1940 in Canadian football

The only two-game total point series in Grey Cup history was played between the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers. It was Ottawa's first Grey Cup championship since the Senators won back-to-back titles in 1925 and 1926. It was Balmy Beach's fourth and final appearance at a Grey Cup, winning two times in four opportunities.[1]

The Canadian Rugby Union arranged the series after it refused to allow the WIFU winners, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to compete in the final. The reason for the refusal was based on the WIFU season being played under rules that varied from IRFU rules.[2]

Regular season

edit

Final regular season standings

edit

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
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 8 6 2 0 108 58 12
Calgary Bronks 8 4 4 0 79 76 8
Regina Roughriders 8 2 6 0 39 92 4
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Ottawa Rough Riders 6 5 1 0 116 40 10
Toronto Argonauts 6 4 2 0 58 79 8
Hamilton Tigers 6 2 4 0 45 73 4
Montreal Football Club (Bulldogs) 6 1 5 0 39 66 2
Ontario Rugby Football Union
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Toronto Balmy Beach 6 6 0 0 75 12 12
Sarnia 2/26 Battery 6 4 2 0 59 36 8
Hamilton Alerts 5 1 4 0 16 49 2
Camp Borden 5 0 5 0 7 60 0

*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs

A tie game between the Hamilton Alerts and Camp Borden was ordered to be replayed but was cancelled.

BCRFU - Three V League
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Victoria Revellers 4 4 0 0 44 14 8
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 4 1 3 0 25 42 2
Vancouver Bulldogs 4 1 3 0 14 27 2

Grey Cup playoffs

edit

Note: All dates in 1940

Division finals

edit
WIFU Finals – Game 1
Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Calgary Bronks
Date Away Home
November 2 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7 Calgary Bronks 0
WIFU Finals – Game 2
Calgary Bronks @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Date Away Home
November 9 Calgary Bronks 2 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23
  • Winnipeg won the total-point series by 30–2. Winnipeg would have advanced to the Grey Cup game, but were refused by the Canadian Rugby Union. They instead went to the United States at the beginning of the 1941 season to play the Columbus Bullies, the champions of the American Football League, in a three-game series. The Bullies defeated the Blue Bombers 2 games to 1, with scores of 12–19, 6–0, and 31–1.[3]
ORFU Finals – Game 1
Sarnia 2/26 Battery @ Toronto Balmy Beach
Date Away Home
November 16 Sarnia 2/26 Battery 0 Toronto Balmy Beach 12
ORFU Finals – Game 2
Toronto Balmy Beach @ Sarnia 2/26 Battery
Date Away Home
November 23 Toronto Balmy Beach 24 Sarnia 2/26 Battery 0
  • Toronto Balmy Beach won the total-point series by 36–0.
IRFU Finals – Game 1
Toronto Argonauts @ Ottawa Rough Riders
Date Away Home
November 16 Toronto Argonauts 1 Ottawa Rough Riders 12
IRFU Finals – Game 2
Ottawa Rough Riders @ Toronto Argonauts
Date Away Home
November 23 Ottawa Rough Riders 8 Toronto Argonauts 1
  • Ottawa won the total-point series by 20–2. Ottawa will play Toronto Balmy Beach (ORFU Champions) in the Grey Cup game.

Grey Cup Championship

edit
November 30

28th Annual Grey Cup Game – Game 1: Varsity StadiumToronto, Ontario

Ottawa Rough Riders @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers (ORFU)
Away Home
Ottawa Rough Riders 8 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers (ORFU) 2
December 7

28th Annual Grey Cup Game – Game 2: Lansdowne ParkOttawa, Ontario

Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers (ORFU) @ Ottawa Rough Riders
Away Home
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers (ORFU) 5 Ottawa Rough Riders 12
Ottawa won the total-point series by 20–7.

The Ottawa Rough Riders are the 1940 Grey Cup Champions

1940 Interprovincial Rugby Football Union All-Stars

edit

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

1940 Western Interprovincial Football Union All-Stars

edit

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

1940 Ontario Rugby Football Union All-Stars

edit

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

1940 Canadian Football Awards

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Grey Cup Memories: 1940". CFL.ca. 2005-11-02. Retrieved 2019-10-05.
  2. ^ "Year". www.cflapedia.com. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  3. ^ Braunwart, Bob (1979). "All Those A.F.L.'s: N.F.L. Competitors, 1935-1941" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2019.