1951 - The B.C. Lions were formed in January at the Arctic Club. E. Kent Phillips of Saskatoon was appointed Commissioner of WIFU.

1952 - Television revenue for the first time. CRU was paid $7,500 by CBC for Grey Cup TV rights. CBLT Toronto was the only station to carry the game live.

1953 - Three television stations carried the Grey Cup game live, and the CRU was paid $20,500 for the rights. Billy Vessels won the first Schenley Award. G. Sydney Halter, Q.C. was named Commissioner of WIFU.

1954 - B.C. entered the WIFU and adopted the colours burnt orange and brown. B.C. played its first game at Empire Games Stadium against the Montreal Alouettes on Wednesday August 11th. The Alouettes won 22-0. IRFU (Big Four) games were televised on the NBC national network.

1955 - IRFU awarded the 3rd place team a play off berth. The Grey Cup Game was played in the West for the first time in Vancouver's Empire Stadium, attendance 39,500, gross revenue $198,000. ORFU withdrew from Grey Cup competition.

1956 - Canadian Football Council was formed Sunday, January 22nd at Winnipeg and national negotiation lists were introduced. Value of a touchdown was increased from 5 to 6 points. Television rights were sold for $101,000. G. Sydney Halter, Q.C. was named Commissioner of Canadian Football Council.

1957 - Interference by eligible blockers legal up to third 5-yard stripe. First Grey Cup Game telecast live from coast to coast in Canada. TV rights brought $125,000.

1958 - Canadian Football Council withdrew from Canadian Rugby Union. CFC was renamed the Canadian Football League on Sunday, January 19th at the Royal Alexandra Hotel in Winnipeg. G. Sydney Halter, Q.C. of Winnipeg was appointed Commissioner. The CFL opened on Thursday, August 14th as the Blue Bombers defeated the Edmonton Eskimos 29-21 at Winnipeg before 18,206 spectators.

1960 - Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (Big Four) changed name to Eastern Football Conference. Unlimited blocking was allowed on interception returns. McMahon Stadium in Calgary was built in 103 days and the Stampeders moved in Monday, August 15th.

1961 - Western Canada Intercollegiate Rugby Union merged with the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union. Western Interprovincial Football Union changed name to Western Football Conference. Partial interlocking schedule introduced between Eastern and Western Conference. First Grey Cup Game to go into overtime was 21-14 Winnipeg victory over Hamilton at CNE Stadium, Toronto. Four backs were permitted unlimited blocking on rushing plays if they lined up outside the ends. The tackle-eligible play was made illegal.

1962 - Canadian Football Hall of Fame was established and Hamilton was named the site. Grey Cup Game stopped by fog on Saturday, December 1st and the final 9 minutes and 29 seconds were played the next day. Winnipeg edged Hamilton 28-27.

1963 - Charter Membership into Hall of Fame.

1965 - CFL commissioned an economic study of all aspects of Canadian football. Canadian Football Players Association was organized. First meetings were May 15th to 16th in Toronto.

1966 - Unlimited blocking on rushing pays was legalized. Rule book rewritten and reduced in size. Trusteeship of Grey Cup turned over by CRU to CFL. Goose-necked goalposts were introduced.

1967 - CFL office setup in Toronto with Senator Keith Davey as Commissioner. Senator Davey was succeeded on Thursday, February 23rd by Ted Workman and then Allan McEachern. Recommendations of Committee On One League (COO) approved to bring operating matters under control of the League. Players' Pension Fund established. CRU became the CAFA on Sunday, January 1st and turned over the Grey Cup trophy to the CFL. CFL League Office took up residence at 11 King Street West in Toronto in Montreal Trust Building.

1968 - J. G. (Jake) Gaudar was appointed Commissioner and CFL adopted new Constitution.

1969 - Although the 1962 game was completed on a Sunday, the 1969 game was the first Grey Cup game to start and finish on a Sunday and the first Grey Cup game in Montreal since 1931.

1970 - 3m Tartan Turf was installed in Vancouver's Empire Stadium. First sod was turned for Hall of Fame building in Hamilton. First All-Star Game since 1958.

