BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS	CALGARY STAMPEDERS	EDMONTON ESKIMOS

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Comments

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are using a new helmet design in 2008 (shown above).

The Edmonton Eskimos began using a special helmet logo on July 2, 2008, and continued to do so during subsequent games until September 1, 2008, when another new helmet design featuring a green shell (to be used for two games) was adopted.

According to the most recent report which I have received (July 2008), the British Columbia Lions have used only the white helmet shown above during the 2008 season (the team used orange helmets frequently in 2006 and 2007).

This link will open a new browser window displaying Grey Cup champions back to the year 1960.

Historical Helmets (currently active teams)

BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS

c.mid 1950s - 1961	c.1962 - 1966	1971
	*see note 1 below	*see note 2 below

1968 - 1970; 1972? - ?	c.1970s	c.1980s
*see note 3 below

1990? - 1995	2003	1996 - 2004
	*see note 4 below

August 19, 2005; August 4, 2006	2006 - 2007	October 28, 2006
*see note 5 below	*see note 6 below	*see note 7 below

2005 -

I believe that the helmets shown above represent most of the historical designs for the Lions for the period covered by this site (1960 to present), but there may be some other stripe variations for some of these helmets, particularly during the 1960s.

Some sources indicate that the Lions used a red or "scarlet" color, rather than orange, during the 1960s and perhaps 1970s. Since it is practically impossible to distinguish these colors from each other even in clear photographs, I would appreciate any documentation indicating that the Lions' team colors have been changed at some point in the past. What team colors are listed for the Lions in magazines, media guides, etc., from the 1960s and 1970s? Has "scarlet" or "red" ever been one of the team's official colors?

*1 The "paw" logo is visible on helmets in photographs from at least as early as the 1962 season.

*2 I have received conflicting information as to when this helmet design was used, but I now believe rather strongly that 1971 is most likely the correct year. The helmet logo is composed of three "C"s with their "backs" to each other; these stand for "Canadian Confederation Centennial". The year 1971 was the centennial of British Columbia's entry into the Canadian Confederacy. The small white flower (not a star) at the center of the design represents that of the Pacific dogwood, British Columbia's provincial flower.

*3 It has been reported to me that, in 1967, the Lions used a version of this logo with the letters "BC" in black rather than white; I would appreciate a clear photograph of this alleged version.

*4 This special design was first used during the Lions' home game against Winnipeg on June 20, 2003, as part of the team's observance of its 50th anniversary.

*5 This helmet was worn during a home game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2005, and during a home game against Edmonton in 2006.

*6 This design was apparently first used October 6, 2006 during a home game against Calgary, and was used again vs. Montreal during the 94th Grey Cup game (November 19, 2006). A visitor to this web site has reported that it may have been used for an additional game or two in 2006. I believe that it was used for a number of games in 2007, also, with the playoff game vs Sakatchewan being one specific occasion.

*7 This design was used during a home game against Winnipeg in 2006.

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

1960 - 1961	1962? - 1967?	1968 - ?

c.1970s	? - 1988	1989 - 1994

September 5, 2003	1995 -

Until the 2003 season, the Stampeders had used the "galloping horse" logo for at least thirty years or so, always on red helmet shells, and there may have been some other stripe variations besides those shown here, but I believe that the helmets shown above are a nearly complete set for Calgary for the period covered by this site (1960 to present). I have received a report that the team used a white star logo on red helmet shells during the late 1950s, and possibly as late as 1960.

EDMONTON ESKIMOS

c.early 1960s	c.1970s - c.1980s	c.1980s - c.1990s

August 9, 2003	1996 - June 28, 2008	September 1, 2008; September 5, 2008
*see note 1 below		*see note 2 below

July 3, 2008 -
*see note 3 below

The Eskimos apparently used plain gold helmets during the early 1960s, before adopting some version of the "EE" logo in 1967 (or perhaps as early as 1964, according to other reports that I have received) for the first time. I would appreciate some clear photographs of the Eskimos helmets from the 1960s (not photographs of "mini-helmets", please).

Earlier here I had noted that I had received a color photograph from 1961 that seemed to imply that the Eskimos were using silver helmets rather than gold ones; however, I have subsequently received a better photograph from the 1960 Grey Cup game which clearly shows the team using gold helmet shells.

*1 A special helmet design was used for one game in 2003 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Eskimos' home field, Commonwealth Stadium.

*2 "The Edmonton Eskimos will sport a new look for a good cause on [September 1, 2008] in the Labour Day Classic and for The Rematch [September 5, 2008] at Commonwealth Stadium. In celebration of the club’s 60th season, the Esks will take to the field in a special edition green helmet that will feature the iconic double “E” logo and green facemask.. A limited number of helmets will be auctioned off online with the proceeds going to the Eskimo Women’s Dinner in support of ovarian cancer research at the Lois Hole Hospital in Edmonton" (source: team's web site).

*3 A special logo commemorating the team's 60th season was worn in 2008 beginning with a home game against Calgary; the logo contains the text "60 SEASONS", "EDMONTON ESKIMOS", "1949", and "2008".

