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Winnipeg Blue Bombers

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers



 
 
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League

The Canadian Football League is a professional sports league located entirely in Canada.Its eight teams, which are located in eight cities, are divided into two division of four teams each ....
 team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers have won the league's 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....
 championship ten times, most recently in 1990. They were also the first team not located in Ontario
Ontario

Ontario is a Provinces and territories of Canada located in the Central Canada part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area....
 or Quebec
Quebec

Quebec , in French language, Qu?bec , is a Provinces and territories of Canada in the Central Canada and Eastern Canada regions of Canada....
 to win a championship. They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium
Canad Inns Stadium

Canad Inns Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located north of Polo Park Shopping Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The stadium, named for hotel chain Canad Inns, and originally completed in 1953, seats 29,533 for football....
.

first football team in Winnipeg was formed in 1880, and was called the Winnipeg Football Club
Winnipeg Football Club

Winnipeg Football Club was a football club formed in 1879 and was a member of the Manitoba Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League....
.






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Encyclopedia


The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League

The Canadian Football League is a professional sports league located entirely in Canada.Its eight teams, which are located in eight cities, are divided into two division of four teams each ....
 team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers have won the league's 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....
 championship ten times, most recently in 1990. They were also the first team not located in Ontario
Ontario

Ontario is a Provinces and territories of Canada located in the Central Canada part of Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area....
 or Quebec
Quebec

Quebec , in French language, Qu?bec , is a Provinces and territories of Canada in the Central Canada and Eastern Canada regions of Canada....
 to win a championship. They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium
Canad Inns Stadium

Canad Inns Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located north of Polo Park Shopping Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The stadium, named for hotel chain Canad Inns, and originally completed in 1953, seats 29,533 for football....
.

Team history


The beginning

The first football team in Winnipeg was formed in 1880, and was called the Winnipeg Football Club
Winnipeg Football Club

Winnipeg Football Club was a football club formed in 1879 and was a member of the Manitoba Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League....
. On June 10, 1930, they amalgamated with all the other teams in the Manitoba Rugby Football Union to create the Winnipegs.

1935 Grey Cup

Western teams had been to the Grey Cup game 10 times since 1909, but they had always gone home empty handed. It was clear in those days that the East was much more powerful, outscoring their opponents 236–29 in these games.

On December 7, 1935, the Winnipegs got their first shot at winning the Grey Cup. The game was being held in Hamilton, with the home-town Tiger-Cats being their opponent. It was a rainy day at Hamilton Amateur Athletic Association Grounds, with 6,405 fans in attendance.

Winnipeg was up 5–0 before many fans knew what was happening. After returning the opening kickoff to the Hamilton 15-yard line, Winnipeg scored quickly on a Bob Fritz pass to Bud Marquardt to get the early lead. After scoring another touchdown, Winnipeg went into halftime up 12–4. Their lead was soon cut to two points in the second half after Hamilton scored a touchdown of their own.

Then, standing deep in his end zone, Winnipeg's RB/KR Fritz Hanson
Fritz Hanson

Melvin "Fritz" Hanson was a Canadian Football League player for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Calgary Stampeders. Hanson was signed by the Blue Bombers for $125 a game and free room and board, which was a considerable sum in the cash-strapped Great Depression....
 caught the kickoff, and after a few moves and a few missed tackles, was on his way to a touchdown.

The final score was Winnipeg 18, Hamilton 12. With that, Winnipeg had become the first team from Western Canada to win a Grey Cup.

The Blue Bombers

In 1936, during a game against the University of North Dakota, Winnipeg Tribune
Winnipeg Tribune

The Winnipeg Tribune was a metropolitan daily newspaper serving Winnipeg, Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada from January 28, 1890 to August 27, 1980....
 sports writer Vince Leah
Vince Leah Trophy

Vince Leah Born in Winnipeg, "Uncle Vince" Leah was a sportswriter with both The Winnipeg Tribune and Winnipeg Free Press for over 60 years. For more than three decades his dedication made it possible for youngsters to play hockey....
 remarked "these are the Blue Bombers of Western football". This phrase was referring to then heavyweight champion Joe Louis
Joe Louis

Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was a List of Heavyweight Champions.Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, he is considered to be one of the greatest in boxing history....
, known as the Brown Bomber. From that day forward the team has been known as the Blue Bombers.

