1933 in Canadian football

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Canadian Football News in 1933

The Toronto Argonauts lost their first two games of the season, only to storm back and win eight straight, including their first Grey Cup win in 12 years.

The Winnipeg St.John's were a no show at the annual meeting of the Manitoba Rugby Football Union. It was later learned that the St.John's had suspended operations for one season while they got their finances in order.

The MRFU made attempts to get another organization to take over the operations of the St.John's for the 1933 season. Although there was interest in taking over the team on a permanent basis, there was no interest in being custodian of the team for just one season.

In August, the players of the St.John's were dispersed between the Winnipegs and the Garrison. The Garrison was an Army team and only servicemen were eligible to play on the team. The Garrison claimed the only player who qualified (Alf Woods) and the remainder of the players ended up in the camp of the Winnipegs.

With an abundance of players available the Winnipegs operated two teams in 1933. The best players ended up on the Winnipegs who were wearing brand new blue jerseys (they weren't blue & gold until 1934). The remaining players wore the old green jerseys and they played under the name Shamrocks.[1]

The Winnipeg St.John's failed to re-form in 1934.

The British Columbia Rugby Football Union did not have regular season play, but did play 8 games in 3 multi-game series to determine a western semi finalist, and later another final for the league championship.

Regular season

Final regular season standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers 6 4 2 0 67 55 8
Toronto Argonauts 6 4 2 0 86 54 8
Ottawa Rough Riders 6 3 3 0 61 75 6
Hamilton Tigers 6 1 5 0 43 73 2
Ontario Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Sarnia Imperials 6 5 1 0 95 25 10
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 5 3 2 0 52 64 6
St. Michael's College 5 1 3 1 26 46 3
Hamilton Tiger Cubs 6 1 4 1 36 74 3
Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Varsity Blues 6 4 2 0 66 42 8
Queen's Golden Gaels 6 4 2 0 38 35 8
McGill Redmen
6 3 3 0 41 32 6
Western Ontario Mustangs
6 1 5 0 37 73 2

*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.

Manitoba Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Winnipegs 2 2 0 0 72 6 4
Garrison Rugby Club 2 0 2 0 6 72 0
Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Regina Roughriders 6 5 1 0 54 23 10
Moose Jaw Millers 6 5 1 0 60 15 10
University of Saskatchewan Huskies 6 2 4 0 26 19 4
Saskatoon Hilltops 6 0 6 0 3 86 0

*The Huskies defaulted the final game of the season to the Millers

Alberta Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Calgary Altomahs 4 3 1 0 38 14 6
University of Alberta Varsity 4 1 3 0 14 38 2

[2][3]

League Champions

Football Union League Champion
IRFU
Toronto Argonauts
WCRFU
Winnipegs
CIRFU
University of Toronto
ORFU Sarnia Imperials
MRFU Winnipegs
SRFU Regina Roughriders
ARFU
Calgary Altomahs
BCRFU
Vancouver Meralomas

Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1933

BCRFU Semifinals series

Date Away Home
September 23 New Westminster Dodekas 6 Victoria Capitals 1
October 4 Victoria Capitals 10 New Westminster Dodekas 8

New Westminster Dodekas win series on points, 14-11, advance to BCRFU finals series

Date Away Home
September 23
Vancouver Athletic Club Wolves
7
Vancouver Meralomas
6
September 30
Vancouver Meralomas
12
Vancouver Athletic Club Wolves
8
October 9
Vancouver Athletic Club Wolves
3
Vancouver Meralomas
12

Vancouver Meralomas win series 2 games to 1, advance to BCRFU finals series

BCRFU finals series

Date Away Home
October 14
Vancouver Meralomas
8
New Westminster Dodekas 2
October 21 New Westminster Dodekas 8
Vancouver Meralomas
23

Vancouver Meralomas win series on points, 31-10

BCRFU final

Date Away Home
November 25
Vancouver Athletic Club Wolves
5
Vancouver Meralomas
12

Vancouver Meralomas, evidentially playing a second final, win the BCRFU championship

WICRFU final

Date Away Home
November 11 University of Alberta Polar Bears 5 University of British Columbia Varsity 12

University of British Columbia Varsity, in front of a sellout crowd of 2500, win the western collegiate championship

CIRFU final

Date Away Home
November 18 Queen's Golden Gaels 3 Varsity Blues 10
  • Toronto Varsity Blues quit the Grey Cup championship to focus on studies. [4]
  • Sarnia received a bye to the Grey Cup

West semifinals

Western Semifinal 1
Date Away Home
November 4
Regina Roughriders
1
Winnipegs 11
  • Winnipeg advances to the Western Final.[5]
Western Semifinal 2
Date Away Home
November 4
Vancouver Meralomas
11
Calgary Altomahs
13
  • Calgary advances to the Western Final.

Finals

Date Away Home
Western Final
November 11
Calgary Altomahs
1
Winnipegs 15
  • Winnipeg will face Toronto in the semifinal.[6]
Date Away Home
Eastern Final
November 18 Toronto Argonauts 5 Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers 4
November 25 Toronto Argonauts 15 Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers 5
  • Toronto won the total-point series by 20–9. Toronto advances to the Grey Cup semifinal.

East semifinal

Date Away Home
November 25 Toronto Varsity Blues Sarnia Imperials
  • Toronto Varsity Blues quit the Grey Cup championship to focus on studies. [7]
  • Sarnia received a bye to the Grey Cup

Grey Cup semifinal

Date Away Home
December 2 Toronto Argonauts 13 Winnipegs 0
  • Toronto advances to the Grey Cup final.[8]

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals Semifinals Grey Cup final
         
ORFU Sarnia Imperials
BYE
ORFU Sarnia Imperials
EAST
CIRFU University of Toronto Forfeit
CIRFU University of Toronto 10
CIRFU Queen's University 3
ORFU Sarnia Imperials 3
IRFU Toronto Argonauts 4
IRFU Toronto Argonauts 5–15
IRFU Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers 4–5
IRFU Toronto Argonauts 13
WEST
MRFU Winnipegs 0
ARFU Calgary Altomahs 1
MRFU Winnipegs 15

Grey Cup Championship

December 9

21st Annual Grey Cup Game: Davis Field – Sarnia, Ontario

Toronto Argonauts 4 Sarnia Imperials 3
The Toronto Argonauts are the 1933 Grey Cup Champions

1933 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.

1933 Canadian Football Awards

References