1953 in Canadian football

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Grey Cup in 1953.

Canadian Football News in 1953

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

Ontario Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen 12 8 4 0 218 178 16 Sarnia Imperials 12 8 4 0 231 101 16 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 12 8 4 0 252 145 16 Brantford Redskins 12 0 12 0 73 350 0

• 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

Semifinals

WIFU semifinals – game 1 Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Date Away Home October 28 Saskatchewan Roughriders 5 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 43

WIFU semifinals – game 2 Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Saskatchewan Roughriders Date Away Home October 31 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 17 Saskatchewan Roughriders 18

• Winnipeg won the total-point series by 60–23. The Blue Bombers will play the Edmonton Eskimos in the WIFU Finals.

ORFU semifinals – game 1 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Sarnia Imperials Date Away Home November 7 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 0 Sarnia Imperials 2

ORFU semifinals – game 2 Sarnia Imperials @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers Date Away Home November 8 Sarnia Imperials 10 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 18

• Toronto Balmy Beach won the total-point series by 18–12. The Beachers will play the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen in the ORFU Finals.

Finals

WIFU Finals – Game 1 Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Edmonton Eskimos Date Away Home November 7 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7 Edmonton Eskimos 25

WIFU Finals – Game 2 Edmonton Eskimos @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Date Away Home November 11 Edmonton Eskimos 17 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21

WIFU Finals – Game 3 Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Edmonton Eskimos Date Away Home November 14 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 30 Edmonton Eskimos 24

• Winnipeg wins the best of three series 2–1. The Blue Bombers will play the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers in the Grey Cup semifinal.

ORFU Finals – Game 1 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen Date Away Home November 11 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 6 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen 9

ORFU Finals – Game 2 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers Date Away Home November 15 Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen 12 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 24

• Toronto won the total-point series by 30–21. The Beachers will play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup semifinal.

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 semifinal

Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Date Away Home November 21 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 4 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24

• The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will advance to the Grey Cup game.

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

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

November 28 41st Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium – Toronto, Ontario WIFU Champion IRFU Champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers 6 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12 The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the 1953 Grey Cup Champions

1953 Eastern (Interprovincial Rugby Football Union) All-Stars

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 – Ed Bradley, 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

1953 Western (Western Interprovincial Football Union) All-Stars

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, Saskatchewan Roughriders
• 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

1953 Ontario Rugby Football Union All-Stars

NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.

• QB – Bob Schneidenbach, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• HB – Dick Gregory - Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• HB – Jack Mancos, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
• HB – John Duchene, Sarnia Imperials
• E – Harvey Singleton, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• E – Keith Fisher, Sarnia Imperials
• FW – Johnny Chorostecki, Sarnia Imperials
• C – Bruce Mattingly, Sarnia Imperials
• G – Jay Fry, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
• G – Lloyd "Dutch" Davey, Sarnia Imperials
• T – Oatten Fisher, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• T – Maurice Dorocke, Sarnia Imperials

1953 Canadian Football Awards

• Most Outstanding Player Award – Billy Vessels (RB), Edmonton Eskimos
• Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Bob Cunningham (FB), Ottawa Rough Riders
• Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (WIFU MVP) - John Henry Johnson (RB), Calgary Stampeders
• Gruen Trophy (IRFU Rookie of the Year) - Bob Dawson (RB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (WIFU Rookie of the Year) - Gordon Sturtridge (DE), Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - Dick Gregory - Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers