CFL Books

The following is an incomplete list of books published on the CFL, its member clubs and CFL related events. There are books missing from this list, so please let me know through the contact form of new or old books to add to the list. Book site links are used when available although a lot of these books are out of print and are only available through the reseller market. See also this external archived source for books compiled by Ian Speers before 2001, with descriptions/summaries of the titles.

Canadian Football League

Coaching and Reference

Gregory, John and Carolyn Gregory So You Want To Be a Football Coach. Independent, 2018.

Hall, Ryan et al. (Football Canada) Coaching Canadian Football. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2018.

History

Boyd, Denny and Brian Scrivener. Legends of Autumn: The Glory Years of Canadian Football. Canada: Greystone Books, 1997.

Cosentino, Frank Canadian Football: The Grey Cup Years. Toronto, Canada: Musson, 1969.

Cosentino, Frank A Passing Game: A History of the CFL. Winnipeg, Canada: Bain & Cox, 1995.

Cosentino, Frank Home Again: Canadian Football 1995-2014. USA: Lulu Press, 2014.

Currie, Gordon 100 Years of Canadian Football. Toronto, Canada: Pagurian Press, 1968.

Goodman, Jeffrey Huddling Up: The Inside Story of the Canadian Football League. Don Mills, Canada: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1982.

Maher, Tod and Bob Gill The Canadian Pro Football Encyclopedia: Every Player, Coach and Game, 1946-2010, USA: Lulu Press, 2011.

Maher, Tod and Bob Gill The Canadian Pro Football Encyclopedia: Every Player, Coach and Game, 1946-2011, USA: Maher Sports Media, 2012.

Maher, Tod and Bob Gill The Canadian Pro Football Encyclopedia: Every Player, Coach and Game, 1946-2012, USA: Maher Sports Media, 2013.

O’Keefe, Betty and Ian MacDonald. Disaster on Mount Slesse: The Story of Western Canada’s Worst Air Crash. Canada: Caitlin, 2006.

Roberts, Mike The Same Old Game: The True Story of the Origins of the World’s Football Games, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, USA: CreateSpace, 2011.

Wallen, James R. Gridiron Underground: Black American Journeys in Canadian Football, Toronto, Canada: Dundurn, 2019.

Willes, Ed End Zones and Border Wars: The Era of American Expansion in the CFL, Canada: Harbour Publishing, 2013.

General

Coleman, Jim The Best of Jim Coleman: Fifty Years of Canadian Sport from the Man Who Saw it All. Canada: Harbour, 2005.

Drake, Stephen Weird Facts About Canadian Football. Canada: OverTime Books, 2009.

Giles, Jeffrey Bigger Balls: The CFL and Overcoming the Canadian Inferiority Complex. Canada: Winding Stair Press, 2001.

Jones, Terry Canadian Pro Football ’81. Markham, Canada: PaperJacks, 1981.

Jones, Terry Canadian Pro Football ’82. Markham, Canada: PaperJacks, 1982.

Jones, Terry Canadian Pro Football ’83. Markham, Canada: PaperJacks, 1983.

Jones, Terry Canadian Pro Football ’84. Markham, Canada: PaperJacks, 1984.

Jones, Terry Canadian Pro Football ’85. Markham, Canada: PaperJacks, 1985.

Jutras, Johany Our League Our Country/Notre Ligue Notre Pays. Drummondville, Canada: Imprimerie FL Chicoine, 2015.

O’Brien, Steve The Canadian Football League: The Phoenix of Professional Sports Leagues. Morrisville, USA: Lulu Press, 2004.

Payne, Neil Crime and Punishment: Life as a CFL Official. Canada: J. Gordon Shillingford, 2001.

Proudfoot, Tony First and Goal: The CFL and the Pursuit of Excellence. Canada: HB Fenn and Company, 2006.

The Grey Cup

Allan, Tony Grey Cup or Bust Winnipeg, Canada: Stovel-Advocate Press, 1954.

Brunt, Stephen 100 Grey Cups: This Is Our Game Canada: McClelland & Stewart, 2012.

Cosentino, Frank 100 Years Of The Grey Cup: A Celebration Canada: Publisher unknown, ????. (Forthcoming?; publish date unknown)

Januska, Michael Grey Cup Century Canada: Dundurn, 2012.

Kelly, Graham Grey Cup 100. Canada: Folklore Publishing, 2012.

Kelly, Graham The Grey Cup: A History. Red Deer, Canada: Johnson Gorman, 1999.

Kelly, Graham Greatest Grey Cups: The Best of Canadian Football. Canada: Altitude Publishing, 2005.

Sullivan, Jack The Grey Cup Story: 1909-1955. Toronto, Canada: Beattie, 1955.