Early days of glory

From 1936 to 1949, the Bombers won the right to compete for the Grey Cup 9 times (1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1945). Of these appearances, Winnipeg won only twice, in 1939 over the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders

The 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....
 and again in their 1941 rematch.

The Jack Jacobs era

Jack Jacobs
Jack Jacobs

"Indian" Jack Jacobs was an American football and Canadian football player in the National Football League and Canadian Football League. He was a charter member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963....
, known as Indian Jack, was a Creek
Creek people

The Muscogee , their original name they use to identify themselves today, also known as the Creek, are an American Indians in the United States people originally from the Southern United States....
 quarterback from Oklahoma. He came to the Bombers in 1950 after a successful career in the United States. He led the Bombers to two Grey Cup appearances, losing both. His exciting style of play and extreme talent increased ticket sales and overall awareness and popularity of the club. The revenue the Bombers were getting from their newfound popularity was enough to convince them to move from the small outdated Osborne Stadium to the new Winnipeg Stadium (now known as Canad Inns Stadium). Jacobs was so well liked that the fans even referred to the new stadium as “The House that Jack Built”. Jacobs retired in 1954 to become a talent scout for the team.

The glory years

Bud Grant joined the team in 1953 after a two year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles, as one of numerous NFL players lured to Canada during the first part of the decade for then better salaries. After a four-year career as a receiver, then at the time called an offensive end, he accepted the position of head coach of the Bombers in 1957. Grant went on to coach the team for the next ten years before becoming the head coach of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings compete in the NFC North of the National Football Conference in the National Football League ....
.

During Grant’s tenure as head coach the Bombers welcomed the likes of Ken Ploen
Ken Ploen

Kenneth "Ken" Ploen was a star quarterback in United States college football and for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League ...
, Leo Lewis
Leo Lewis

Leo Lewis was a famed American College football player for Lincoln University in the 1950s , who continued his success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League ....
, Ernie Pitts
Ernie Pitts

Ernie Pitts was a Canadian Football League receiver for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the British Columbia Lions in a 14 year career in the CFL from 1957-1970....
 and Ed Kotowich to the team. The Bombers competed in six Grey Cup games during Grant's tenure, winning four (1958, 1959, 1961, and 1962). In 1961 the Bombers won 21–14 over 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 Flying Wildcats....
 in the first Grey Cup game to go into overtime. The Bombers and Ticats met again in the 1962 Grey Cup, with the game being postponed with 9:29 left in the fourth quarter due to zero visibility in the famous “Fog Bowl”. The game resumed the next morning with the Bombers winning 28-27.

During the second half of the 1960s the Bombers domination gave away to lean years, with four seasons of double digits in the loss column. The team bounced back in the early 1970s with the likes of quarterback Don Jonas, running-back Mack Herron, wide receivers Jim Thorpe and Bob LaRose. The team finished first in the Western Conference in 1972, the first time it had done so since 1962. However it also marks the last time the team has finished first in the West. The team struggled for a few more seasons and then became one of the stronger teams in the West, but usually behind the powerhouse Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos

The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian Football League team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They have won the league's Grey Cup championship thirteen times, including an unmatched five consecutive wins between 1978 and 1982, and most recently in 2005 Grey Cup....
.

The Cal Murphy era


In 1983 Cal Murphy
Cal Murphy

Cal Murphy is a Canadian Football League Canadian Football Hall of Fame who earned his fame as a coach and General Manager for nine Grey Cup Championship teams....
 was hired to be the new head coach of the Blue Bombers. Almost immediately, Murphy set the tone for his career with the Bombers by trading popular QB Dieter Brock
Dieter Brock

Ralph "Dieter" Brock , is a former Canadian Football League quarterback who spent most of his career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and led the league in passing for four years....
 to Hamilton in exchange for lesser-known QB Tom Clements
Tom Clements

Thomas Albert Clements was a Canadian Football League quarterback. Currently, he is the quarterbacks coach of the National Football League?s Green Bay Packers....
. Trading Brock turned out to be a wise decision, with Clements leading the Bombers to crushing victory in the 1984 Grey Cup, coincidently over the Brock-led Tiger-Cats. This was Winnipeg's first Grey Cup in 22 years. Murphy was named coach of the year in both 1983 and 1984.