1971 - Grey Cup Game was played on artificial turf for first time in Vancouver. Calgary defeated Toronto 14-11.

1972 - Canadian Football Hall of Fame opened in Hamilton. Grey Cup was played on Astroturf in Hamilton's Ivor Wynne Stadium.

1973 - Both Conferences adopted standard playoff procedure.

1974 - Eastern Conference adopted 16-game schedule. ORFU ceased to exist.

1975 - For the first time a Grey Cup final on the Prairies - in Calgary. Blocking above waist was permitted on punt-returns; 2-point convert was introduced.

1976 - The Canadian Football League attracted more than 2 million fans for the first time as 2,029,586 people attended its games.

1977 - Grey Cup Game was played before record crowd (68,318) which paid record receipts ($1,401,930) at Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Montreal Alouettes set CFL attendance record of 476,201.

1979 - Edmonton Eskimos set single season attendance record of 340,239 for Western Conference.

1980 - CFL signed record television contract with Carling-O'Keefe Breweries for $15.6 million to cover 3-year period (1981-83).

1981 - Eastern, Western Conference dissolved and renamed East and West Divisions. Board of Governors replaced Executive Committee and Management Council replaced General Managers Committee. Complete interlocking schedule for first time.

1982 - CFL granted a new franchise to Montreal called the Concordes. The Grey Cup Game attracted the largest television audience in the history of Canadian television as 7,862,000 viewers watched Edmonton extend their record to five consecutive Grey Cup victories.

1983 - CFL signed record television agreement with Carling O'Keefe Breweries for $33 million over a 3-year period (1984-86). League attendance reached an all-time high of 2,856,031 for all games. The 71st Grey Cup Game was played before 59,345 fans in BC Place Stadium and was the first CFL championship game to be played indoors. The Game provided the League with its first $2 million gross gate. Television coverage on CBC, CTV and Radio- Canada of the Grey Cup Game attracted the largest viewing audience in television history for a Canadian sports program as 8,118,000 people watched Toronto edge B.C. 18-17.

1984 - On Friday, June 1st, Douglas H. Mitchell, Q.C. of Calgary became the sixth Commissioner of the CFL. In the fall, a market research study was done with fans in the CFL cities. The League moved to make the 1985 Canadian College Draft 'Open' and eliminated Territorial Exemptions. Edmonton played host to its first Grey Cup Game.

1985 - The CFL moved to adopt overtime in the Regular Season which consisted of two five-minute halves (no-sudden death) and would be implemented in 1986. The CFL changed the overtime format for Playoff Games from two 10-minutes halves (with no sudden-death) to two five-minute halves (no sudden-death).

1986 - The CFL moved to an 18-game (per Club) Regular Season schedule. The Playoff structure was revised permitting a fourth place team from one division to qualify for post-season play providing it had more points in the Regular Season standings than the third place team in the other division. The CFL and the CFLPA agree to a new three-year agreement. The Alouettes were re-born as the Montreal Football Club changed its name from the Concordes to the Alouettes, on the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Alouettes. The Sports Network carried live coverage of the first round of the 1986 Canadian College Draft from coast-to-coast. Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Montreal Alouettes played the first pre-season game in the Canada Games Stadium at Saint John, New Brunswick. Winnipeg won 36-10. The CFL amended the quota to 35-man game rosters (13 Imports, 19 Non-imports and 3Quarterbacks). The Designated Import rule was eliminated. End zones were reduced from 25 to 20 yards. The Canadian Amateur Football Association changed its name to Football Canada in June.

1987 - The CFL celebrated the 75th Grey Cup Championship Season with the milestone Game at B.C. Place Stadium on Sunday, November 29th. The Canadian Football Network, a syndicate of Canadian television stations was formed. The CFL experimented with the TV blackout policy as four games (two in Hamilton and two in Toronto) are televised in the Hamilton-Toronto market. Game rosters were revised from 35 to 34 (19 Non-lmports, 13 Imports and 2 Quarterbacks) the reserve list was increased from three to four. The Montreal Alouettes folded on June 24th; the schedule was revised and the Divisions realigned with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers moving to the Eastern Division. The Playoff format reverted to pre-1986.