Sullivan, Jack The Grey Cup Story: The Dramatic History of Football’s Most Coveted Award. Toronto, Canada: Pagurian Press, 1970.

Thiele, Stephen Heroes of the Game: A History of the Grey Cup. Canada: Moulin Publishing, 1997.

Walker, Gordon Grey Cup Tradition: The Official Commemorative Book of the 75th Anniversary of the Grey Cup. Edmonton, Canada: E.S.P. Marketing & Communications, 1987.

Teams

Ackles, Bobby with Ian Mulgrew. The Water Boy: From the Sidelines to the Owner’s Box, Inside the CFL, the XFL, and the NFL. Canada: John Wiley & Sons Canada Ltd., 2007.

Bacon, Dick. Sam Berger’s Alouettes. Montreal, Canada: Editions Héritage, 1978.

Bruneau, Pierre and Pierre Turbis. La grande histoire des Alouettes de Montréal. Canada: Les Éditions de l’Homme, 2007.

Calder, Bob and Garry Andrews. Rider Pride: The Story of Canada’s Best-Loved Football Team. Saskatoon, Canada: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1984.

Calder, Robert, Gord Staseson, Julie Folk, Bob Hughes, Rob Vanstone, Darrell Davis and Dan Marce Saskatchewan Roughriders — First 100 Years. Regina, Canada: Centax Books, 2009.

Dowdall, Brent Turnover: The Fumbling of the Ottawa Rough Riders. Canada: Baird, O’Keefe, 1999.

Hopson, Jim with Darrell Davis. Running the Riders: My Decade as CEO of Canada’s Team. Regina, Canada: DriverWorks Ink, 2015.

Irving, Bob Blue & Gold: 75 Years of Blue Bomber Glory. Winnipeg, Canada: Great Plains Publishing, 2005.

Kelly, Graham Go Stamps Go: The Story of the Calgary Stampeders. Canada: Panorama Publishing, 2010.

Kelly, Graham Grey Cup Glory: The Edmonton Eskimos’ 2003 Championship Season. Canada: Johnson Gorman Publishing, 2003.

Kelly, Graham Green Grit: The Story of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Canada: HarperCollins Canada, 2001.

Kelly, Graham Saskatchewan Roughriders: The Players, The History and the Fans. Canada: OverTime Publishing, 2012.

Ling, Nils True Blue: An Inside Look at a Championship Season. Winnipeg, Manitoba: Wordsnorth Communications Services Ltd. (1984), 1984.

Marshall, Brian The 1954 Montreal Alouettes: Big Four Champions and Almost Grey Cup Champions. USA: The author, 2011.

McAuley, Jim Inside the Huddle: Rough Riders to Redblacks. Canada: John Ruddy, 2016. (Check local Ottawa bookstores)

McEvoy, Terry Rider Pride on the American Side : A Minnesota Family Discovers the Canadian Football League. USA: The author, 2006.

Nasewich, Rod and Sheldon Green. The Rider Book of Lists Regina, Canada: The authors, 2010.

Parrish, Wayne Double Blue: An Illustrated History of the Toronto Argonauts. Canada: ECW Press, 2007.

Pedersen, Rod Green Magic: Canada’s Team Wins the 2007 Grey Cup Regina, Canada: Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club, 2008.

Slade, Daryl Stampeders… Years of the Horse Canada: The author, 2009.

Teitel, Jay The Argo Bounce Toronto, Canada: Lester & Orpen Dennys, 1983.

Vanstone, Rob 100 Things Roughriders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. Chicago, USA: Triumph Books, 2019.

Vanstone, Rob West Riders Best – 1966: Before, Then & After. Regina, Canada: Centax Books, 2009.

Vanstone, Rob The Greatest Grey Cup Ever – 1989: Before, Then & After. Regina, Canada: Centax Books, 2010.

Walker, Gord and Terry Walker …And That’s Why I Love the Argos: A Lifelong Passion. Unpublished.

Wallace, Craig A Slip in the Rain: The True Story of the 1967-72 Toronto Argonauts and the Fumble That Killed Canada’s Team. Lulu Press, 2005.

Wirtanen, John BC Lions Football - The 1st 50 Years: 1954-2003. Victoria, Canada: Trafford Publishing, 2004

Wirtanen, John Thrown to the Lions: The B.C. Lions in Empire Stadium (1954-1982). Canada: Trafford Publishing, 2000.

Woods, Paul Bouncing Back: From National Joke to Grey Cup Champs. Lulu Press, 2013.

Woods, Paul Year of the Rocket: John Candy, Wayne Gretzky, a Crooked Tycoon, and the Craziest Season in Football History. Sutherland House, 2021.

