The history of the Toronto Argonauts stretches across 140 years and includes sixteen Grey Cup championships. The Argonauts have been founding members of every major league in eastern Canadian football since the emergence of organized play in the country and continue as members of the Canadian Football League's Eastern Division. Their time has been marked by periods of national dominance as well as a three decade championship drought.
Founded in 1873, the Argonauts would first participate in league play ten years later with the foundation of the Ontario Rugby Football Union. By 1907, this union would give way to the eastern "Big Four" of the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union—Toronto, Hamilton, Montreal and Ottawa. The teams would begin competing with other rivals for the Grey Cup two years later. A truly national organization would emerge with consolidation of the CFL in 1958.
Having evolved from rugby football for more than a century, the game played by the current team differs vastly from their first match-ups.