1961 CFL season
Encyclopedia
The 1961 Canadian Football League
season is considered to be the 8th season in modern-day Canadian football
, although it is officially the 4th Canadian Football League season.
merged with the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union
.
The WIFU
changed its name to become the Western Football Conference.
The CFL
season schedule was partially interlocked to allow teams of the Eastern Football Conference to play the teams of the Western Football Conference.
A third consecutive year of interleague exhibition matches were scheduled with teams in the National Football League
. As in 1959 and 1960, in both of the two games played, both CFL teams lost (the Toronto Argonauts
lost to the St. Louis Cardinals
, 36–7, on August 2, while the Montreal Alouettes
fell to the Chicago Bears
, 34–16, on August 5). The Hamilton Tiger-Cats
had a better idea for success: challenge the nascent American Football League
to a duel. The Tiger-Cats faced off against their cross-border "rivals," the Buffalo Bills
, on August 8. The Tiger-Cats defeated the Bills, 38–21, giving the Canadian league its first win over an American team since 1941. The AFL, embarrassed over the loss, declined to play another international game, and with the CFL consistently losing to NFL teams, the CFL ended international competition.
The 49th edition of the Grey Cup
was played in overtime for the first time at Toronto
's CNE Stadium
. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers
won that game by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
by a score of 21–14, to win the championship.
The CFL made some rule changes for the upcoming 1962 season
by permitting four defensive backs from each team to have unlimited blocking in rushing plays, as long as they are lined up outside the ends. However, the CFL made the tackle-eligible play to become illegal.
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
season is considered to be the 8th season in modern-day Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
, although it is officially the 4th Canadian Football League season.
CFL News in 1961
The Western Canada Intercollegiate Rugby UnionCanada West Universities Athletic Association
The Canada West Universities Athletic Association is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and...
merged with the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
.
The WIFU
Canadian Football League West Division
The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.-Pre-1936:...
changed its name to become the Western Football Conference.
The CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
season schedule was partially interlocked to allow teams of the Eastern Football Conference to play the teams of the Western Football Conference.
A third consecutive year of interleague exhibition matches were scheduled with teams in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. As in 1959 and 1960, in both of the two games played, both CFL teams lost (the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
lost to the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 36–7, on August 2, while the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
fell to the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 34–16, on August 5). The Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
had a better idea for success: challenge the nascent American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
to a duel. The Tiger-Cats faced off against their cross-border "rivals," the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, on August 8. The Tiger-Cats defeated the Bills, 38–21, giving the Canadian league its first win over an American team since 1941. The AFL, embarrassed over the loss, declined to play another international game, and with the CFL consistently losing to NFL teams, the CFL ended international competition.
The 49th edition of the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
was played in overtime for the first time at Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
's CNE Stadium
Exhibition Stadium
Canadian National Exhibition Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
won that game by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
by a score of 21–14, to win the championship.
The CFL made some rule changes for the upcoming 1962 season
1962 CFL season
The 1962 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 9th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 5th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1962:The Canadian Football Hall of Fame was established in Hamilton....
by permitting four defensive backs from each team to have unlimited blocking in rushing plays, as long as they are lined up outside the ends. However, the CFL made the tackle-eligible play to become illegal.
Final regular season standings
Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points
|
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- Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
- Winnipeg and Hamilton have first round byes.
Conference Semi-Finals
|
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- Calgary won the total-point series by 27–26. The Stampeders will play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Western Finals.
|
- The Argonauts will play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Finals.
Conference Finals
|
|
- Winnipeg wins the best of three series 2–0. The Blue Bombers will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.
|
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- Hamilton won 2 game total-point series by 55–27. The Tiger-Cats will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.
