915), Montreal AAA Winged WheelersThe Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers were a member of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League. It was likely a team from the fabled Montreal AAA founded in 1872 as the Montreal Foot Ball Club. The MFBC joined the Quebec Rugby Football Union in...
(1919–1935), Montreal IndiansMontreal Indians was a Canadian football team in Interprovincial Rugby Football Union. The team played in the 1936 and 1937 seasons.-Canadian Football Hall of Famers:*Abe Eliowitz*John Ferraro-IRFU season-by-season:...
(1936–37), Montreal CubsMontreal Cubs was a Canadian football team in Interprovincial Rugby Football Union. The team played in the 1938 season.-IRFU season-by-season:...
(1938), Montreal RoyalesMontreal Royals was a Canadian football team in Interprovincial Rugby Football Union. The team played in the 1939 season.-IRFU season-by-season:...
(1939–41)
- Helmet Design: Silver background with a blue "A" and a charging skylark (alouette) holding a football.
- Uniform Colours: Blue, red, silver, white, and black
- Home Stadium: The Alouettes play at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium for the regular season, while they play at Olympic Stadium
The Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
for playoff games.
- Past Stadiums: Delorimier Stadium
Delorimier Stadium was a 20,000-seat sports stadium at 2101 Ontario Street East, at the corner of De Lorimier Avenue in the present-day Montreal borough of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve...
(1946–53), Percival Molson Memorial Stadium (1954–67, '72, '98— ), AutostadeThe Autostade was a Canadian football stadium in the Victoriatown neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec that stood at the north-west corner of the Cité du Havre sector of the Expo 67 site...
(1968–71, 1973–76), Olympic StadiumThe Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
(1976–86, 1996–97)
- East Division Regular Season Championships: 15: 1946, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1977, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
- 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...
Appearances:
- Alouettes: 18: 1949
The 37th Grey Cup was played on November 26, 1949 before 20,087 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto. Montreal Alouettes defeated Calgary Stampeders 28-15...
(won), 1954The 42nd Grey Cup football game was played on November 27, 1954, before a full house at Varsity Stadium in Toronto, Canada.The underdog Edmonton Eskimos won a contest over the Montreal Alouettes by the score of 26 to 25...
(lost), 1955The 43rd Grey Cup game was played on November 26, 1955 before 39,417 football fans at Empire Stadium in Vancouver. This was the first Grey Cup played in Vancouver.The Edmonton Eskimos beat Montreal Alouettes by the score of 34 to 19.- Box Score :...
(lost), 1956The 44th Grey Cup game was played on November 24, 1956 before 27,425 fans at Varsity Stadium in Toronto.The favoured Edmonton Eskimos won their third straight Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes by the score of 50 to 27....
(lost), 1970The 58th Grey Cup was played on November 28, 1970 before 32,669 fans at Exhibition Stadium at Toronto. The Montreal Alouettes defeated the Calgary Stampeders 23 to 10...
(won), 1974The 62nd Grey Cup was played on November 24, 1974 before 32,454 fans at Empire Stadium at Vancouver. The Montreal Alouettes beat the Edmonton Eskimos 20 to 7 on rain slick field...
(won), 1975The 63rd Grey Cup was played on November 23, 1975 before 32,454 fans at McMahon Stadium at Calgary. The Edmonton Eskimos won an extremely close game, decided on the last play, against the Montreal Alouettes by the score 9 to 8.-Box Score:...
(lost), 1977The 65th Grey Cup, played on November 27, 1977 and also known as The Ice Bowl, was the 1977 Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship final between the Montreal Alouettes and the Edmonton Eskimos...
(won), 1978The 66th Grey Cup was played on November 26, 1978 before 54,695 fans at Exhibition Stadium at Toronto. The Edmonton Eskimos won against the Montreal Alouettes with a close 20-13 victory.- Box Score :First QuarterEdmonton - FG – Dave Cutler 37 yards...