Players, Coaches and Executives

Brigance, O.J. and Peter Schrager Strength of a Champion: Finding Faith and Fortitude Through Adversity. New York, NY: New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) LLC., 2013

Brignall, Richard China Clipper: Pro Football’s First Chinese-Canadian Player, Normie Kwong. Canada: Lorimer, 2010.

Callwood, June The Man Who Lost Himself: The Terry Evanshen Story. Canada: McClellan and Stewart, 2000.

Cahill, Leo with Scott Young Goodbye Argos. Canada: McClelland and Stewart Ltd., 1973.

Christiansen, R. C. Border Boys: How Americans from Border Colleges Helped Western Canada to Win a Football Championship. USA: Independent, 2022

Clemons, Michael All Heart: My Story. Canada: HarperCollins Canada, 1999.

Crawford, Rufus and William Strecker Rufus Baby: A Dream to Defeat the Odds. Hamilton, Canada: Mini Mocho Press, 1990.

Dunigan, Matt and Jim Taylor. Goin’ Deep: The Life and Times of a CFL Quarterback. Canada: Harbour, 2007.

Ealey Richardson, Jael The Stone Thrower: A Daughter’s Lessons, A Father’s Life. Canada: Thomas Allen Publishers, 2012.

Flutie, Doug with Perry Lefko Flutie. Toronto, Canada: Warwick Publishing, 1999.

Gabriel, Tony with Stanley Fillmore Double Trouble. Toronto, Canada: Gage Publishing, 1978.

Gilchrist, Cookie The Cookie That Did Not Crumble. USA: U Are Super Star LLC, 2011.

Hall, Richie and Guy Sholz Smoke and Mirrors: Life in the CFL with Richie Hall. Canada: Polished Publishing Group, 2017.

Kepley, Dan with Jim Taylor The Edmonton Eskimos: Inside the Dynasty. Toronto: Methuen, 1983.

Lefko, Perry Pinball: The Making of a Canadian Hero. Canada: Wiley, 2006.

MacCabe, Eddie Profile of a Pro: The Russ Jackson Story. Canada: Prentice Hall Canada, 1969.

McMurtry, Roy Memoirs and Reflections. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2013.

Moon, Warren with Don Yeager Never Give Up on Your Dream: My Journey. USA: Da Capo Press, 2009.

Mosca, Angelo with Steve Milton Tell Me To My Face. Canada: Lulu Canada Inc., 2011.

Neilsen, Robert F. Garney Henley: A Gentleman and a Tiger. Hamilton, Ontario: Potlatch Publications, 1972.

Profit, Mel For Love, Money and Future Considerations. Canada: D.C. Heath Canada Ltd., 1972.

Racine, Thom and Moe Racine Moe the Toe: Never My Dream. Canada, 2014.

Reed, George and John Chaput George Reed – His LIfe and Times. Regina, Canada: Centax Books, 2011.

Reid, Angus Thank You Coach: Learning How to Live by Being Taught How to Play. Canada: ABR Media, 2018.

Ridgway, Dave Robokicker: An Odyssey through the CFL. Canada: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1995.

Rosmus, Roy & Scott Taylor Quiet Hero: The Ken Ploen Story. Winnipeg, Canada: Roslor Publishing, 2011.

Slade, Daryl Sugarfoot: Ezzrett “Sugarfoot” Anderson. Canada, 2018.

Smith, Ron Kid Dynamite: The Gerry James Story. Fernie, Canada: Oolichan Books, 2011.

Thomas, Willie Third and Long: Inside the CFL. Canada: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1987.

Trestman, Marc with Ross Bernstein Perseverance: Life Lessons on Leadership and Teamwork USA: Bernstein Books, 2010.

Watts, J.C. What Color Is A Conservative?: My Life And My Politics. USA: Harper, 2002.

Young, Jim and Jim Taylor Dirty 30. Toronto, Canada: Methuen, 1974.

Young, Robert Allan What Doesn’t Kill You: The Lyle Bauer Story. Canada: The author, 2017.

Young Readers

Brignall, Richard China Clipper: Pro Football’s First Chinese-Canadian Player, Normie Kwong. Canada: Lorimer, 2010.

Danakas, John Choice of Colours: The pioneering African-Americ​an quarterbacks who changed the face of football. Canada: Lorimer, 2007.

Preston, Holly The ALWAYS Team. Canada: Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing, 2010.

Preston, Holly The ALWAYS Team – Trouble in Riderville. Canada: Always Books, 2011.

Preston, Holly The ALWAYS Team – The Search for Rider Nation. Canada: Always Books, 2013.

ORFU

Giesbrecht, Herman The ORFU Semi-Pro Canadian Football Years: ORFU Register 1946-1960. Canada, 2018.

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