1981 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season

1981 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season
Head Coach	Frank Kush
General Manager	Ralph Sazio (3-2-0) Joe Zuger (8-2-1)
Home Field	Ivor Wynne Stadium
Results
Record	11–4–1
Place	1st, East
Playoff Finish	Lost East Final
Uniform
File:CFL HAM Jersey 1974.png
Timeline
Previous season	Next season
1980	1982

The 1981 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season was the 24th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 32nd overall. The Tiger-Cats finished in 1st place in the East division for the second consecutive year with an 11–4–1 record. They lost the East Final to the heavy underdog Ottawa Rough Riders team that finished 5–11–0. In the first season of full inter-division play, the Tiger-Cats finished with a 6–0 record against the East Division, outscoring their opponents 197 to 71.

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Score	Result	Record
A	June 7	at Montreal Alouettes	27–21	Win	1–0
B	June 13	vs. Toronto Argonauts	15–3	Loss	1–1
C	June 18	at Toronto Argonauts	23–16	Win	2–1
D	June 27	vs. Montreal Alouettes	38–24	Loss	2–2

Regular season

Season Standings

East Division

Team	GP	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pts
Hamilton Tiger-Cats	16	11	4	1	414	335	23
Ottawa Rough Riders	16	5	11	0	306	446	10
Montreal Alouettes	16	3	13	0	267	518	6
Toronto Argonauts	16	2	14	0	241	506	4

Season schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Score	Result	Record
1	July 5	at Winnipeg Blue Bombers	33–23	Win	1–0
2	July 11	vs. Ottawa Rough Riders	47–10	Win	2–0
3	July 17	at Calgary Stampeders	26–6	Loss	2–1
4	July 25	vs. Toronto Argonauts	57–13	Win	3–1
5	Aug 1	at Edmonton Eskimos	41–5	Loss	3–2
6	Aug 8	vs. Calgary Stampeders	28–16	Win	4–2
7	Aug 16	at BC Lions	37–23	Win	5–2
8	Bye
9	Aug 29	vs. Montreal Alouettes	16–11	Win	6–2
10	Sept 7	vs. Edmonton Eskimos	34–34	Tie	6–2–1
11	Sept 12	at Montreal Alouettes	26–10	Win	7–2–1
12	Sept 20	vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers	25–13	Win	8–2–1
13	Sept 26	at Ottawa Rough Riders	30–16	Win	9–2–1
14	Oct 4	at Saskatchewan Roughriders	30–26	Win	10–2–1
15	Oct 12	vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders	28–12	Loss	10–3–1
16	Bye
17	Oct 25	vs. BC Lions	34–7	Loss	10–4–1
18	Oct 31	at Toronto Argonauts	21–11	Win	11–4–1

Postseason

Schedule

Game	Date	Opponent	Score	Result
East Final	Nov 15	vs. Ottawa Rough Riders	17–13	Loss

Awards and honours

1981 All-Stars

• David Shaw, Defensive back
• Harold Woods, Defensive back
• Ben Zambiasi, Linebacker