(lost), 1979The 67th Grey Cup was played on November 25, 1979 before 65,113 fans at the Olympic Stadium at Montreal. The Edmonton Eskimos won against the Montreal Alouettes by the score 17 to 9.-Box Score:First Quarter...
(lost), 2000The 88th Grey Cup was held in 2000 in Calgary. The BC Lions won the game 28-26 over the Montreal Alouettes...
(lost), 2002The 90th Grey Cup was the 2002 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 24 at Commonwealth Stadium, in Edmonton, Alberta...
(won), 2003The 91st Grey Cup was the 2003 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes on November 16 at Taylor Field, in Regina, Saskatchewan before 50,909 fans...
(lost), 2005The 93rd Grey Cup game was held on November 27, 2005, at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Montreal Alouettes, to decide the winner of the 2005 season of the Canadian Football League. The Eskimos prevailed over the Alouettes in a 38-35 overtime...
(lost), 2006The 94th Grey Cup game took place on November 19, 2006, at Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg, Manitoba before 44,786 fans. Ticket prices ranged from $141 and $275.The game decided the championship of the 2006 Canadian Football League season...
(lost), 2008The 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
(lost), 2009The 97th Grey Cup was played on November 29, 2009, at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta, and decided the Canadian Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Montreal Alouettes came from behind to defeat the Saskatchewan Roughriders 28-27, on a 33-yard field goal by Damon Duval as time ran...
(won), 2010The 98th Grey Cup was a Canadian football game played between the Eastern Division champion Montreal Alouettes and Western Division champion Saskatchewan Roughriders to decide the champion of the Canadian Football League for the 2010 season...
(won)
- 2011 Regular Season
The 2011 Montreal Alouettes season was the 45th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 57th overall. The Alouettes finished in 2nd place in the East division with a 10–8 record. The Alouettes attempted to three-peat as Grey Cup champions, after winning back-to-back...
Record: 10 wins, 8 losses, 0 ties
Franchise history
Canadian football has a long history in Montreal, dating to the 1850s. The Alouettes were first formed in 1946 by CFL hall of famer
Lew HaymanLewis Edward "Lew" Hayman was an American sports figure. He was one of the driving forces behind the Canadian Football League as coach, general manager, team president, and league president. As head coach, he was a five-time Grey Cup winner with three different teams...
. They named themselves after
"Alouette""Alouette" is a popular French Canadian children's song originating in France about plucking the feathers from a lark. Although it is in French, it is well-known among speakers of other languages; in this way it is similar to "Frère Jacques"...
, a
work songA work song is a piece of music closely connected to a specific form of work, either sung while conducting a task or a song linked to a task or trade which might be a connected narrative, description, or protest song....
about plucking the feathers from a
larkLarks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World, and in northern and eastern Australia; only one, the Shore Lark, has spread to North America, where it is called the Horned Lark...
, which had become a symbol of the
QuébécoisFrench-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
. (Similarly, during the Second World War the
RCAF'sThe 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...
No. 425 (French Canadian) (Bomber) Squadron assumed the lark as its badge and the motto
"Je te plumerai"—"I shall pluck you".) They won their first
Grey CupThe 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 in 1949, beating
CalgaryThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
28–15 led by quarterback
Frank FilchockFrank Joseph Filchock was an American and Canadian football tailback/quarterback and coach. As a consequence of a famous scandal regarding the 1946 NFL Championship game, he was suspended by the National Football League from 1947 to 1950 for associating with gamblers.-Early career:Born in 1916 in...
and running back
Virgil WagnerVirgil Wagner is a former Canadian football left halfback for the Montreal Alouettes. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1980....
.
