44th Grey Cup
Encyclopedia
The 44th Grey Cup
game was played on November 24, 1956 before 27,425 fans at Varsity Stadium
in Toronto
.
The favoured Edmonton Eskimos
won their third straight Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes
by the score of 50 to 27.
Edmonton
coach Pop Ivy
surprised many by starting sophomore Canadian quarterback Don Getty
. With Jackie Parker
, Johnny Bright
, Normie Kwong and Rollie Miles
in the backfield, they were record setters. Bright rushed for a Grey Cup
record 171 yards, and Parker added another 129, and the Eskimos team total was a record 456 yards. Montreal rushed for 191 yards, so both teams set a single Grey Cup
game record of 647 yards.
Montreal
had the game tied as late as the third quarter (20 to 20) before Edmonton
took total control. While Getty was superb, with 2 touchdowns, the great Sam Etcheverry
had one of his most disappointing days as a Lark, completing only 15 of 38 passes for 293 yards and a Grey Cup
record 4 interceptions.
Touchdowns - Jackie Parker
(3); Don Getty
(2); Johnny Bright
(2)
Field Goal - Bob Dean
Converts - Bob Dean
(4)
Single - Jackie Parker
(1)
Montreal Alouettes - 27
Touchdowns - Hal Patterson (2); Sam Etcheverry
(1); Pat Abbruzzi
(1)
Converts - Bill Bewley (3)
game with 6 point touchdowns.
The game scorer incorrectly recorded the final score as 51 to 27. Jackie Parker
scored a touchdown on the final play, and fans flooded the end zone and one stole the game ball. As most of the game officials had left the field, Edmonton could not convert the touchdown, for lack of a ball. The officials ended the game without the final convert.
This was the third of 11 Grey Cup
clashes between Edmonton and Montreal. The Eskimos have won in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2003 and 2005's overtime thriller. The Larks have prevailed in 1974, the Ice Bowl of 1977, and 2002.
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...
game was played on November 24, 1956 before 27,425 fans at Varsity Stadium
Varsity Stadium
Varsity Stadium is a collegiate football stadium that is home to the Varsity Blues, the athletic teams of the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. While the present structure was built in 2007, it is in fact the third major incarnation of the stadium that has occupied the same site...
in 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...
.
The favoured Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
won their third straight Grey Cup over 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...
by the score of 50 to 27.
Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
coach Pop Ivy
Pop Ivy
Frank "Pop" Ivy was a football player and coach who holds the unique distinction of being the only person ever to serve as a head coach in the National Football League, the American Football League and the Western Interprovincial Football Union.A native of Skiatook, Oklahoma, Ivy was part Native...
surprised many by starting sophomore Canadian quarterback Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
. With Jackie Parker
Jackie Parker
John 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...
, Johnny Bright
Johnny Bright
Johnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University...
, Normie Kwong and Rollie Miles
Rollie Miles
Elmer Roland "Rollie" Miles was a professional football player for the Canadian Football League Edmonton Eskimos. Miles played offence , defence , and special teams , during his eleven career with the Eskimos...
in the backfield, they were record setters. Bright rushed for a 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...
record 171 yards, and Parker added another 129, and the Eskimos team total was a record 456 yards. Montreal rushed for 191 yards, so both teams set a single 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...
game record of 647 yards.
Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
had the game tied as late as the third quarter (20 to 20) before Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
took total control. While Getty was superb, with 2 touchdowns, the great Sam Etcheverry
Sam Etcheverry
Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry was a professional American and Canadian football player and head coach. Etcheverry played the quarterback position, most famously with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and was named Canadian football's Most Outstanding Player in 1954...
had one of his most disappointing days as a Lark, completing only 15 of 38 passes for 293 yards and a 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...
record 4 interceptions.
Scoring
Edmonton Eskimos - 50Touchdowns - Jackie Parker
Jackie Parker
John 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...
(3); Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
(2); Johnny Bright
Johnny Bright
Johnny D. Bright was a professional Canadian football player in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Drake University...
(2)
Field Goal - Bob Dean
Bob Dean
Bob Dean was a kicker and two-way lineman with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.Dean played college football at the University of Maryland, where he lettered from 1948 to 1950. He graduated with a BA degree in education. He enjoyed three highly successful years with the Eskimos...
Converts - Bob Dean
Bob Dean
Bob Dean was a kicker and two-way lineman with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.Dean played college football at the University of Maryland, where he lettered from 1948 to 1950. He graduated with a BA degree in education. He enjoyed three highly successful years with the Eskimos...
(4)
Single - Jackie Parker
Jackie Parker
John 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...
(1)
Montreal Alouettes - 27
Touchdowns - Hal Patterson (2); Sam Etcheverry
Sam Etcheverry
Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry was a professional American and Canadian football player and head coach. Etcheverry played the quarterback position, most famously with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and was named Canadian football's Most Outstanding Player in 1954...
(1); Pat Abbruzzi
Pat Abbruzzi
Pasquale "Pat" Abbruzzi was an American college and professional Canadian football running back and high school football coach...
(1)
Converts - Bill Bewley (3)
Trivia
This was the first Grey CupGrey 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...
game with 6 point touchdowns.
The game scorer incorrectly recorded the final score as 51 to 27. Jackie Parker
Jackie Parker
John 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...
scored a touchdown on the final play, and fans flooded the end zone and one stole the game ball. As most of the game officials had left the field, Edmonton could not convert the touchdown, for lack of a ball. The officials ended the game without the final convert.
This was the third of 11 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...
clashes between Edmonton and Montreal. The Eskimos have won in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1975, 1978, 1979, 2003 and 2005's overtime thriller. The Larks have prevailed in 1974, the Ice Bowl of 1977, and 2002.