Toronto Indians
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Indians were a football team from Toronto, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union
, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League
. After the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
moved to the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union in 1941
, the Indians began play in the ORFU to fill the void. Ironically, these two teams would merge in 1948
and would continue to be known as the Beachers after that season.
. Despite their regular season success, the Indians would not have the same fortune in the post-season, having never won a playoff game.
On April 20, 1948
, it was announced that the Indians would merge with the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
and assumed the name Toronto Beaches-Indians for that one season. The amalgamation took place due to the difficulty that the two teams were having in competing for fan support, in addition to the competition from the IRFU's Toronto Argonauts
. The team finished in 2nd place that year with a 5-4 record, but lost to the Hamilton Tigers
(who had transferred to the ORFU from the more competitive IRFU that year) in the ORFU Finals. On January 4, 1949, the club announced that the amalgamation would end and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers would resume play while the Indians would fold.
Ontario Rugby Football Union
The Ontario Rugby Football Union or ORFU was an early amateur Canadian football league with teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded in 1883 and in 1903 became the first major competition to adopt the Burnside Rules, from which the modern Canadian football code would...
, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League
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....
. After the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers were a Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League...
moved to the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union in 1941
1941 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1941:The Calgary Bronks left the WIFU and the Vancouver Grizzlies joined.The IRFU was renamed to Eastern Canada Union for one season. The Hamilton Tigers did not participate in the Eastern Canada Union, due to World War II and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers of the ORFU...
, the Indians began play in the ORFU to fill the void. Ironically, these two teams would merge in 1948
1948 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1948:The WIFU increased their games from 8 to 12 games per team.The Hamilton Tigers, formerly of the IRFU joined the ORFU, and the Hamilton Wildcats joined the IRFU on Friday, April 9....
and would continue to be known as the Beachers after that season.
History
The Indians were respectable in their first season of senior competition as the team finished in 2nd place in the ORFU with a .500 record while the league had three teams. For the next three seasons, however, the team would finish near the bottom of the standings winning only four of 25 games with the team missing the playoffs every year. Their fortunes would change, though, as the Indians qualified for the playoffs in each of the next three seasons, including a first place finish in 19451945 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1945:On Friday, September 28, the Calgary Bronks changed their name to the Calgary Stampeders and rejoin the WIFU with blue and gold colours.The IRFU would resume play, but the WIFU still suspended operations....
. Despite their regular season success, the Indians would not have the same fortune in the post-season, having never won a playoff game.
On April 20, 1948
1948 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1948:The WIFU increased their games from 8 to 12 games per team.The Hamilton Tigers, formerly of the IRFU joined the ORFU, and the Hamilton Wildcats joined the IRFU on Friday, April 9....
, it was announced that the Indians would merge with the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers were a Canadian football team based in Toronto, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League...
and assumed the name Toronto Beaches-Indians for that one season. The amalgamation took place due to the difficulty that the two teams were having in competing for fan support, in addition to the competition from the IRFU's Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The 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...
. The team finished in 2nd place that year with a 5-4 record, but lost to the Hamilton Tigers
Hamilton Tigers (football)
The Hamilton Tigers were a Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union from 1883 to 1906 and 1948 to 1949 and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1907 to 1947. The club was a founding member of both the ORFU in 1883 and the IRFU in...
(who had transferred to the ORFU from the more competitive IRFU that year) in the ORFU Finals. On January 4, 1949, the club announced that the amalgamation would end and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers would resume play while the Indians would fold.
ORFU season-by-season
| Season | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 1941 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1941:The Calgary Bronks left the WIFU and the Vancouver Grizzlies joined.The IRFU was renamed to Eastern Canada Union for one season. The Hamilton Tigers did not participate in the Eastern Canada Union, due to World War II and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers of the ORFU... |
2 | 2 | 2 | 46 | 55 | 6 | 2nd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1942 1942 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1942:The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
3 | 7 | 0 | 66 | 113 | 6 | 5th, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1943 1943 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1943:The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
1 | 8 | 0 | 36 | 180 | 2 | 6th, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1944 1944 in Canadian football -Canadian football news in 1944:The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
0 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 168 | 0 | 4th, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1945 1945 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1945:On Friday, September 28, the Calgary Bronks changed their name to the Calgary Stampeders and rejoin the WIFU with blue and gold colours.The IRFU would resume play, but the WIFU still suspended operations.... |
7 | 1 | 0 | 124 | 150 | 14 | 1st, ORFU | Lost ORFU Finals |
| 1946 1946 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1946:The WIFU resumed play for the first time since 1942. The IRFU increased their season play from 6 games to 12 games, per team.... |
8 | 1 | 1 | 176 | 66 | 17 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Semi-Finals |
| 1947 1947 in Canadian football -Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.-SEMI-FINALS:*Hamilton advances to the ORFU Final.... |
4 | 5 | 1 | 99 | 120 | 9 | 4th, ORFU | Lost ORFU Semi-Finals |
| 1948 1948 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1948:The WIFU increased their games from 8 to 12 games per team.The Hamilton Tigers, formerly of the IRFU joined the ORFU, and the Hamilton Wildcats joined the IRFU on Friday, April 9.... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 124 | 86 | 10 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Finals |