The 1950s were a productive decade for the Als, with legendary quarterback
Sam EtcheverrySam "The Rifle" Etcheverry was a professional American and Canadian football player and head coach. Etcheverry played the quarterback position, most famously with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and was named Canadian football's Most Outstanding Player in 1954...
throwing passes to John "Red" O'Quinn,
"Prince" Hal Patterson, and with
Pat AbbruzziPasquale "Pat" Abbruzzi was an American college and professional Canadian football running back and high school football coach...
carrying the ball, Montreal fielded the most dangerous offence in all Canadian football. From 1954 to 1956, they reached the
Grey CupThe 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...
in three straight years, but questionable defensive units led the Alouettes to defeat against the
Edmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
all three times.
The team was purchased in 1954 by
Ted WorkmanM. E. "Ted" Workman is a former Canadian Football League executive.Workman purchased controlling interest in the Montreal Alouettes in 1954 with minority owner Léo Dandurand remaining as team president. Workman replaced Dandurand as team president after the 1957 season and in 1965, he took on the...
– and while the team continued to enjoy success, that all changed at the end of the 1960 season. To be more specific, the team was shaken by an announcement on November 10 – namely the trade of Hal Patterson and Sam Etchevery to the
Hamilton Tiger-CatsThe 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...
for Bernie Faloney and Dan Paquette. Workman had concluded the deal without consulting with his General Manager (Perry Moss). Moss had just signed Sam Etcheverry to a new contract with a no trade clause. Trading a player with a no trade made him a free agent, and the deal thus crumbled. The deal was reworked and Patterson was traded for Paquette. Sam Etcheverry went on to play in the NFL with the St. Louis Cardinals for 2 years (1961 and 1962) followed by the San Francisco 49ers in 1963. Faloney remained in Hamilton, and teamed with Patterson to form one of the most deadly quarterback-receiver combinations in CFL history
This episode remains one of the most lopsided trades ever made in the Alouettes history, and it ushered in a dark decade for the team, who not once registered a winning record throughout the 1960s. From 1968 to 1976 the team played in the
AutostadeThe Autostade was a Canadian football stadium in the Victoriatown neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec that stood at the north-west corner of the Cité du Havre sector of the Expo 67 site...
stadium—which had been built as a temporary stadium for
Expo 67The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
. The stadium's less-than-desirable location on Montreal's waterfront near the Victoria Bridge led to dismal attendance, putting more strain on the team's finances.
In 1969, Workman sold the team to the highly capable
Sam BergerSamuel "Sam" Berger, CM, FRSC, QC was a Canadian owner of the Canadian Football League's Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal Alouettes and president of the CFL....
, the former owner of the
Ottawa Rough RidersThe Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. 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, a...
. Berger made immediate changes to the team. On December 9, the team announced that Sam Etcheverry was returning to the organization—this time as the team's new head coach. The team also unveiled new uniforms—their home jerseys were now predominantly green, with red and white trim. The white helmets with the red "wings" used during the 1960s also disappeared, replaced by a white helmet with a stylized green and red bird's head that formed a lower-case "a". As one might expect from a team that had won only two games in 1969, many new players were brought in.
The changes paid immediate dividends. Although the team finished third in the 1970 regular season, they defeated the
Toronto ArgonautsThe Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
and the
Hamilton Tiger-CatsThe 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...
in the playoffs. The 1970 season culminated when the Alouettes won the 58th
Grey CupThe 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...
, played on November 28 at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium before a crowd of 32,669. Led byquarterback Sonny Wade (who was named the game's most valuable player, and who would soon become a fan favourite in Montreal—not unlike the status his coach had enjoyed in the 1950s), halfback Moses Denson, receivers Gary Lefebvre and Tom Pullen, along with kicker George Springate, the team defeated the
Calgary StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
23–10 for the city's first
Grey CupThe 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...
since 1949, also against the Stamps.