1988 - The CFL's agreement with CFN was extended through to 1990. Game rosters were to consist of 20 non-imports, 14 imports and 2 quarterbacks, the reserve list consisted of up to 2 players. When a team dressed 14 imports, one had to be designated as a specialty teams player. On Monday, December 12th, Roy McMurtry was appointed Chairman-Chief Executive Officer and Bill Baker President-Chief Operating Officer, both appointments were effective Sunday, January 1, 1989. The Board of Governors also approved the sale of the Toronto Argonauts from Carling O'Keefe to Harry Ornest.

1989 - On Friday, February 24th, the Board of Governors approved the sale of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from Harold E. Ballard - Maple Leaf Gardens Limited to David Braley. Two months later, the CFL announced a two-year television agreement with Carling O'Keefe for $12 million plus an additional $3 million in Club promotional support. Hamilton hosted the CFL Annual Meetings-Canadian College Draft for the second consecutive year. The Argos began play at the SkyDome, which would play host to the 77th Grey Cup Championship on Sunday, November 26th. Saskatchewan defeated Hamilton 43-40. Murray Pezim purchased the B.C. Lions in September. The Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union moved its championship, the Vanier Cup, from Varsity Stadium to the SkyDome. The University of Western Ontario defeated the University of Saskatchewan 35-10 in the Silver Anniversary game. BillBaker resigned as President-Chief Operating Officer effective Sunday, December 31st.

1990 - J. Donald Crump was appointed the eighth Commissioner of the CFL on Friday, January 5th. The CFL Annual Meetings- Canadian College Draft were held in Hamilton for the third consecutive year. Rosters were increased to 37 players including 20 non-imports, 14 imports and 3 quarterbacks. The reserve list remained at 2 players. Toronto and B C. set a record for most points in a game when they combined to score 111 on Saturday, September 1st at Toronto; Argonauts won 68-43. B.C. added silver to its colours.Vancouver played host to the Grey Cup Game for the 11th time.

1991 - Hamilton played host to the CFL Annual Meetings-Canadian College Draft for the fourth consecutive year. The Toronto Argonauts were sold by Harry Ornest to Bruce McNall, Wayne Gretzky and John Candy on Monday, February 25th. Ottawa Rough Riders Board of Directors resigned on Wednesday, July 24th and two days later the CFL assumed ownership of the franchise. On Saturday, October 19th, Bernie and Lonnie Glieberman purchased the club from the CFL. Five days later, Larry Ryckman purchased the Calgary Stampeders from the Stampeder Football Club Limited. Toronto signed collegiate starRaghib (Rocket) Ismail to a multi-year contract. Quarterback Doug Flutie broke Warren Moon's single season passing records for attempts, completions and yards. Jon Volpe of the Lions rushed for 20 touchdowns and broke Pat Abbruzzi's rookie record of 19 set in 1955. The eight clubs combined for a record 64.2 points per game and attendance figures broke 2 million (2,001,858) for the 10th time. At the conclusion of the regular season schedule 58,862,660 people had attended CFL games since the League's first game was played on Thursday, August 14, 1958 at Winnipeg. An Expansion Committee was struck and John Candy was named Chairman. Winnipeg played host to the Grey Cup Game for the first time on Sunday, November 24th. Toronto defeated Calgary 36-21 before a crowd of 51,985 fans. The Game was the most-watched Canadian TV show with an audience of 3,531,000 viewers. GMC began sponsorship of the Most Outstanding Player Awards. J. Donald Crump resigned as Commissioner on Tuesday, December 31st.

