The Grey Cup is the trophy awarded each year to the champion of the Canadian Football League. Donated by the then Governor General of Canada, Earl Grey, in 1909, it was to be awarded to the Rugby Football Champion of Canada.

For the first 45 years, football teams from various leagues in Canada could bid to compete for the championship and the trophy. In the early years, the winners were teams representing universities or local athletic associations. Since 1954, however, only teams that are members of the Canadian Football League have been allowed compete for "Earl Grey's mug". Universities now compete for their own football championship -- the Vanier Cup, named after another former Governor General of Canada, General Georges P. Vanier.

In the modern era, the game normally pits a western champion against an eastern champion (there have been exceptions). Teams in the two geographic divisions of the league compete to declare a champion for the division, and it's these two teams that compete each year for the Cup.

The host city for the game (and the associated festivities, shows and celebrations), is chosen by the league 2 to 3 years in advance. City and provincial officials, along with the local CFL team, bid to host the game. They have to show that they have the facilities to host the annual event -- a stadium that can be expanded to 50,000 seats or more, plus sufficient hotel and venue space. The winning bid normally pays the league $3 million for the privilege of hosting. The organizing committee keeps the gate receipts (to defray the costs), with any surpluses split between the city and the local team. The league normally adds the $3 million to the operating surplus generated during the regular season, and splits those profits amongst the member teams.

Here is a list of Grey Cup winners and losers:

Year	Winner	Loser	Score
1909	U. of Toronto	Parkdale	26-6
1910	U. of Toronto	Hamilton Tigers	16-7
1911	U. of Toronto	Toronto	14-7
1912	Hamilton Alerts	Toronto	11-4
1913	Hamilton Tigers	Parkdale	44-2
1914	Toronto	U. of Toronto	14-2
1915	Hamilton Tigers	Toronto R.A.A.	13-7
1916	No	Game	Held
1917	No	Game	Held
1918	No	Game	Held
1919	No	Game	Held
1920	U. of Toronto	Toronto	16-3
1921	Toronto	Edmonton	23-0
1922	Queen's U.	Edmonton	13-1
1923	Queen's U.	Regina	54-0
1924	Queen's U.	Balmy Beach	11-3
1925	Ottawa Senators	Winnipeg	24-1
1926	Ottawa Senators	U. of Toronto	10-7
1927	Balmy Beach	Hamilton Tigers	9-6
1928	Hamilton Tigers	Regina	30-0
1929	Hamilton Tigers	Regina	14-3
1930	Balmy Beach	Regina	11-6
1931	Montreal A.A.A.	Regina	22-0
1932	Hamilton Tigers	Regina	25-6
1933	Toronto	Sarnia	4-3
1934	Sarnia	Regina	20-12
1935	Winnipeg	Hamilton Tigers	18-12
1936	Sarnia	Ottawa	26-20
1937	Toronto	Winnipeg	4-3
1938	Toronto	Winnipeg	30-7
1939	Winnipeg	Ottawa	8-7
Year	Winner	Loser	Score
1940*	Ottawa	Balmy Beach	12-5
1940*	Ottawa	Balmy Beach	8-2
1941	Winnipeg	Ottawa	18-16
1942	Toronto RCAF	Winnipeg RCAF	8-5
1943	Hamilton Flying Wildcats	Winnipeg RCAF	23-14
1944	Montreal St. H-D Navy	Hamilton Flying Wildcats	7-6
1945	Toronto	Winnipeg	35-0
1946	Toronto	Winnipeg	28-6
1947	Toronto	Winnipeg	10-9
1948	Calgary	Ottawa	12-7
1949	Montreal Alouettes	Calgary	28-15
1950	Toronto	Winnipeg	13-0
1951	Ottawa	Saskatchewan	21-14
1952	Toronto	Edmonton	21-11
1953	Hamilton	Winnipeg	12-6
1954	Edmonton	Montreal	26-25
1955	Edmonton	Montreal	34-19
1956	Edmonton	Montreal	50-27
1957	Hamilton	Winnipeg	32-7
1958	Winnipeg	Hamilton	35-28
1959	Winnipeg	Hamilton	21-7
1960	Ottawa	Edmonton	16-6
1961	Winnipeg	Hamilton	21-14
1962	Winnipeg	Hamilton	28-27
1963	Hamilton	British Columbia	21-10
1964	British Columbia	Hamilton	34-24
1965	Hamilton	Winnipeg	22-16
1966	Saskatchewan	Ottawa	29-14
1967	Hamilton	Saskatchewan	24-1
1968	Ottawa	Calgary	24-21
1969	Ottawa	Saskatchewan	29-11