That 1970 victory would herald the beginning of arguably the greatest decade in franchise history. During Berger's tenure as owner, the team made six
Grey CupThe 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...
appearances and won the Canadian championship three times. They finally moved out of the
AutostadeThe Autostade was a Canadian football stadium in the Victoriatown neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec that stood at the north-west corner of the Cité du Havre sector of the Expo 67 site...
and into
Olympic StadiumThe Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
midway through the
1976 seasonThe 1976 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 23rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 19th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1976:...
and attendance shot up. In
1977The 1977 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 24th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 20th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1977:...
, the Als had a very successful year both on the field and at the box office, winning the
Grey CupThe 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...
at their home field before a Grey Cup-record 68,318 fans. They also averaged 59,595 fans per game at the "Big O" during the regular season, a league record that still stands.
However, the success ended with Berger's retirement in 1981. He sold the team to
Nelson SkalbaniaNelson M. Skalbania is a Canadian businessman from Vancouver, British Columbia best known for signing a 17-year-old Wayne Gretzky to the Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association....
, a
VancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
businessman. The flamboyant Skalbania set about signing two first-round picks from the 1981 National Football League draft plus NFL name players such as
Vince FerragamoVince Anthony Ferragamo is a former professional football player, a quarterback in the National Football League and Canadian Football League.-College career:...
, James Scott,
David OverstreetDavid Arthur Overstreet was a running back in the Canadian Football League and National Football League.A native of Big Sandy, Texas, Overstreet prepped at Big Sandy High School, where one of his teammates was Lovie Smith. Big Sandy won three consecutive Class B state championships 1973-75...
,
Keith GaryKeith Gary is a former American football defensive end. Gary was selected in the first round by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the University of Oklahoma in the 1981 NFL Draft, but didn't sign and went to play two seasons with the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. He then played six seasons with the...
and Billy "White Shoes" Johnson. Even with all that talent, the Alouettes suffered on the field, finishing with a dismal 3–13 record while attendance plummeted to under 20,000 per game. However, the East was so weak that year that year (Hamilton was the only team to finish with a winning record) that they actually made the playoffs. They made a fairly good showing against the Rough Riders before losing 20-16.
As it turned out, this would be the last game that the original Alouettes franchise would play. Skalbania was reported late in 1981 to be selling to oil magnate
Pat BowlenPatrick Dennis Bowlen is the Majority Owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Denver Broncos. The Bowlen Family, including his two brothers and sister, purchased the team from Edgar Kaiser in 1984 and saved the team from possible bankruptcy.-Biography:Pat's father, Paul D...
, who would later buy the NFL's
Denver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Later in 1981, legendary NFL coach George Allen obtained an option to purchase 51% of the club, and was actually named the Alouettes' president. While holding both the option and the post, Allen was surprised by Skalbania arranging a sale of the same controlling stake to former
Vancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
and later St. Louis Blues owner Harry Ornest. Ornest, however, was reluctant to take actual control of the Alouettes as a result of the team's high level of debt and extensive commitments to high-profile stars. For a short time in early April 1982, Allen looked set to take control of the Alouettes. However, Allen left the club in late April after Skalbania was unable to resolve 1981 debts. With the franchise in utter collapse, Berger tried to force Skalbania to relinquish the team for him as payment for unresolved debt. However, Skalbania returned from a business trip to Hong Kong in late April and was able to fend off Berger's bid to regain control of the team. However, only a month later, Skalbania's highly-leveraged business empire collapsed. Unable to meet his obligations, he was forced to return the team to the league on May 13.
Montreal Concordes
On May 14, 1982, just a day after the original Alouettes franchise folded, Montreal businessman and
Montreal ExposThe Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
founder
Charles BronfmanCharles Rosner Bronfman, is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. With an estimated net worth of $US 2.0 billion , Bronfman was ranked by Forbes as the 15th wealthiest Canadian and 595th in the world....
came to the rescue and founded a new team under the name Montreal Concordes. This new team inherited the Alouettes franchise history and its players.
