The Grey Cup is plays a special part in the identity of sport in Canada. In celebration of the 103rd Grey Cup championship, played last night between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Ottawa Redblacks, here is a short rundown of how this iconic trophy came to be synonymous with Canadian football.
1909 – The Grey Cup comes into being
Initially, the Grey Cup was not even meant to be an award for football! Donated by His Excellency, Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey (Before anyone asks, this is not the guy that Earl Grey tea is named after. The tea was 
named for Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey.), the cup was originally intended to be a trophy for senior amateur hockey. However, when the Allan Cup, given by Sir H. Montagu Allan, took its place as an award for hockey, the Grey Cup became the award for the “Canadian Dominion Football Championship,” the amateur national championship. It was first awarded to the Toronto Varsity Blues. It is interesting to note that the football played at the time was actually rugby football, and did not become what we know today as true Canadian football until later, although the earliest documented game of Canadian football took place in 1861.
1954 – The Cup goes pro
In 1954, The Ontario Rugby Football Union withdrew from Grey Cup competition. Since that year, the Grey Cup has been an award for professional football and no longer for amateur football.
1958 – Founding of the CFL
Between 1910 and 1957, the Grey Cup remained an amateur award, and eventually teams from the west were able to compete for the championship. In 1958, the Canadian Football League was founded and the Grey Cup became its the championship trophy.
Since 1958 that the Grey Cup has been the CFL’s top award. Much has changed in Canadian football since then, including a short stint where a small number of American teams belonged to the league. As of November 29th, 2015, the Edmonton Eskimos are the reigning CFL champions and defenders of the Grey Cup. Now, we can only speculate as to which team will be the next to claim the famous cup as their own.