In 1987 Murphy stepped down as head coach to become the team general manger, with assistant coach Mike Riley
Mike Riley

Michael Joseph Riley is an American football coach and the current head coach of the Oregon State Beavers football. Riley has also coached in several professional leagues, and is a former head coach of the San Diego Chargers of the NFL and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League ....
 (son of former Winnipeg coach Bud Riley
Bud Riley

Edward ?Bud? Riley is a former football coach with the Idaho Vandals, Oregon State Beavers, and in the Canadian Football League. He is the father of current Oregon State University and former Winnipeg Blue Bombers and San Diego Chargers head coach Mike Riley....
) taking over head coaching duties. Riley's teams won the Grey Cup in both 1988 and 1990, garnering Riley the coach of the year award both seasons.

After Riley left, Darryl Rogers
Darryl Rogers

Darryl Rogers was an American football coach. He was hired by the Detroit Lions in 1985 as head coach. He went 7-9 in '85, 5-11 in '86, 4-11 in '87, and 2-9 in 1988, for a career record with the Lions of 18-40....
 and Urban Bowman each helmed the team for a season until 1993, when Murphy took over head coaching duties again. Murphy went on to lead the team to a total of five Grey Cup appearances, winning, as a coach in 1984, and as a GM, in 1988 and 1990. He left the club after the 1996 season
1996 CFL season

The 1996 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 43rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 39th Canadian Football League season....
, having spent 14 years with the team. Later, he would coach the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, founded in 1910 in sports. They play their home games at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field....
 in 1999.

The Reinebold years

In November 1996, Cal Murphy left the Blue Bomber organization, after 14 years. This was partly due to a 68-7 playoff thumping by the Edmonton Eskimos, and partly because the team had not had a winning record the previous 2 years, winning only 7 games in 1995, and 9 in 1996.

Jeff Reinebold
Jeff Reinebold

Jeff Reinebold is the wide receiver coach of the SMU Mustangs football team. He formerly coached in the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe....
 was hired to replace Murphy as the teams coach, and despite a huge amount of hype, and championship promises going into the 1997 season, proved to be one of the least successful head coaches in team history. The Bombers won 4 games in 1997, and just 3 in 1998.

The few notable highlights from that era include:
  • Milt Stegall becoming an all-star in 1997, his first full year with the team, and scoring what seemed like at least 1 long TD in every game.
  • A 43-12 drubbing of the eventual Western Division champion Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 1997 Labour Day Classic.
  • A dramatic win over the Roughriders at home in 1998, with forgotten backup QB Troy Kopp leading the 2nd half 20+ point comeback. This was the "Guaranteed Win day" that the club had been promoting all week, as well as the first win of the season, well into September.


The few memorable players on the team during that time included Linebacker: K.D. Williams, Safety: Tom Europe
Tom Europe

Tom Europe is a professional Canadian football defensive back who played eleven seasons in the Canadian Football League. He currently stars on the Discovery Health show, the last 10 pounds, working as a personal trainer....
, Running back / Returner: Eric Blount, and of course, Milt Stegall.

The Milt Stegall era

Milt Stegall
Milt Stegall

Milton "Milt" Stegall is a former professional gridiron football player who was an All-Star receiver playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League....
 joined the Bombers in 1995 after an unimpressive 3-year career with the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Ohio. It is currently a member of the AFC North of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
, and played in the Bombers' final six games of the 1995 season
1995 CFL season

The 1995 Canadian Football League season is 87th in CFL history....
, racking up 469 receiving yards. In 1996 Stegall set a new league record for average gain per reception at 26.5 yards on 61 catches, including 14 touchdowns. Following a brief return to the NFL, Stegall has remained the team's primary receiver.