The Concordes sported a 2–14–0 record in their first season in 1982 under head coach
Joe GalatJoe Galat was born in Painesville, Ohio and has extensive experience in professional football as a player, coach, general manager, broadcaster, and youth executive. He is best known as a former college and professional football coach who starred at Miami University as a player...
. The Concordes featured QB
Luc TousignantLuc Tousignant is a former quarterback in the Canadian Football League and Olympic handball player....
, the only Québécois QB ever to start a CFL game. The dismal club also featured star NCAA RB
David OverstreetDavid Arthur Overstreet was a running back in the Canadian Football League and National Football League.A native of Big Sandy, Texas, Overstreet prepped at Big Sandy High School, where one of his teammates was Lovie Smith. Big Sandy won three consecutive Class B state championships 1973-75...
who rushed for just 190 yards in 6 games before ending his season on the injured reserve list. The Concordes lost their last 9 games of 1982. Other stars on the club included QB Johnny Evans, QB
Turner GillTurner Hillery Gill is an American football coach who most recently served as the head coach at Kansas from 2010-2011, and was one of 11 African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision at the time of his hiring.-College:Gill graduated from Arlington Heights High...
, SB
Nick ArakgiNick Arakgi is a former professional Canadian football star receiver in the Canadian Football League.- Early years :Arakgi was born in Cairo, Egypt and graduated from Bishop's University in Sherbrooke, Quebec in 1978, where he played CIS football for the Bishop's Gaiters...
, RB
Lester BrownLester Brown was a Canadian Football League running back who played for five different teams from 1980 through 1987.-External links:*...
, WR Brian DeRoo, local KR Denis Ferdinand, DT
Glen WeirGlen Weir, born July 23, 1951 and a native of London, Ontario, was a star defensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League.Weir played his amateur football with the London Lords intermediate league team...
, S
Preston YoungPreston Young was a football player in the CFL for eight years years. Irvin played defensive back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Montreal Concordes from 1978-1985. He played college football at Simon Fraser University.-References:...
, DE
Gordon JudgesGordon Judges is a former professional Canadian football defensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League....
, K/P
Don SweetDon Sweet, , was a star football kicker for the Montreal Alouettes and Montreal Concordes of the Canadian Football League.-College years:...
and LB William Hampton. The team gradually rebounded, even making the East final in 1985.
In 1986, the team attempted to embrace its predecessor's history and regenerate flagging fan interest by rebranding itself the "new" Montreal Alouettes. But after a dismal 4–14 season and mounting financial losses, the new Alouettes folded on June 24, 1987, just a day before the
1987 seasonThe 1987 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 34th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 30th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1987:...
started. So late did the Alouettes' demise come that the June 28
Washington Post still announced an
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
broadcast of an Alouettes–
StampedersThe Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
game, a game that would never be played. The team did play
two preseason gamesThe 1987 Montreal Alouettes played two preseason games before folding on June 24, 1987, just one day before their scheduled Thursday game against the Toronto Argonauts. Consequently, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers moved to the East Division and played the Argonauts that day...
before folding.
The current Alouettes
The
Baltimore Football ClubThe Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
was granted an expansion franchise for 1994 by the
Canadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. Originally intending to invoke the spirit of the city's former
NFLThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
club, the team attempted to brand themselves the "Baltimore Colts". The NFL and
Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
owner
Robert IrsayRobert Irsay , was an American professional football team owner. He owned the National Football League's Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts franchise and, briefly, the former Los Angeles Rams.-Biography:...
filed suit and won an injunction, both prohibiting the team from use of the "Baltimore Colts" name as well as that of their next choice, the "Baltimore CFL Colts". During this time, it was quite common for the stadium announcer to announce the team as the "Baltimore
Football Club". The team would use the names, "Baltimore Football Club" and the "Baltimore CFLers" for its inaugural season, before becoming the "Baltimore StallionsThe Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
" for the 1995 season.
