1995 CFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1995 Canadian Football League
season is considered to be the 42nd season in modern-day Canadian football
, although it is officially the 38th Canadian Football League season.
with the Birmingham Barracudas
and the Memphis Mad Dogs
. In the off-season the Sacramento Gold Miners
moved to San Antonio to become the San Antonio Texans
. The Texans would play their home games at the Alamodome
. In the previous season, the Las Vegas Posse
, after a terrible inaugural season, ceased operations and folded. The Baltimore Football Club finally found themselves a new nickname and christened themselves the Stallions at the beginning of the second week of the season.
With the admittance of Birmingham and Memphis, the CFL undertook a realignment; the league would now consist of a North and South Division rather than an East and West Division. All five U.S.-based teams would play in the South Division, while all eight Canadian teams would compete in the North Division. Five teams from the North division and three from the South would qualify for the playoffs. To make up for the disparity, the lowest-seeded North Division playoff team (which ended up being Winnipeg) played in the South Division playoffs.
The city of Regina
played host to the Grey Cup
game for the first time. In the game, viewers at home and at Taylor Field
witnessed the Baltimore Stallions
defeat the Calgary Stampeders
, 37–20, becoming the first (and as of now, the only) American team to win the Grey Cup.
were the 1995 Grey Cup
champions, defeating the Calgary Stampeders
37–20 at Regina's Taylor Field
. The Stallions became the only American team to win the Grey Cup. The Stallions' Tracy Ham
(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player
and the Stampeders' Dave Sapunjis
(SB) was the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian
.
Canadian Football League
The 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....
season is considered to be the 42nd season in modern-day Canadian football
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...
, although it is officially the 38th Canadian Football League season.
CFL News in 1995
Two more United States-based teams were admitted in the CFLCanadian Football League
The 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....
with the Birmingham Barracudas
Birmingham Barracudas
The Birmingham Barracudas were a Canadian football team that played the 1995 season in the Canadian Football League. The Barracudas were part of a failed attempt to expand the CFL into the United States.-In the beginning:...
and the Memphis Mad Dogs
Memphis Mad Dogs
The Memphis Mad Dogs were a Canadian football team that played the 1995 season in the Canadian Football League. The Mad Dogs were part of a failed attempt to expand the CFL into the United States....
. In the off-season the Sacramento Gold Miners
Sacramento Gold Miners
The Sacramento Gold Miners were a Canadian football team based in Sacramento, California. The franchise was the first American team in the Canadian Football League. The Gold Miners were originally the "descendants" of the Sacramento Surge from the defunct World League of American Football...
moved to San Antonio to become the San Antonio Texans
San Antonio Texans
The San Antonio Texans were a Canadian Football League team that played in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, in the 1995 CFL season. They had relocated from Sacramento, California, where the team had been called the Sacramento Gold Miners...
. The Texans would play their home games at the Alamodome
Alamodome
The Alamodome is a domed 65,000 seat, multi-purpose facility that is primarily used as a football/basketball stadium and convention center in San Antonio, Texas, U.S...
. In the previous season, the Las Vegas Posse
Las Vegas Posse
The Las Vegas Posse was a Canadian Football League team that played the 1994 season as part of the CFL's short-lived American expansion. The Posse was one of the least successful CFL teams, both on the field and off.-On the field:...
, after a terrible inaugural season, ceased operations and folded. The Baltimore Football Club finally found themselves a new nickname and christened themselves the Stallions at the beginning of the second week of the season.
With the admittance of Birmingham and Memphis, the CFL undertook a realignment; the league would now consist of a North and South Division rather than an East and West Division. All five U.S.-based teams would play in the South Division, while all eight Canadian teams would compete in the North Division. Five teams from the North division and three from the South would qualify for the playoffs. To make up for the disparity, the lowest-seeded North Division playoff team (which ended up being Winnipeg) played in the South Division playoffs.