In 1999 the Bombers acquired Khari Jones
Khari Jones

Khari Okang Jones [ke-HAR-ee] is a retired professional Canadian football player and former television sports reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation....
 from the BC Lions
British Columbia Lions

The BC Lions are a major professional sports team of the 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 to 1982....
. Together Stegall and Jones brought the Bombers back to prominence, with Jones being the CFL most outstanding player in 2001, and Stegall getting the honour in 2002. Charles Roberts
Charles Roberts

Charles Roberts is the name of:*Charles Boyle Roberts , U.S. Congressman from Maryland*Charles G.D. Roberts , Canadian poet and author*Charles Henry Roberts , British Liberal politician...
 joined them in 2001, a year which the Bombers went to the Grey Cup, which they eventually lost to the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders

The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium. They have won the league's Grey Cup championship six times, most recently in 96th Grey Cup....
. The team was a powerhouse during this period, being one of the best teams in the league from 2001 until 2003.

Midway through the 2004 season Jones was traded to the Calgary Stampeders, with backup QB Kevin Glenn
Kevin Glenn

Kevin Glenn is a professional Canadian football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders as an undrafted free agent in 2001....
 taking over the starting duties. Glenn led the team to two mediocre seasons after the trade.

With the offensive core of Stegall and Roberts still intact, Glenn led the Bombers back to respectability in 2006
2006 CFL season

The 2006 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 53rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 49th Canadian Football League season....
, making their first playoff appearance in two years. The Bombers lost their first game in the playoffs, but optimism going into the 2007 was higher than ever. A big turning point in the 2006 season was the addition of former Saskatchewan Roughrider Derrick Armstrong, the heir apparent to Stegall.

The 2007 CFL season
2007 CFL season

The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 50th season of the league, and many special events were held to commemorate the event....
 was in some ways the year of Milt Stegall: he broke the career CFL touchdown record and fell just short of overtaking the career receiving yards record held by Allen Pitts
Allen Pitts

Allen Pitts was a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League from 1990 to 2000. He attended Cal-State Fullerton and played his entire professional career as a receiver for the Calgary Stampeders....
. The 2007 season was also likely be Stegall’s last, as he was 37 years old and had been contemplating retirement for the previous two seasons.

The 2007 Grey Cup game was played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the first time the two prairie teams met for the championship. Winnipeg was defeated by the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, founded in 1910 in sports. They play their home games at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field....
 23–19 in the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre

Rogers Centre, formerly known as SkyDome, is a multi-purpose stadium in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower near the shores of Lake Ontario....
 in Toronto
Toronto

Toronto is the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population in Canada and the Provinces and territories of Canada Provincial and territorial capitals of Canada of Ontario....
. During the East division final win over the Toronto Argonauts, quarterback Kevin Glenn broke his arm and Winnipeg was left with a green rookie to take his place for the championship game. Inexperienced back-up quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie — in his first CFL start — threw one touchdown pass, fumbled once and threw 3 interceptions to Saskatchewan cornerback James Johnson. Johnson was later declared the game MVP.

One of the picks, was shown in the instant replay to have hit the ground before it was caught. Despite his rookie mistakes, Dinwiddie showed promise going into the 2008 season. Dinwiddie recently threw for 450-yds versus the Calgary Stampeders.

On January 31st, 2008 it was announced that Milt Stegall will be returning for yet one more year. He signed a one year contract for $200,000 on the basis of the fact his wife wanted to have their next child in Winnipeg, and the fact that they were in line to be a contender for the Grey Cup. He took a $50,000 pay cut, and is 159 yards away from breaking Allen Pitts all time receiving yards record.

Other returning players who were free agents going into the 2008 season, including star DE Tom Canada, OL's Dan Goodspeed & Matt Sheridan, signed for less money from the Bombers than other teams were prepared to pay them, in hopes of a Grey Cup run in '08. Tom Canada in particular, reportedly turned down a much higher contract offer from the Montreal Aloutettes, to come back to Winnipeg.

