The 1996 Montreal Alouettes finished in second place in the East Division with a 12–6 record in the franchise's first full season in the Canadian Football League since 1986. Unlike the lean years from 1981 to 1986, the revived Alouettes were going to be competitive, especially since most of them had won the Grey Cup in the previous season as the Baltimore Stallions. They had several offensive players from that team, such as Tracy Ham, Mike Pringle, kick returner Chris Wright, slotback Chris Armstrong, and two notable defensive players in Irvin Smith and Elfrid Payton. After a slow start they rebounded to finish strong and after defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, they traveled to Toronto, where they were defeated in the East Final by the eventual Grey Cup champions, the Toronto Argonauts.
Offseason Start of a new franchise Starting in the 1993 CFL season, the league began expanding into the United States with hopes of boosting revenues and saw five US-based teams in 1995, including the dominant Baltimore Stallions. Prior to the 1996 NFL season, Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell, announced his intentions to move the Browns to Baltimore (to be reborn as the Ravens, meaning there would be two professional football teams in the city. Stallions owner Jim Speros realized that the Stallions could not realistically compete with an NFL team and decided to move the team elsewhere. He looked into moving the team to Houston, Texas (which would lose their NFL team, the Oilers by the end of that same year), but after a deal could not be resolved, he decided to move the team to Montreal as the third (and current) incarnation of the Alouettes.
Stallions General Manager Jim Popp came with Speros to Montreal, but he had to build the team from scratch since the CFL did not allow the team to retain its Baltimore legacy. It was, however, allowed to reclaim the history and records of the old 1946–86 Alouettes (and the Concordes from 1982 to 1985). According to official CFL records, Speros is reckoned as having canceled the Stallions' franchise and reactivated the dormant Alouettes franchise. The Alouettes are now reckoned as having suspended operations from 1987 to 1995.
While all Baltimore players were released from their contracts, Popp was able to resign future Canadian Football Hall of Fame quarterback Tracy Ham and future Hall of Fame running back Mike Pringle, who would go on to become the CFL's all-time leading rusher. Both Ham and Pringle, along with other former Baltimore players re-signed by Popp, would play large roles in the success of the reborn team. The new Alouettes played their first regular season game on June 27, 1996; almost ten years since their last game in the city of Montreal.
1996 CFL draft
Round Pick Player Position School/Club team 1 9 Denis Montana WR Concordia University 2 18 Bryan Chiu DT Washington State 3 27 Adam Cassidy OL Alberta 4 36 Tom Hipsz DE Toronto 6 53 Adrian Rainbow QB British Columbia 7 62 Marc Charles DT Morgan State https://www.cfl.ca/canadian_draft/list?year=1996 1996 CFL Canadian Draft
1996 CFL expansion draft +NamePositionTeamSpencer McLennanSafetyBC LionsBruce BeatonTackleCalgary StampedersJohn KalinSafetyEdmonton EskimosHency CharlesLinebackerEdmonton EskimosLee KnightFullbackHamilton Tiger-CatsNigel WilliamsReceiverOttawa Rough RidersStefen ReidLinebackerOttawa Rough RidersBruce BoykoFullbackSaskatchewan RoughridersJock ClimieSlotbackToronto ArgonautsTerry BakerKicker/PunterToronto ArgonautsAllan BoykoReceiverWinnipeg Blue Bombers
Preseason Game Date Opponent Results Venue Attendance Score Record A June 13 vs. Ottawa Rough Riders W 38–7 1–0 Olympic Stadium 11,215 B June 20 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 43–39 2–0 Ivor Wynne Stadium 16,346
Regular season Season standings
Season schedule Week Game Date Opponent Results Venue Attendance Score Record 1 1 June 27 vs. Toronto Argonauts L 24–27 0–1 Olympic Stadium 24,653 2 2 July 5 at Edmonton Eskimos L 13–16 0–2 Commonwealth Stadium 26,211 3 3 July 10 vs. Calgary Stampeders L 22–62 0–3 Olympic Stadium 19,362 4 4 July 19 at BC Lions W 44–24 1–3 BC Place Stadium 21,855 5 5 July 24 vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers W 36–10 2–3 Olympic Stadium 20,302 6 6 Aug 1 at Toronto Argonauts L 31–40 2–4 SkyDome 20,302 7 7 Aug 7 vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 29–22 3–4 Olympic Stadium 25,210 7 8 Aug 11 at Saskatchewan Roughriders W 32–20 4–4 Taylor Field 21,997 8 8 Bye 9 9 Aug 23 vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders W 23–16 5–4 Olympic Stadium 26,511 10 10 Aug 30 at Ottawa Rough Riders L 6–17 5–5 Frank Clair Stadium 28,451 11 11 Sept 7 vs. BC Lions W 28–27 6–5 Olympic Stadium 15,161 12 12 Sept 13 at Calgary Stampeders W 25–23 7–5 McMahon Stadium 19,196 13 Bye 14 13 Sept 29 at Hamilton Tiger-Cats L 38–39 7–6 Ivor Wynne Stadium 17,740 15 14 Oct 4 vs. Edmonton Eskimos W 32–18 8–6 Olympic Stadium 17,886 16 15 Oct 14 at Ottawa Rough Riders W 25–18 9–6 Frank Clair Stadium 14,080 17 16 Oct 19 vs. Ottawa Rough Riders W 28–21 10–6 Olympic Stadium 18,671 18 17 Oct 25 vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 45–41 11–6 Olympic Stadium 20,231 19 18 Nov 1 at Winnipeg Blue Bombers W 42–24 12–6 Winnipeg Stadium 25,968
Roster 1996 Montreal Alouettes final roster Quarterbacks
Running backs
Receivers
Offensive linemen T G T T C G
Defensive linemen DE DE DE DT
Special teams K/P Linebackers
Defensive backs
Injured list LB WR DE QB WR G G DB T C LB RB
Italics indicate International player
Playoffs East Semi-Final Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 TotalHamilton Tiger-Cats 3 1 7 0 11Montreal Alouettes 4 3 7 8 22
East Final Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 TotalMontreal Alouettes 0 0 0 7 7Toronto Argonauts 12 14 10 7 43
Awards 1996 CFL All-Star Selections Grant Carter – Defensive End Charles Gordon – Defensive Back Tracy Gravely – Linebacker
1996 CFL East All-Star Selections Terry Baker – Placekicker Bruce Beaton – Offensive Guard Grant Carter – Defensive End Jock Climie – Slotback Neal Fort – Offensive Tackle Charles Gordon – Defensive Back Tracy Gravely – Linebacker Spencer McLennan – Defensive Safety Mike Pringle – Running Back Paul Randolph – Linebacker Irvin Smith – Cornerback
1996 Intergold CFLPA All-Star Selections
References