MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – The Alouettes and Argonauts will meet in the East Final for the 11th time in their storied rivalry on Sunday afternoon at Olympic Stadium (TICKETS).
In case you’re wondering, the Als have come out on top in six of those 10 encounters the first of which took place the year the Alouettes were born in 1946. Fresh off being acquired by Leo Dandurand along with his partners Eric Cradock and Lew Hayman that year, the franchise suffered defeat at the hands of the Argos by a 12-6 score at Delormier Stadium in Montreal and a rivalry was born.
Breaking the ice
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QB Doug Flutie was all business at the front of the Argos’ offence in ’96… despite the party in the back. |
The Alouettes would have to wait another nine years before getting their chance at redemption against the Argonauts in the 1955 East Final. The Als made the most of their opportunity, erasing a 15-point deficit in the second half en route to a 38-36 win in front of their home crowd at Percival Molson Stadium.
That Als squad was loaded with talent led by legendary quarterback Sam “The Rifle” Etcheverry, his trusty targets Hal Patterson and John “Red” O’Quinn and his ground attack led by rusher Pat Abruzzi whose way paved by guard Herb Trawick. Not surprisingly, all five of those architects of that 1955 playoff win over the Argos would go on to be enshrined in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Fear the mullet
The Argos meanwhile had to stew on that East Final heartbreaker until four decades later when the Alouettes and Argonauts would lock horns with a trip to Grey Cup on the line in 1996. Despite the feel-good story of the Als making their triumphant return to the CFL that year, Bob Price’s squad was humbled 43-7 by Toronto behind the quick feet, pinpoint passing and immaculate mullet of Doug Flutie.
The Alouettes wouldn’t have to wait long for their shot at revenge as the division rivals would lock horns again only 12 months later. Unfortunately, Flutie was at it again with the Argos edging out the Alouettes 37-30 at the Skydome.
Alouettes back on top
The Alouettes would seize control of their rivalry with the Argos shortly after the turn of the millennium. From 2002 to 2010, the Als would claim five of six meetings. Thanks in large part to raucous sellout crowds at the Olympic Stadium, the Alouettes would win 35-18 in 2002 in front of over 57,000 fans and won 30-26 the following year before over 60,000 fans.
That mojo was then carried over to Toronto, with the Alouettes notching 33-17 victory in Hogtown. A return to the Als’ home turf only made things worse for the Argos as Montreal then won 33-24 in 2006 and 48-17 in 2010.
What’s in store for 11th chapter of the Alouettes-Argonauts rivalry in the East Final? Time will tell.