The team was by far the most successful of the CFL's American teamsThe term CFL USA refers to the abortive expansion of the Canadian Football League into the United States in the early-to-mid 1990s. The 1993 CFL season saw the addition of the first American team to the league, the Sacramento Gold Miners...
, garnering persistent fan support in the BaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
area and appearing in the Grey CupThe 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...
in both its seasons (losing in 1994, winning in 1995). However, in late 1995, Cleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
owner Art ModellArthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
announced his intention to relocateThe Cleveland Browns relocation controversy was the decision by then Browns owner Art Modell to move the National Football League team from its longtime home of Cleveland, Ohio to Baltimore, Maryland for the 1996 NFL season...
his NFLThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
club to BaltimoreBaltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, where they would be rechristened the Baltimore RavensThe Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. This would have made the Stallions the only CFL club ever to directly compete with the NFL, whose season overlaps with the last three months of the CFL season. Stallions owner Jim Speros realized that despite the Stallions' popularity, they could not possibly compete with the NFL. After deals with Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Houston fell through, Speros moved the Stallions to Montreal and revived the old Alouettes name for the 1996 season.
In 1997, Jim Speros sold the team to Robert Wetenhall, and former Alouette star and CFL Commissioner Larry Smith became President of the club. The new Alouettes franchise played their first two seasons at Olympic StadiumThe Olympic Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district of Montreal, Quebec, Canada built as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics...
, but attendance in the enormous domed stadium was very poor and the long term prospects for the franchise were once again uncertain, until a twist of fate revitalized the floundering club.
When a scheduled November 1997 U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
concert conflicted with an unexpected home play-off game against the BC LionsThe BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
(due to the CFL's 'cross-over' playoff format), the team decided to return temporarily to Molson StadiumPercival Molson Memorial Stadium is an outdoor football stadium located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada...
, where they had played from 1954 to 1967. Interest in the team soared and the game was sold out, prompting the team to relocate permanently to the smaller venue beginning with the 1998 season. Since 1999, the Alouettes have sold out every game at the stadium located on the campus of McGill UniversityMohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. At the time of the Alouettes' return to Molson, the stadium's capacity was 20,202; an expansion completed prior to the 2010 season brought the current capacity to 25,012.
The team has not completely abandoned Olympic Stadium, however. Due to the heavy demand for tickets, the Alouettes soon resumed playing playoff games (a regular feature in recent seasons) at the "Big O" and play one regular season game at the larger venue. These matches have been well attended, often drawing more than 50,000 fans. In 2008, however, the Als did not play their annual "Fan Day" game at the Big O due to the fact they hosted the Grey Cup at that venue in November. In 2008, 2009 and 2010, the Alouettes hosted the East Division final at the Big O.
Prior to every Sunday home game, the club plays "Sunday Bloody Sunday"Sunday Bloody Sunday" is the opening track from U2's 1983 album, War. The song was released as the album's third single on 11 March 1983 in Germany and the Netherlands. "Sunday Bloody Sunday" is noted for its militaristic drumbeat, harsh guitar, and melodic harmonies...
" over the PA system in tribute to the unintended role U2 played in saving the franchise.
In 2007, the Alouettes launched a new website that features exclusive news and information in a first for a CFL team. The Alouettes release all player announcements and other news on MontrealAlouettes.com at least an hour before releasing anything to the media. This has caused some controversy with news wires like CP, but remains a favourite with Alouettes fans. The site also features the exclusive player columns and features that make most top sports sites popular. Beginning in late 2008, the Alouettes became the first CFL team to exploit social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter in their marketing campaigns, remaining the league leader in techonology-based marketing.
Since their return to the CFL in 1996, the Alouettes have appeared in the Grey Cup eight times, all between 2000 and 2010, with three Grey Cup wins. They most recently won back-to-back Grey Cup championships in 2009 and 2010, both against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, including a 'comeback classic' in 2009. The Alouettes have been to the Grey Cup more often than any other CFL team this decade and are considered by sports experts to be the most successful CFL team since 2000 in terms of regular-season statistics and Grey Cup appearances.