On September 2, 2008 the Bombers traded all star running back Charles Roberts
Charles Roberts

Charles Roberts is the name of:*Charles Boyle Roberts , U.S. Congressman from Maryland*Charles G.D. Roberts , Canadian poet and author*Charles Henry Roberts , British Liberal politician...
 to B.C. for Joe Smith
Joe Smith

Joseph Leynard Smith is an United States professional basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA.A 6' 10" power forward, Smith was the Naismith College Player of the Year at University of Maryland, College Park in 1995 and taken with the List of first overall NBA draft picks of that season's 1995 NBA Draft....
. Then on September 8, 2008 they traded all star DE Tom Canada
Tom Canada

Tom Canada is a Canadian football defensive end who is currently a free agent....
 to Hamilton for Zeke Moreno
Zeke Moreno

Ezekiel Aaron Moreno is a Canadian Football League linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts....
. But on September 9, 2008 the trade was canceled due to the fact that Canada was injured and could not play for at least 10 weeks. So since they couldn't trade Canada they sent over Corey Mace
Corey Mace

Corey Mace is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2007....
 and a First round pick for Moreno.

Following the 2008 season in which the Bombers were defeated in the division semifinals, Doug Berry (the head coach) was fired. Mike Kelly was chosen to replace him. At the end of the Cal Murphy era Mike Kelly was the offensive coordinator and was passed over for the top job in favour of Jeff Reinebold
Jeff Reinebold

Jeff Reinebold is the wide receiver coach of the SMU Mustangs football team. He formerly coached in the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe....
, which in hindsight would prove to be a disastrous move. With Milt Stegall's early season knee surgery and drop in production it was once again speculated that Milt Stegall would retire.

The departure of Brendan Taman on January 13, 2009, was another sign that this era was coming to an end and a new one was beginning. On February 18, 2009 Milt Stegall did retire from the CFL which formally ended the Milt Stegall era. The return of Mike Kelly would open a new Cal Murphy era, and bring back the success that would come with it.

Current personnel


Current roster


Current staff


Management


Head coaches




General managers




Stadium

Bomber Stadium
During the Blue Bombers' early years the team played at Osborne Stadium
Osborne Stadium

Osborne Stadium was the home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1935 until 1952. It was located just west of the Manitoba Legislative Building and could hold 7,800 fans....
, a small stadium near the Manitoba Legislative Buildings. The fast passing-dominated play of Bombers quarterback Jack Jacobs
Jack Jacobs

"Indian" Jack Jacobs was an American football and Canadian football player in the National Football League and Canadian Football League. He was a charter member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963....
 dramatically increased attendance at Blue Bombers games and precipitated the need for a new, larger stadium. Winnipeg Stadium
Canad Inns Stadium

Canad Inns Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located north of Polo Park Shopping Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The stadium, named for hotel chain Canad Inns, and originally completed in 1953, seats 29,533 for football....
 was built in the former city of St. James, west of Winnipeg, and the Blue Bombers began play there in 1953
1953 in Canadian football

Canadian Football News in 1953The Canadian Rugby Union was paid in total of $20,500 by three television stations for the rights to show the Grey Cup game live....
. The Blue Bombers continue to play at the stadium, though it has gone through significant changes over the years and is now known as Canad Inns Stadium.

In recent years, various plans have been proposed to relocate the stadium. The latest is a 2008 plan to build a new stadium at the University of Manitoba, with both private and public funding.

Trivia

  • Despite Winnipeg's being a western Canadian
    Western Canada

    File:Western Canada2.svgWestern Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a list of regions of Canada generally including all parts of Canada west of the provinces and territories of Canada of Ontario....
     city, the Blue Bombers have played many seasons (1987
    1987 CFL season

    The 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....
     to 1994
    1994 CFL season

    The 1994 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 41st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 37th Canadian Football League season....
    , 1997
    1997 CFL season

    The 1997 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 44th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 40th Canadian Football League season....
     to 2001
    2001 CFL season

    The 2001 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 48th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 44th Canadian Football League season....
     and 2006
    2006 CFL season

    The 2006 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 53rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 49th Canadian Football League season....
     to present) in the Eastern Division
    Canadian Football League East Division

    The Eastern Canada Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958 in sports, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues....
     to keep the number of teams in each division somewhat equal, with six switches total since 1987. With the suspension of the Ottawa Renegades
    Ottawa Renegades

