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McGill logo.1900-2000
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McGill University resides out of Montreal, Quebec. Their football program is one on the oldest in Canada when they started in the 1898 season in which they were part of the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU). Before McGill became one of the oldest university football programs in Canada, they were one of the innovators of what football is today in Canada and the United States. In 1868, R. Tait Mackenzie made a written account of the first Quebec rugby-football game. The game was played between English troops that were stationed in Montreal and the students that were at McGill at that time.The next significant date in the history of McGill was in 1874, when the hybrid game of English rugby was devised. The McGill rules were played in the United States in a two game series between Harvard University and McGill. In the first game, between the two schools, Harvard won the first game using the Boston style of play (the Boston style of play included a round ball, much like what a soccer ball is today). In the first game of the series, Harvard defeated McGill 3-0, while in the second game of the series, the McGill style of play was being used (using an egg shape ball, much like what a football looks like today), the game ended with a 0-0 tie. Harvard liked McGill's style of play so much, that they introduced it to the United States, most notability to Ivy League schools.
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The Harvard vs. McGill game played in 1874.14 May 1874
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Before McGill started in the CIRFU, McGill University was part of the Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) from 1883 to 1898. McGill only won one QRFU championship, and that was in 1890.As stated earlier, McGill started their football program in the 1898 season in the CIRFU. The first intercollegiate game in Canada was played between the University of Toronto (U of T) and McGill and in that game; McGill lost to U of T and were out of contention of the Yates Cup that season.
McGill's first championship in the 20th century was in 1902, when McGill won their first ever Yates Cup in school history. McGill went on to win three more Yates Cup before World War I which was in 1906, 1912, and 1913 lead by then head coach Frank Shaughnessy. Between the years 1915 and 1918 the CIRFU ceased operations due to the war effort.
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The 1913 Yates Cup champions.Circa 1913
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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When World War I was done in 1919, the CIRFU resumed operations until the 1939 season, in which the CIRFU once again ceased operations again due to World War II. Between the years 1919 and 1939, McGill won three more Yates Cup which was in 1919, 1928, and 1938.7
Game program for McGill.26 September 1933
Molson Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Game program from 1936.24 October 1936
Molson Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Game program from 1937.13 November 1937
Molson Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Once World War II ended the CIRFU now renamed the Senior Intercollegiate Football League resumed operations and returned in 1946. The CIRFU lasted until the 1970 season. During their third stint with the CIRFU, McGill went on to win six more championships.McGill's first championship with the CIRFU was the Mitchell Bowl. McGill's Mitchell Bowl victory was in 1958, when they defeated the UBC Thunderbirds to capture the first ever Mitchell Bowl. This Mitchell Bowl victory was of significance to McGill because this was the first true national championship in Canadian university football.
McGill's next championship was during the 1960 season in which McGill won another Yates Cup against the Queen's Golden Gaels by the score of 21-0. With that victory in the Yates Cup, McGill went on to play the Alberta Golden Bears for the Mitchell Bowl in which they won 46-7.
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A McGill player receiving a pass.1960-1969
Molson Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Before McGill won their last Yates Cup in school's history in 1969, McGill and Loyola (now known as Concordia) started a rivalry for Montreal supremacy. Known as the Shaugnessy Cup which was named after former head coach for McGill Frank Shaugnessy who was the first professional head coach hired by a Canadian University, when he was coaching McGill. This game between McGill and Loyola/Concordia is now an annual affair between these two schools. McGill's first Shaugnessy Cup was during the same seaosn in 1969, when they defeated Loyola by the score of 41-0.13
A trophy that was given to Frank Shaughnessy after McGill's win in the 1912 Yates Cup.Circa 1912
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A trophy that was given to Frank Shaughnessy after McGill's win in the 1913 Yates Cup.Circa 1913
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