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Queen's Golden Gaels logo.1882-2000
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Queen's University is located in Kingston, Ontario. Queen's first rugby-football game was played in the later part of the 19th century. Queen's along with the University of Toronto (U of T) and McGill are the three oldest football programs in Canadian history. The first significant year in Queen's history was in 1882, in which two brothers form Ottawa, Jackson and Fred Booth, introduced Queen's University to Rugby-Football.The populous of Queen's liked the game so much that they decided that to enter the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) before the start of the 1883 season.
In the 1883 season, Queen's compiled a 1-1 record. Their first win in school history was against the Royal Military College (RMC). They defeated RMC 12-8.
The next significant year in school history was in 1893. In the season itself, Queen's compiled a 6-2 record, and went on to play the Montreal Football Club in the Dominion Cup, which at that time determines the Canadian champion. In the championship game, Queen's won the Dominion Cup by the score of 29-11. This was the only championship that Queen's won while they were in the ORFU.
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Before the start of the 1898 season, Queen's University decided to go to the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU). They stayed in the CIRFU until the 1970 season. Their first significant season during their time in the CIRFU was in the 1904 season in which they won their first Yates Cup for being the Ontario champions for that year. In that season, Queen's defeated McGill University 6-0. Since their Yates Cup championship in 1904, Queen's did not even make the playoffs until 18 years later in 1922.In 1922, Queen's started a remarkable run in championships. Their first championship in that decade was in 1922. In that season, Queen's won their second Yates Cup when they defeated the Toronto Argonauts 12-11. After that win for the Yates Cup, the Golden Gaels were invited to play for that season's Grey Cup. Their opponent in that year's Grey Cup was the Edmonton Elks, in which Queen's won their first Grey Cup 13-1.
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Poster of Queen's from 1922.Circa 1922
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With the Yates and Grey Cup victories in the 1922 season, Queen's went on to win three straight Yates Cups (1923-1925) and two straight Grey Cups (1923 and 1924). Queen's University was the second team in Grey Cup history to have won three straight Grey Cups (The other team was U of T from 1909-1911).6
The 1923 Grey Cup champions.Circa 1923
Richardson Memorial Stadium, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Queen's Archives
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The 1924 Queen's football team.Circa 1924
Richardson Memorial Stadium, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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Queen's suffered their first Yates Cup lost in 1926, when they lost a playoff game to U of T 8-0. The following season in 1927, Queen's finished in first place in the CIRFU that season with a 3-1 record, and captured their sixth Yates Cup. Queen's next significant Yates Cup victory was in 1929 in which they finished the season with a 5-1 record. In the Yates Cup championship game, they played U of T in which they defeated them 15-5.9
The following season in 1930, Queen's captured their first Yates Cup of this decade by finishing the season with a 5-1 record. With that record, Queen's captured their eighth Yates Cup in school history.During the 1934 and 1935 seasons, Queen's won back to back Yates Cup by defeating U of T in the playoffs 8-7 and 6-4 respectively. Queen's next Yates Cup victory was in 1937, when once again there was a championship game in which U of T was playing in the championship. In the championship game Queen's won their third Yates Cup in the decade by defeated U of T 7-6.
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Queen's next Yates Cup championship game was during the 1945 season, in which they lost the Yates Cup that season against the Western Mustangs 17-2. This was the first season that the CIRFU came back after their World War II hiatus. During their time within the CIRFU, Queen's captured three Grey Cups, and 12 Yates Cups.Before the start of the 1955 season, the CIRFU decided to change the name of the union to the Ontario-Quebec Athletic Association (O-QAA), and they were in that union until the end of the 1970 season. During that time, Queens won 10 championships. Queen's first championship was in 1955 in which they won another Yates Cup. They won that championship by defeating U of T 18-0. The following season Queen's won their second straight Yates Cup by once again defeating U of T, 4-2.
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During the 1960s, Queen's has been in Yates Cup contention for seven seasons winning five times. Queen's most significant season was during the 1968 season. This season was significant because this was the season in which, Queen's won their first Canadian College Bowl. How they got to the Canadian College Bowl was being first in the O-QAA and capturing the Yates Cup. With that Yates Cup victory, Queens went to their first ever national semi-final. Known as the Churchill Bowl, Queen's went on to face the Manitoba Bisons in which they won 29-6. With that victory, Queen's went on to win their first Canadian College Bowl against the University of Waterloo which they won 42-14.12
Roster for the 1968 Canadian College Bowl.22 November 1968
Varsity Stadium, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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The 1968 Canadian Bowl champions.Circa 1968
Richardson Memorial Stadium, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Credits:Queen's University Archives
Wallace R. Berry
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After their successful run in the O-QAA, Queen's went on to the Ontario University Athletic Association (OUAA). This was their shortest stint in an association in their school history. During their two year stint in the OUAA, Queen's did not win any championship. After their short stint in the OUAA, Queen's entered their last conference in the 20th century, known as the Ontario Quebec Intercollegiate Football Conference (OQIFC); Queen's won a total of 15 championships. Their first championship in this conference was during the 1977 season when they won their 21st Yates Cup. In the championship game, Queen's went on to play and defeat the Bishop's Gaiters 45-27. With that win Queen's went on to their first ever Atlantic Bowl against the Acadia Axemen. During that game, Queen's lost their first ever appearance in the Atlantic Bowl 35-22. |
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