    Ottawa Renegades was the most recent name of a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario founded in 2002 CFL season, seven years after the storied Ottawa Rough Riders folded....
     team for the 2006 season
    2006 CFL season

    The 2006 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 53rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 49th Canadian Football League season....
    , the Blue Bombers returned to the Eastern Division for at least the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
  • The only current CFL city whose team has never played Winnipeg for the championship is Montreal
    Montreal Alouettes

    The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current incarnation of the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions....
    .
  • Labatt Blue, a widely-known beer
    Beer

    Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and Fermentation of starches, mainly derived from cereal?the most common of which is malted barley, although wheat, maize , and rice are widely used....
     in Canada
    Canada

    Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
    , was named after the Blue Bombers.
  • The Bombers are the only team that has won every award (see :Category:Canadian Football League trophies and awards for list of trophies) in the CFL.
  • In 1951 Jack Jacobs became the first pro football quarterback to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season with 3,248. That year he was also the first pro football quarterback to throw for at least 30 touchdowns, with 33. The next year he bested that mark with 34.
  • In 1981 wide receiver Eugene Goodlow became the first CFL played to reach the century mark in receptions in a season. Goodlow caught 100 passes for 1,494 yards and 14 touchdowns.
  • That season the Bombers became one of the first teams to have three receivers with at least 1,000 yards in a season. Goodlow with 1,494; Joe Poplawski with 1,271; and Rick House with 1,102.


Team facts

Founded: 1930


Helmet design: Gold background, with a blue "W", lightning bolt and football


Uniform colours: Blue, gold and white.


Stadium: Osborne Stadium
Osborne Stadium

Osborne Stadium was the home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1935 until 1952. It was located just west of the Manitoba Legislative Building and could hold 7,800 fans....
 (1935-1952), Canad Inns Stadium
Canad Inns Stadium

Canad Inns Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located north of Polo Park Shopping Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The stadium, named for hotel chain Canad Inns, and originally completed in 1953, seats 29,533 for football....
 (known as Winnipeg Stadium from 1953 to 2002) (1953-present)


Local radio: CJOB 680 (AM radio) 99.5 (Cable FM)


Eastern Division
Canadian Football League East Division

The Eastern Canada Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958 in sports, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues....
 championships:
7 — 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2007


Western Division
Canadian Football League West Division

The Western Canada Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958 in sports, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues....
 championships:
13 — 1936, 1939, 1941, 1947, 1950, 1952, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1972


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....
 finals appearances:
23 — 1935
1935 in Canadian football

Canadian Football News in 1935The Winnipeg Blue Bombers became the first Western Canada team to win the Grey Cup by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 18-12, in Hamilton, Ontario....
 (won), 1937 (lost), 1938 (lost) 1939 (won), 1941 (won), 1945 (lost), 1946 (lost), 1947 (lost), 1950 (lost
38th Grey Cup

The 38th Grey Cup, played at Varsity Stadium in Toronto on November 25, 1950, before 27,101 fans, also known as the Mud Bowl, was the Canadian football championship game played between the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
), 1953 (lost), 1957 (lost), 1958 (won
46th Grey Cup

The 46th Grey Cup was the championship game of the 1958 CFL season of the Canadian Football League on November 29, 1958. The game was played in Vancouver's Empire Stadium before a crowd of 36,567....
), 1959 (won
47th Grey Cup

The 47th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's championship game of the 1959 CFL season on November 28, 1959.The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21 to 7 at Toronto's CNE Stadium before a crowd of 33,133...
), 1961 (won), 1962 (won
50th Grey Cup

The 50th Grey Cup, also known as the Fog Bowl, was the 1962 CFL season Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship game played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium....
), 1965 (lost), 1984 (won), 1988
1988 CFL season

The 1988 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 35th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 31st Canadian Football League season....
 (won
76th Grey Cup

The 76th Grey Cup was the 1988 CFL season Canadian Football League championship game that was played at Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa, between the BC Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
), 1990
78th Grey Cup

