1946 in Canadian football

Canadian Football News in 1946

The WIFU resumed play for the first time since 1942. The IRFU increased their season play from 6 games to 12 games, per team.

The Montreal Alouettes came into existence. The Regina Roughriders unofficially changed their name to become the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The name change eventually became official on April 1, 1950.

Air travel was used for the first time as the Toronto Argonauts flew to Winnipeg to play pre-season games against the Blue Bombers.

Regular season

Final regular season standings

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 Calgary Stampeders 8 5 3 0 60 37 10 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 8 5 3 0 69 46 10 Regina Roughriders 8 2 6 0 46 92 4

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Montreal Alouettes 12 7 3 2 211 118 16 Toronto Argonauts 12 7 3 2 140 124 16 Ottawa Rough Riders 12 6 4 2 175 128 14 Hamilton Tigers 12 0 10 2 78 234 2

Ontario Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Hamilton Wildcats 10 8 1 1 166 66 17 Toronto Indians 10 8 1 1 176 66 17 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 10 6 4 0 112 84 12 Sarnia Imperials 10 4 6 0 88 158 8 Windsor Rockets 10 3 7 0 61 138 6 Ottawa Trojans 10 0 10 0 36 127 0

• Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.

Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1946

Semifinals

ORFU semifinals Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Toronto Indians Date Away Home November 8 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 12 Toronto Indians 7

• The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers will play the Hamilton Wildcats in the ORFU Final.

ORFU semifinals Sarnia Imperials @ Hamilton Wildcats Date Away Home November 9 Sarnia Imperials 5 Hamilton Wildcats 14

• The Hamilton Wildcats will play the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers in the ORFU Final.

Finals

WIFU Finals – Game 1 Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Calgary Stampeders Date Away Home October 26 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 18 Calgary Stampeders 21

WIFU Finals – Game 2 Calgary Stampeders @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Date Away Home November 2 Calgary Stampeders 0 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 12

• The Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the total-point series by 30–21. Winnipeg advances to the Grey Cup game.

ORFU Final Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Hamilton Wildcats Date Away Home November 16 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 13 Hamilton Wildcats 6

• The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers will play the Toronto Argonauts in the Eastern finals.

IRFU Finals Toronto Argonauts @ Montreal Alouettes Date Away Home November 16 Toronto Argonauts 12 Montreal Alouettes 6

• The Toronto Argonauts will play the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers in the Eastern finals.

Eastern Finals

Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers (ORFU) @ Toronto Argonauts Date Away Home November 23 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers (ORFU) 12 Toronto Argonauts 22

• The Toronto Argonauts advance to the Grey Cup game.

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Grey Cup final

IRFU

Montreal Alouettes

6

IRFU

Toronto Argonauts

12

IRFU

Toronto Argonauts

22

EAST

ORFU

Toronto Balmy Beach

12

ORFU

Hamilton Wildcats

6

ORFU

Toronto Balmy Beach

13

IRFU

Toronto Argonauts

28

WIFU

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

6

WIFU

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

WIFU

BYE

WIFU

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

18-12

WEST

WIFU

Calgary Stampeders

21-0

WIFU

Calgary Stampeders

WIFU

BYE

Grey Cup Championship

November 30 34th Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium – Toronto, Ontario WIFU Champion IRFU Champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers 6 Toronto Argonauts 28 The Toronto Argonauts are the 1946 Grey Cup Champions

1946 Eastern (Combined IRFU & ORFU) 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.

1st Team

• QB – Frank Gnup, Hamilton Wildcats
• FW – Ken Charleton, Ottawa Rough Riders
• HB – Royal Copeland, Toronto Argonauts
• HB – Joe Krol, Toronto Argonauts
• HB – Virgil Wagner, Montreal Alouettes
• E – Dick Groom, Hamilton Tigers
• E – Bert Haigh, Ottawa Rough Riders
• C – Doug Turner, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• G – Benny Steck, Montreal Alouettes
• G – Bill Zock, Toronto Argonauts
• T – Herb Trawick, Montreal Alouettes
• T – Hank Christman, Ottawa Rough Riders

2nd Team

• QB – Frank Dunlap, Ottawa Rough Riders
• FW – Don McFarlane, University of Western Ontario
• HB – Bob McFarlane, University of Western Ontario
• HB – Don Toms, Hamilton Wildcats
• HB – Johnny Lake, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• E – George Turnbull, University of Western Ontario
• E – Len Wright, Hamilton Wildcats
• C – Don Loney, Toronto Argonauts
• G – Don McKenzie, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• G – Rudy Grass, University of Toronto
• T – Don Durno, Toronto Indians
• T – Vic Ghetti, Windsor Rockets

1946 Western (Western Interprovincial 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 – Walter Dobler, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• FW – Bill Wusyk, Calgary Stampeders
• HB – Sully Glasser, Regina Roughriders
• HB – Paul Rowe, Calgary Stampeders
• HB – Bill Ordway, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• E – Johnny Bell, Regina Roughriders
• E – Nate Shore, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• C – Mel Wilson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• G – David "Sneaky" Adams, Calgary Stampeders
• G – Bill Ceretti, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• T – Andrew Nagy, Regina Roughriders
• T – Martin Gainor, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

1946 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 – Frank Gnup, Hamilton Wildcats
• HB – Don Toms, Hamilton Wildcats
• HB – Ross McKelvey, Toronto Indians
• DB – Johnny Lake, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• E – Len Wright, Hamilton Wildcats
• E – Johnny Farmer, Toronto Indians
• FW – Fred Kijek, Toronto Indians
• C – Doug Turner, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• G – Don McKenzie, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• G – Trip Trepanier, Sarnia Imperials
• T – Don Durno, Toronto Indians
• T – Vic Ghetti, Windsor Rockets

1946 Canadian Football Awards

• Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Joe Krol (RB), Toronto Argonauts
• Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (WIFU MVP) - Bill Wusyk (WR), Calgary Stampeders
• Gruen Trophy (IRFU Rookie of the Year) - Bernie Brennan (HB), Ottawa Rough Riders
• Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - Frank Gnup - Hamilton Wildcats