The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Grey Cup in 1953.
Sports league season
[ ]
The Canadian Rugby Union was paid in total of $20,500 by three television stations for the rights to show the Grey Cup game live. Edmonton's Billy Vessels (RB), became the first player to win the Schenley Award as the Most Outstanding Player Award . G. Sydney Halter , QC was named as WIFU Commissioner.[1]
For the 1953 season, it was ruled that the ORFU winners would travel west to play the WIFU winners in a semi-final game.[2] This arrangement continued in the 1954 season.
Regular season [ ]
Final regular season standings [ ]
Source:[3]
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points
Western Interprovincial Football Union
Team
GP
W
L
T
PF
PA
Pts
Edmonton Eskimos
16
12
4
0
276
157
24
Saskatchewan Roughriders
16
8
7
1
243
239
17
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
16
8
8
0
226
226
16
Calgary Stampeders
16
3
12
1
190
313
7
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
Team
GP
W
L
T
PF
PA
Pts
Montreal Alouettes
14
8
6
0
292
229
16
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
14
8
6
0
229
243
16
Ottawa Rough Riders
14
7
7
0
266
238
14
Toronto Argonauts
14
5
9
0
172
249
10
Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
Edmonton has a bye and will play in the WIFU Finals.
Kitchener-Waterloo has a bye and will play in the ORFU Finals.
Grey Cup playoffs [ ]
Note: All dates in 1953
SEMI-FINALS [ ]
Winnipeg won the total-point series by 60–23. The Blue Bombers will play the Edmonton Eskimos in the WIFU Finals.
Toronto Balmy Beach won the total-point series by 18–12. The Beachers will play the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen in the ORFU Finals.
FINALS [ ]
Winnipeg wins the best of three series 2–1. The Blue Bombers will play the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers in the Grey Cup Semi-Final.
Toronto won the total-point series by 30–21. The Beachers will play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup Semi-Final.
IRFU Finals – Game 1
Montreal Alouettes @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Date
Away
Home
November 18
Montreal Alouettes 12
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37
IRFU Finals – Game 2
Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Montreal Alouettes
Date
Away
Home
November 22
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 22
Montreal Alouettes 11
Hamilton wins the best of three series 2–0. The Tiger-Cats will advance to the Grey Cup game.
Grey Cup Semi-Final [ ]
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will advance to the Grey Cup game.
Playoff Bracket [ ]
Quarter Finals
Semi Finals
Grey Cup Final
IRFU
Montreal Alouettes
12-11
EAST
IRFU
Hamilton Tiger Cats
37-22
IRFU
Hamilton Tiger Cats
12
WIFU
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
6
WIFU
Edmonton Eskimos
25-17-24
WIFU
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
7-21-30
WIFU
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
24
WEST
ORFU
Toronto Balmy Beach
4
ORFU
Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
9-12
ORFU
Toronto Balmy Beach
6-24
Grey Cup Championship [ ]
[ ]
Offence [ ]
QB – Sam Etcheverry , Montreal Alouettes
RB – Avatus Stone , Ottawa Rough Riders
RB – Joe Scudero , Toronto Argonauts
RB – Gene Roberts , Ottawa Rough Riders
E – Red O'Quinn , Montreal Alouettes
E – Bernie Flowers , Ottawa Rough Riders
FW – Bob Simpson , Ottawa Rough Riders
C – Tommy Hugo , Montreal Alouettes
OG – Kaye Vaughan , Ottawa Rough Riders
OG – , Montreal Alouettes
OT – Tex Coulter , Montreal Alouettes
OT – Vince Mazza , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Defence [ ]
DT – Tex Coulter , Montreal Alouettes
DT – Vince Mazza , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
DE – Pete Neumann , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
DE – Doug McNichol , Montreal Alouettes
DG – Vince Scott , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
DG – Eddie Bevan , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
LB – Red Ettinger , Toronto Argonauts
LB – Ralph Toohy , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
LB – Tommy Hugo , Montreal Alouettes
DB – Dick Brown , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
DB – Howie Turner , Ottawa Rough Riders
DB – Lou Kusserow , Hamilton Tiger-Cats
S - Teddy Toogood , Toronto Argonauts
[ ]
Offence [ ]
QB – Claude Arnold , Edmonton Eskimos
RB – Rollie Miles , Edmonton Eskimos
RB – Billy Vessels , Edmonton Eskimos
RB – Normie Kwong , Edmonton Eskimos
E – Mac Speedie , Saskatchewan Roughriders
E – Bud Grant , Winnipeg Blue Bombers
FW – Bud Korchak , Winnipeg Blue Bombers
C – Eagle Keys , Edmonton Eskimos
OG – Mike Cassidy , Calgary Stampeders
OG – Jim Quondamatteo , Edmonton Eskimos
OT – Leon Manley , Edmonton Eskimos
OT – Martin Ruby , Saskatchewan Roughriders
Defence [ ]
DT – Dick Huffman , Winnipeg Blue Bombers
DT – Martin Ruby , Saskatchewan Roughriders
DE – Frank Anderson , Edmonton Eskimos
DE – Ezzret Anderson , Calgary Stampeders
DG – Dean Bandiera , Winnipeg Blue Bombers
DG – Gordon Brown , Calgary Stampeders
LB – John Wozniak , Saskatchewan Roughriders
LB – Tony Momsen , Calgary Stampeders
DB – Ray Willsey , Edmonton Eskimos
DB – Bobby Marlow , Saskatchewan Roughriders
DB – Neill Armstrong , Winnipeg Blue Bombers
S – Tom Casey , Winnipeg Blue Bombers
[ ]
NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.
QB – , Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
HB – Dick Gregory - Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
HB – , Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
HB – , Sarnia Imperials
E – , Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
E – , Sarnia Imperials
FW – , Sarnia Imperials
C – Bruce Mattingly , Sarnia Imperials
G – , Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
G – , Sarnia Imperials
T – Oatten Fisher , Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
T – , Sarnia Imperials
[ ]
References [ ]
Western Interprovicial Football Union Interprovincial Rugby Football Union Ontario Rugby Football Union See also