The 78th Grey Cup was the 1990 CFL season Canadian Football League championship game played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Edmonton Eskimos at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC....
 (won), 1992
1992 CFL season

The 1992 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 39th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 35th Canadian Football League season....
 (lost), 1993
1993 CFL season

The 1993 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 40th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 36th Canadian Football League season....
 (lost
81st Grey Cup

The 81st Grey Cup was the 1993 CFL season Canadian Football League championship game played between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta....
), 2001
2001 CFL season

The 2001 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 48th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 44th Canadian Football League season....
 (lost
89th Grey Cup

The 89th Grey Cup was held in 2001 CFL season in Montreal. The Calgary Stampeders claimed their fifth championship in team history with a 27-19 win over the Canadian Football League East Division champions and heavily favoured Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
), 2007
2007 CFL season

The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 50th season of the league, and many special events were held to commemorate the event....
(lost
95th Grey Cup

The 95th Grey Cup was held in Toronto at the Rogers Centre on November 25, 2007. The Grey Cup, first awarded in 1909, is the championship game of the Canadian Football League....
),


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....
 wins: 10 — 1935, 1939, 1941, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1984
72nd Grey Cup

The 72nd Grey Cup was the 1984 CFL season Canadian Football League championship game that was played at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats....
, 1988
76th Grey Cup

The 76th Grey Cup was the 1988 CFL season Canadian Football League championship game that was played at Frank Clair Stadium in Ottawa, between the BC Lions and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers....
, 1990
78th Grey Cup

The 78th Grey Cup was the 1990 CFL season Canadian Football League championship game played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Edmonton Eskimos at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, BC....


Division history: Western Football Conference
Canadian Football League West Division

The Western Canada Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958 in sports, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues....
 (1961-1979), West Division
Canadian Football League West Division

The Western Canada Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958 in sports, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues....
 (1980-1986), East Division (1987-1995), North Division (1995), West Division
Canadian Football League West Division

The Western Canada Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958 in sports, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues....
(1996), East Division (1997-2001), West Division
Canadian Football League West Division

The Western Canada Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958 in sports, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues....
 (2002-2005), East Division (2006-present)


Main rivals: Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan, founded in 1910 in sports. They play their home games at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field....
 (see Labour Day Classic
Labour Day Classic

The Labour Day Classic is a particular week of the Canadian Football League schedule that is played over the Labour Day weekend. This particular weekend, typically the tenth or eleventh week in the season, is known for its fixtures that do not change from year to year, unlike other weeks of the CFL schedule....
 and Banjo Bowl
Banjo Bowl

The Banjo Bowl is the annual rematch game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League after the Labour Day Classic....
) & the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts

The Toronto Argonauts are a Canadian Football League team based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1873, they are one of the oldest extant professional sports teams in North America....
 whom they met in the 2007 East Final.


2006 regular season
2006 CFL season

The 2006 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 53rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 49th Canadian Football League season....
 record: 9 wins, 9 losses, 0 ties.


2007 regular season
2007 CFL season

The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 50th season of the league, and many special events were held to commemorate the event....
 record: 10 wins, 7 losses, 1 tie.


2008 regular season
2008 CFL season

The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern Canadian professional football. Officially, it was the 51st season of the league. It was also the first CFL season to air all of its regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup game, on The Sports Network....
 record: 8 wins, 10 losses, 0 ties.
2009 regular season
2009 CFL season

The 2009 CFL season is the 56th season of modern professional Canadian football. Officially, it is the 52nd season of the Canadian Football League....
 record: Unknown TBA

Players of note




See also

  • List of Fan Owned Teams
  • Canadian Football Hall of Fame
    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....
  • Canadian football
    Canadian football

    Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played chiefly in Canada in which two teams of twelve 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 ....
  • Comparison of Canadian and American football
    Comparison of Canadian and American football

    Canadian Football and American football are very similar, as both have their origins in rugby football. As such, the rules of these sports are very similar, although there are some key differences....
  • List of Canadian Football League seasons
    List of Canadian Football League seasons

    This is a list of Canadian Football League Season , including seasons in Canadian football prior to the CFL's founding in 1958 in sports....


External links