The Inter-provincial Rugby Football Union
Seasons
1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913 1912 1911 1910 1909 1908 1907
Average Attendance
Notes
- League Formed: January 1, 1907
- Disbanded: January 22, 1956
- Seasons suspended: 1916,1917,1918,1941,1942,1943,1944
- Seasons operated: 42
The Inter-provincial Rugby Football Union was formed in 1907 as the premier football union for Ontario and Quebec. Known as the “Big Four”, the IRFU consisted of original members the Montreal AAA (Amateur Athletic Association) Football Club, Ottawa Rough Riders, Hamilton Tigers and Toronto Argonauts.
Suspended for World War I (1916-1918) and World War II (1941-1944), the IRFU was briefly replaced by the ERFU for one season in 1941 when Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Toronto Balmy Beach from the ORFU joined together. A new league was formed since Toronto did not want to grant Balmy Beach membership into the IRFU for fear it would be permanent.
Following World War II, a new Montreal franchise named the Alouettes replaced the Montreal squad in 1946 and Hamilton clubs the Tigers and Wildcats merged into the Tiger-Cats in 1950 to join Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto. The IRFU banded with the WIFU to form the CFC in 1956 and later the CFL 1958. It maintained itself as a division under these leagues with much autonomy until 1960, when it was renamed the Eastern Football Conference. The EFC operated underneath the league until 1981 when it was dissolved and became the East Division and control of all matters succeeded to the league level.