The London Lords were a professional-amateur Canadian football team competing in the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU), based in London, Ontario. They played their home games at Labatt Park. They won the final ORFU Senior championship in 1960, after which pro-am teams were barred from competing for the Grey Cup, and subsequently continued to play ORFU Intermediate football until the league formally folded in 1974.[1]
 | |
| Founded | 1955 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1974 |
| Based in | London, Ontario |
| League | Ontario Rugby Football Union |
| Division | Senior & Intermediate |
| Team colours | Black, White |
| Owner(s) | Ralph Duffus, Gordon Gilbride, Ken Lemon |
| Home field(s) | Labatt Park |
The Lords were owned by a community group headed by local businessmen Ralph Duffus, Gordon Gilbride, and Ken Lemon, and the team was established with the intention of eventually bringing a Canadian Football League (CFL) team to London.[2] During their existence, the Lords were a farm team for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, with the Tiger-Cats having their first refusal on call-up/contracts on any London Lords' player. [1]
The 1957 lost final was a particularly crushing disappointment for the Lords. Although entering the 2-way final as the underdogs, having lost both of their regular season games to the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen, the Lords stormed the first game 42–6. They also gained an early lead at the return leg, before conceding 48 points in 45 minutes.[1]
Legacy and Later Developments
editIn 1974, the same year that the ORFU formally folded, an investment group had reportedly approached the CFL with the intention of establishing an expansion team in London. The CFL was reported to have quoted the group a price of $2,700,000 for an expansion team. It is unknown for what reasons that the expansion bid failed and that the team never began play.[3]
In 2011, the London Lords were inducted into the London Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
In 2013, the name "London Lords" was adopted by the former London Silverbacks, a semi-professional Canadian football team, competing in World Minor League Football. This league ceased to operate shortly afterward in 2015.[citation needed]
ORFU Season-By-Season
edit| Season | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 124 | 177 | 6 | 4th, ORFU | - |
| 1957 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 320 | 110 | 18 | 1st, ORFU | Lost Final |
References
edit- ^ a b c The biggest choke in Canadian history? The Hamilton Spectator. Steve Milton. 02/11/17. Retrieved: 27/05/18
- ^ a b LondonSportsHall (2011-11-15). London Lords. Retrieved 2024-09-17 – via YouTube.
- ^ "May 13, 1982, page 1 – Edmonton Journal at Edmonton Journal". Newspapers.com. Retrieved April 19, 2024.