1992 - The City of Hamilton played host to the Canadian College Draft and the CFL Annual Meetings for a fifth consecutive year. Larry Smith, President of the Frozen Bakery Division of Ogilvie Mills Ltd. and former running back and tight end with Montreal Alouettes was named the ninth Commissioner of the CFL on Thursday, February 27th. The CFL celebrates 100 years of football in Canada, commemorating the formation of the Canadian Rugby Union in 1892, the forerunner of Football Canada and the CFL. Calgary Stampeders sign free agent quarterback Doug Flutie in March, 1992. On August 27, the League revokes the franchise of B. C. Lions owner Murray Pezim and assumes control after his refusal to pay club bills. Bill Comrie purchases the B.C. franchise on September 23 from the CFL. At the CFL's Outstanding Player Awards during Grey Cup Week, Flutie is named the Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive year, only the third player in League history to win back-to-back awards. Toronto hosts the Grey Cup for the 45th time, more than any other city. The 80th Grey Cup is played at SkyDome for the second time, the sixth League Championship to be played indoors. Calgary defeats the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24-10 for their third Grey Cup win and their first since 1971, ending the longest drought of any CFL team. At the conclusion of the 1992 regular season, 60,689,759 fans have gone through CFL turnstiles since the League's first game was played on August 14th, 1958 in Winnipeg.

1993 - At the League's Annual Meetings on February 23rd in Hamilton,the Sacramento Gold Miners are admitted as the CFL's ninth franchise, to begin play in 1993 in the Western Division. Sacramento becomes the League's first franchise based in the United States and the first addition since the B.C. Lions in 1954. The Annual Canadian College Draft is held in Calgary on March 6th, the first time it has been held in a Western Division city since 1971 in Winnipeg. Calgary's McMahon Stadium plays host to the Grey Cup for the second time in history on Sunday, November 28, with the Edmonton Eskimos defeating the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

1994 - The Las Vegas Posse, Shreveport Pirates, and Baltimore Football Club became the Canadian Football Leagues tenth, eleventh, and twelfth members respectively with all beginning play in the 1994 season. Las Vegas joins the Western Division while Baltimore and Shreveport will participate in the Eastern Division, bringing the number of teams in each Division to six. Bruce M. Firestone purchased the Ottawa Rough Riders Football Club from former owner Bernie Glieberman in February 1994. B.C. Place Stadium played host to the 82nd Grey Cup Championship on Sunday, November 27. For the first time an American based team, the Baltimore Football Club, challenged for the Grey Cup as the CFL Eastern Division Champions. They were defeated by the B.C. Lions 26-23 by virtue of a field goal on the final play of the game. This game marked the twelfth time the game has been played in Vancouver. The first ever CFL game between two American teams was played on Friday, July 8 when Las Vegas travelled to Sacramento to take on the Gold Miners.

1995 - For the first time in Canadian Football League history, the Grey Cup is won by a team based outside Canada as the Baltimore Stallions - a team that finally found a name after a long legal battle over use of the nickname Colts - defeated the Calgary Stampeders 37-20 at Taylor Field in Regina. The Stampeders were hampered by a less-than-stellar quarterbacking performance by Doug Flutie, who had just recently come back from elbow surgery. Both the Stallions and Stampeders finished the 1995 season with sparkling 15-3 won-lost records. All of the American-based teams of the CFL in 1995 - Birmingham Barracudas, Shreveport Pirates, Memphis Mad Dogs, San Antonio Texans and Grey Cup-champion Baltimore Stallions - folded operations after the season, but the Stallions were reborn as the Montreal Alouettes. The Alouettes - and later the Concordes - played in Montreal until the end of the 1986 season before folding operations on June 24, 1987. So, for 1996, the CFL is once again an all- Canadian league and there will be CFL action in Montreal for the first time in nine years.

1996 - Doug Flutie signs with the Argos and leads them to their first Grey Cup since 1991. The Grey Cup is billed as the Showdown in Steeltown as the Argos get by the Edmonton Eskimos 43-37 on a snowy November evening at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton. The CFL launches its offical website in partnership with SLAM! Sports.

1997 - The all-Canadian CFL is radical again in 1997. Doug Flutie and the powerful Toronto Argonauts crush the Saskatchewan Roughriders 47-23 in the Grey Cup, which is played at Edmonton's Commoonwealth Stadium.