The city of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
played host to the Grey Cup
83rd Grey Cup
The 83rd Grey Cup aka The Wind Bowl was the 1995 Canadian Football League championship game played between the Baltimore Stallions and the Calgary Stampeders at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Stallions won the game by a score of 37-20...
game for the first time. In the game, viewers at home and at Taylor Field
Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field
Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field is a sports stadium located in Regina, Saskatchewan which is used primarily to play Canadian football. It has been the home of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders in rudimentary form since 1910 and as a complete stadium since 1936...
witnessed the Baltimore Stallions
Baltimore Stallions
The 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...
defeat the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The 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...
, 37–20, becoming the first (and as of now, the only) American team to win the Grey Cup.
Final regular season standings
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points. Teams in bold qualified for the playoffs.
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Grey Cup playoffs
The Baltimore StallionsBaltimore Stallions
The 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 the 1995 Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
champions, defeating the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The 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...
37–20 at Regina's Taylor Field
Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field
Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field is a sports stadium located in Regina, Saskatchewan which is used primarily to play Canadian football. It has been the home of the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders in rudimentary form since 1910 and as a complete stadium since 1936...
. The Stallions became the only American team to win the Grey Cup. The Stallions' Tracy Ham
Tracy Ham
Tracy Ham is a retired Canadian Football League quarterback for the Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, Baltimore Stallions, and the Montreal Alouettes. He was known for his abilities as a dual threat quarterback...
(QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player
Grey Cup Most Valuable Player
The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player award is awarded annually to the player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's championship game.-Grey Cup Most Valuable Player Award winners:...
and the Stampeders' Dave Sapunjis
Dave Sapunjis
David B. Sapunjis is a former wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders from 1990-1996. Sapunjis won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award two times and was the Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian three times. He played college football at the University of Western Ontario where he was also a...
(SB) was the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian
Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian
The Dick Suderman Trophy for the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian is awarded annually to the Canadian player deemed to have the best performance in the Grey Cup game, the championship of the Canadian Football League....
.
Playoff bracket
1995 CFL Awards
- CFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardThe Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
– Mike Pringle (RB), Baltimore Stallions - CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardThe Most Outstanding Canadian Award is annually rewarded to the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. This is the second-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted. The two nominees...
– Dave SapunjisDave SapunjisDavid B. Sapunjis is a former wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders from 1990-1996. Sapunjis won the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award two times and was the Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian three times. He played college football at the University of Western Ontario where he was also a...
(SB), Calgary Stampeders - CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player AwardThe Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award is annually rewarded to the best defensive player in the Canadian Football League. This is the third-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted...
– Willie PlessWillie PlessWillie Pless is a retired Canadian football linebacker in the Canadian Football League. He played for the Toronto Argonauts, BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, and Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning the 1993 Grey Cup with the Eskimos...
(LB), Edmonton Eskimos - CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman AwardThe Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award is annually rewarded to the best offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League. This is the fourth-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted...
– Mike WithycombeMike WithycombeWilliam Michael Withycombe is a former professional American and Canadian football offensive lineman who played three seasons in the Canadian Football League, mainly for the Baltimore Stallions. Previously he played four seasons in the NFL for three different teams. He played college football at...
(OG), Baltimore Stallions - CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Rookie AwardThe Most Outstanding Rookie Award is annually rewarded to the player deemed to be the best player in his first year in the Canadian Football League. This is the fifth-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it...
– Shalon BakerShalon BakerShalon Baker, born August 22, 1973, at Seattle, Washington, was an award winning Canadian Football League player and was a player/coach in the Arena Football League....
(WR), Edmonton Eskimos - CFLPA's Most Outstanding Community Service AwardTom Pate Memorial AwardEvery year the Canadian Football League Players' Association presents the Tom Pate Award. It is not a "Jock Award," but rather an award given to players who display qualities that distinguish them from their peers....
– Mark McLoughlinMark McLoughlinMark McLoughlin is a former placekicker in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders from 1988 to 2003 and the BC Lions in 2005...
(K), Calgary Stampeders - CFL's Coach of the YearAnnis Stukus TrophyThe Annis Stukus Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, which is presented annually by the Edmonton Eskimos Alumni Association to the Coach of the Year, as determined by the members of the Football Reporters of Canada...
– Don MatthewsDon MatthewsDon 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...
, Baltimore Stallions