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

? - 1964; c.late 1960s	1965? - 1967?	1967

c.late 1960s - c.1971?	c.1970s	? - 1984

1985 - 1989?	1990? - 2002	2003 - 2004

September 4, 2006	2005 -

I have received a great deal of conflicting information regarding the specific dates of use for the various historical Tiger-Cats helmets, but the actual use of each of the designs shown here at some point in the past has at least been verified with photographic evidence. It is possible that two or more of these designs were used in some individual years, particularly during the 1960s and early 1970s.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES including Montreal Concordes

1960 - 1969	1970 - 1973	1975 - 1981
MONTREAL ALOUETTES	MONTREAL ALOUETTES	MONTREAL ALOUETTES
*see note 1 below

1982	1983 - 1985	1986
MONTREAL CONCORDES	MONTREAL CONCORDES	MONTREAL ALOUETTES

1996 - 1997?	1998? -
MONTREAL ALOUETTES	MONTREAL ALOUETTES

As best I can tell from the CFL's web site, it appears that the original Alouettes, the Concordes, and the "new" Alouettes are considered to be one franchise for historical purposes, despite the name changes and the nine-year absence of a team in Montreal from 1987 through 1995. The original Alouettes folded after the 1981 season, but were resurrected soon thereafter as the Montreal Concordes, who played from 1982 through 1985. The team name was changed back to Alouettes for the 1986 season, but the team folded again just before the 1987 season was to begin. When the Baltimore Stallions franchise relocated to Montreal for the 1996 season, the name Alouettes was resurrected for a second time.

One other design not yet shown here was used apparently during the 1974 season only; it featured a logo very similar to, or perhaps identical to, that shown on the "1975 - 1981" helmet shown above, but with the logo worn at the front of the helmet rather than on the sides. These helmets also had white numerals on the sides of their blue shells. I have not yet added this one to the site due to the fact that I have been unable to draw it to my satisfaction (it is a worst-case scenario difficulty-wise).

*1 Some sources indicate that an earlier helmet featured a green version of this "wing" logo, but I have never seen any photographs that confirm this, and I now believe that this is probably an "urban legend". Here's a message that I recently received from a visitor to this site: "The Alouettes 'never' wore a green wing on their helmet. Montreal wore a red helmet with a broad white stripe until 1959. In 1960 they went to the red wing on a white helmet and kept that through the 1969 season."

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

? - 1964	1966 - ?	? - 1984
*see note 1 below

1985 - 1994	September 3, 2007	1995 - 2007
*see note 2 below

2008 -

Several years ago, I put up on this page the photograph shown below, along with a request to hear from anyone who could identify the logo shown on the helmet; it was originally reported to me that this was a photograph of a helmet used by the Roughriders in about 1970:

Below are two of the logos that have been sent to me as possible candidates; it turns out that the second one is the one that was used on the 1965 helmet. The logo commemorates the province's 60th anniversary, which would make 1965 (rather than 1970) the year in which it was used. It remains unclear whether the decal had any color in it, so I would appreciate some clearer photographs than this one.

*1 Numerals were being worn on the helmets by at least 1962.

*2 A new logo was introduced in 1985 in recognition of the team's 75th anniversary.

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

c.1960	c.1964	c.1965

c.late 1960s	c.early 1970s	c.mid 1970s

1976 - ?	? - 1988	1989 - 1990
*see note 1 below

1991 - 1994	1995 - 2004	2005

2006 -

During the 1960s, possibly as many as three (or more) different earlier versions of the "football ship" logo were used on white helmets; shown here is the only photograph of any of these that I have received so far. I would like to get a copy of the logo used on this helmet, in addition to photographs of the other "football ship" helmets from the 1960s (not photographs of mini-helmets, please!).

*1 The logo used on this helmet was supposedly modified gradually during the years when it was used (some "shading" and "white accents" were eventually added to the original version, according to one report that I received).

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

1962 - ?	c.1960s? - c.1970s?	c.1970s? - 1994?

1995? - 1997	1998 - 2004	October 10, 2005
		*see note 1 below

2005 -

The Blue Bombers apparently used at least one or two other helmet designs during the very early 1960s: during at least the 1961 season, the helmets were royal blue with white "lightning bolts" (and possibly white uniform numerals, also); this design may also have been used in 1960, or else the team may have been using just the white numerals that year without the bolts. I would appreciate some clear photographs from the 1960 and 1961 seasons.

*1 This helmet was worn during a 2005 home game against British Columbia.

Historical Helmets(defunct teams)

OTTAWA RENEGADES

2002 - 2005

OTTAWA ROUGH RIDERS

1960	1961	1962 - 1963

1964 - 1965	c.1976 - 1982?	1983? - 1987?

1988? - 1991	1992? - 1993	1994

1995 - 1996

BALTIMORE STALLIONS

1994 - 1995

BIRMINGHAM BARRACUDAS

1995

LAS VEGAS POSSE

1994

MEMPHIS MADDOGS

1995

SAN ANTONIO TEXANS / SACRAMENTO GOLD MINERS

1993 - 1994	1995
SACRAMENTO GOLD MINERS	SAN ANTONIO TEXANS

SHREVEPORT PIRATES

1994 - 1995

This team may have also used black faceguards during part of its brief history. The few photographs that I have seen are not particularly clear one way or the other, although I do have one that certainly seems to indicate purple rather than black. Clear photographs of actual helmets would be appreciated.