2010 onward saw a return of the blue, red, and white triangle "AM" (flying Alouette "M") logo and uniforms used from 1974–81 as part of the CFL's throwback & retro uniform program.
Head coaches
- Lew Hayman
Lewis Edward "Lew" Hayman was an American sports figure. He was one of the driving forces behind the Canadian Football League as coach, general manager, team president, and league president. As head coach, he was a five-time Grey Cup winner with three different teams...
(1946–1951)
- Peahead Walker
Douglas Clyde "Peahead" Walker was a former head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and of the Montreal Alouettes....
(1952–1959)
- Perry Moss
-External links:...
(1960–1962)
- Jim Trimble
James W. "Jim" Trimble was a football coach who served as head coach in both the National Football League and Canadian Football League, but his legacy is more connected to football products, thanks to his "slingshot" goal posts...
(1963–1965)
- Darrell Mudra
Darrell "Dr. Victory" Mudra is a former American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Adams State College , North Dakota State University , the University of Arizona , Western Illinois University , Florida State University , Eastern Illinois University...
(1966)
- Kay Dalton
O. Kay Dalton is a former college, CFL, and NFL coach.- Biography :Daltion began coaching in 1958 as Trinidad State Junior College's head coach. In 1961 he became head coach of Western State College. He had a 33-12 record at WSC and in 1964 led the Mountaineers to the Mineral Bowl...
(1967–1969)
- Sam Etcheverry
Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry was a professional American and Canadian football player and head coach. Etcheverry played the quarterback position, most famously with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and was named Canadian football's Most Outstanding Player in 1954...
(1970–1972)
- Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
(1973–1977)
- Joe Scannella
Joseph I. Scannella is a former American football player and coach of American and Canadian football.-Coaching career:Scannella began his coaching career as an assistant at Clifton High School in Clifton, New Jersey. His first head coaching job was at Oceanside High School in Oceanside, New York...
(1978–1981)
- Jim Eddy
Jim Eddy is a football coach who worked in the National Football League, Canadian Football League, as well as in college.Eddy's coaching career began in 1968 when he joined the coaching staff of the New Mexico State Aggies at his alma mater, New Mexico State University. In 1972, he left NMSU to...
(1981)
- Joe Galat
Joe Galat was born in Painesville, Ohio and has extensive experience in professional football as a player, coach, general manager, broadcaster, and youth executive. He is best known as a former college and professional football coach who starred at Miami University as a player...
(1982–1984)
- Gary Durchik
-Biography:A Hall of Fame athlete at Mentor High School, he was a tight end at Miami University from 1963-1965. He got his first head coaching job in 1969 at the young age of 25. He coached the Chillicothe High School Cavaliers for four seasons before returning to the Miami RedHawks in 1973 as an...
(1985–1986)
- Joe Faragalli
Joe Faragalli was a football player and coach who had most of his success in the Canadian Football League....
(1987)
- Bob Price
Bob Price is a former Tight End Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the Virginia Cavaliers. He also was head coach of the Montreal Alouettes during the team's first season in 1996. He is the brother of Jim Price a tight end for the St. Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys.Price grew up in Dumont,...
(1996)
- Dave Ritchie
Dave Ritchie is a former coach in the Canadian Football League. He is best known for his days as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Head Coach from 1999 to 2004...
(1997–1998)
- Charlie Taaffe
Charlie Taaffe is an American football coach. He currently serves as offensive coordinator for the UCF Knights. Taaffe's coaching career stretches back to 1973, when he was an offensive coach for the University at Albany...
(1999–2000)
- Rod Rust
Rodney A. Rust is a former American football player and coach. He is best known in the United States as the coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League during the 1990 season, which ended with a 1–15 record....