Grey Cup Championship
| December 2 49th Annual Grey Cup Game 49th Grey Cup The 49th Grey Cup was the Canadian Football League's championship game of the 1961 season on December 2, 1961. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21 to 14 at CNE Stadium in Toronto before 32,651 fans. It is considered to be one of the 10 greatest Grey Cup Games of all... : Exhibition Stadium Exhibition Stadium Canadian National Exhibition Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.... – Toronto, Ontario |
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| Western Champion N. J. Taylor Trophy The N.J. Taylor Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, formerly awarded to the West Division champions. The winner of this trophy faced the winner of the James S. Dixon Trophy for the Grey Cup. Both the N. J. Taylor Trophy and James S. Dixon Trophy were retired in 2004.The N.J. Taylor Trophy... | Eastern Champion James S. Dixon Trophy The James S. Dixon Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, formerly awarded to the East Division champions. The winner of this trophy faced the winner of the N. J. Taylor Trophy for the Grey Cup. Both the James S. Dixon Trophy and N. J. Taylor Trophy were retired in 2004.The Dixon Trophy was... |
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| Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded... 21 |
Hamilton Tiger-Cats Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium... 14 |
OT | |
| The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the 1961 Grey Cup Champions | |||
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1961 CFL Awards
- CFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Player AwardThe Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The Most Outstanding Player award can be compared to the National Football League's Most Valuable Player, otherwise known as the "MVP" award...
– Bernie FaloneyBernie FaloneyBernie Faloney was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League and an outstanding American college football player at the University of Maryland...
(QB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats - CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Canadian AwardThe Most Outstanding Canadian Award is annually rewarded to the best Canadian player in the Canadian Football League. This is the second-last award to be given during the CFL Awards banquet, which takes place the week before Grey Cup weekend in the same city where it is hosted. The two nominees...
– Tony PajaczkowskiTony PajaczkowskiTony Pajaczkowski was an award winning all star offensive guard in the Canadian Football League.Coming from the Verdun Shamcats in Montreal, Pajaczkowski would play 11 seasons with the Calgary Stampeders and 2 seasons with the Montreal Alouettes...
(DE), Calgary Stampeders - CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman AwardCFL's Most Outstanding Lineman AwardThe Most Outstanding Lineman Award was an award annually given to the best defensive player or offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League from the year 1955 to 1973...
– Frank RigneyFrank RigneyFrank Rigney was an offensive tackle for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League.-College:Rigney played college ball with another Blue Bomber great, quarterback Ken Ploen at the University of Iowa.-CFL:...
(OT), Winnipeg Blue Bombers - CFL's Coach of the YearAnnis Stukus TrophyThe Annis Stukus Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, which is presented annually by the Edmonton Eskimos Alumni Association to the Coach of the Year, as determined by the members of the Football Reporters of Canada...
– Jim TrimbleJim TrimbleJames W. "Jim" Trimble was a football coach who served as head coach in both the National Football League and Canadian Football League, but his legacy is more connected to football products, thanks to his "slingshot" goal posts...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats - Jeff Russel Memorial TrophyJeff Russel Memorial TrophyThe Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy is a Canadian football award recognizing the most outstanding player of the Quebec University Football LeagueThe trophy was originally presented to the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union...
(Eastern MVP) – Bobby Jack OliverBobby Jack OliverBobby Jack Oliver is a former award winning Canadian Football League defensive tackle.Graduating from Baylor University, Oliver was a second round pick of the Chicago Cardinals in the 1958 NFL Draft. He chose to play in the CFL, starting a 3 year stint with the Toronto Argonauts in 1958...
(DT), Montreal Alouettes - Jeff Nicklin Memorial TrophyJeff Nicklin Memorial TrophyThe Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy is a trophy awarded to the Canadian Football League West Division's Most Outstanding Player, chosen from the nominees from each team in the division...
(Western MVP) - Jackie ParkerJackie ParkerJohn Dickerson "Jackie" Parker was an American football player who became an All-American in college football and an outstanding professional football player in the Canadian Football League at the running back, quarterback, defensive back, and kicker positions. He is primarily known for his play...
(QB), Edmonton Eskimos - Gruen TrophyGruen TrophyThe Gruen Trophy was a Canadian Football League trophy, given to the most outstanding Canadian rookie in the East Division. The award, sponsored by the Gruen Watch Co...
(Eastern Rookie of the Year) - Gino BerrettaGino BerrettaGiovanni "Gino" Berretta is a former award winning kicker in the Canadian Football League.A native of Pisa, Italy, Berretta went from Marymount High School in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce to the ranks of local professional soccer, where he was scouted by the Montreal Alouettes. At only 19 years old he...
(OE/P), Montreal Alouettes - Dr. Beattie Martin TrophyDr. Beattie Martin TrophyThe Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy is a Canadian Football League award, given to the most outstanding Canadian player in the West Division. Each team nominates a player for this award, from which the winner is chosen...
(Western Rookie of the Year) - Larry Robinson (DB), Calgary Stampeders