(2001)
- Jim Popp
Jim Popp is the general manager of the Montreal Alouettes football club of the Canadian Football League ....
(2001)
- Don Matthews
Don Matthews, a.k.a. "The Don", is a former head coach of several teams in the Canadian Football League and is the second winningest head coach in CFL history with 231 wins...
(2002–2006)
- Jim Popp
Jim Popp is the general manager of the Montreal Alouettes football club of the Canadian Football League ....
(2006–2007)
- Marc Trestman
Marc Trestman is the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.-Early life:Trestman is Jewish. He graduated in 1974 from Saint Louis Park High School in Minnesota. He played quarterback for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team for three seasons...
(2008–present)
General managers
- Lew Hayman
Lewis Edward "Lew" Hayman was an American sports figure. He was one of the driving forces behind the Canadian Football League as coach, general manager, team president, and league president. As head coach, he was a five-time Grey Cup winner with three different teams...
(1946–1954)
- Vic Obeck
Victor Francis Joseph "Vic" Obeck was a gridiron football player, coach, and executive....
(1955–1956)
- Gorman Kennedy
W. Gorman Kennedy was a Canadian jounrnalist, advertising executive, and Canadian Football League executive who served as the General Manager of the Montreal Alouettes from 1957-1959....
(1957–1959)
- Perry Moss
-External links:...
(1960–1962)
- Jim Trimble
James W. "Jim" Trimble was a football coach who served as head coach in both the National Football League and Canadian Football League, but his legacy is more connected to football products, thanks to his "slingshot" goal posts...
(1963–1964)
- Ted Workman
M. E. "Ted" Workman is a former Canadian Football League executive.Workman purchased controlling interest in the Montreal Alouettes in 1954 with minority owner Léo Dandurand remaining as team president. Workman replaced Dandurand as team president after the 1957 season and in 1965, he took on the...
(1965)
- Joe Atwell
W.M. "Joe" Atwell was a construction investor and builder who was the co-owner of the Montreal Alouettes from 1965–1967 and sole owner from 1967-1969....
(1966–1967)
- Tony Golab
Anthony Charles Golab, CM was a retired Canadian football player.Born in Windsor, Ontario, he played with the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1939 to 1950. He was part of the 1941 and 1948 Grey Cup finalists teams and was part of the winning 1940 Grey Cup champions.In 1985, he was made a Member of the...
(1968–1969)
- J. I. Albrecht
J. I. Albrecht worked in college and professional sports for 53 years. He worked in the CFL, NFL and NCAA, and NASL.-Background:...
(1970–1973)
- Bob Geary
Bob Geary, an ex-player and general manager of the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL, died on February 17, 2001. He was 68.After playing for the Verdun Shamcats in the Quebec Senior Football League, Geary began his professional career with the CFL Calgary Stampeders in 1955.Geary moved to the Alouettes...
(1974–1981)
- Sam Etcheverry
Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry was a professional American and Canadian football player and head coach. Etcheverry played the quarterback position, most famously with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and was named Canadian football's Most Outstanding Player in 1954...
(1982)
- Joe Galat
Joe Galat was born in Painesville, Ohio and has extensive experience in professional football as a player, coach, general manager, broadcaster, and youth executive. He is best known as a former college and professional football coach who starred at Miami University as a player...
(1983–1986)
- Jim Popp
Jim Popp is the general manager of the Montreal Alouettes football club of the Canadian Football League ....
(1996–present)
See also
- Montreal Alouettes all time records and statistics
Montreal Alouettes all time records and statisticsCurrent up to the 2011 CFL season.Includes the records for the Montreal Concordes but does not include Baltimore CFLers or Stallions records .- Games played :...
- Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
- 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...
- CFL USA
The term CFL USA refers to the abortive expansion of the Canadian Football League into the United States in the early-to-mid 1990s. The 1993 CFL season saw the addition of the first American team to the league, the Sacramento Gold Miners...
External links