1933 in Canadian football

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.

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

|}*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.

League Champions

Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1933

BCRFU Semifinals series

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

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

BCRFU finals series

|}Vancouver Meralomas win series on points, 31-10

BCRFU final

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

WICRFU final

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

CIRFU final

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• Toronto Varsity Blues quit the Grey Cup championship to focus on studies.
• Sarnia received a bye to the Grey Cup

West semifinals

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• Winnipeg advances to the Western Final.

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• Calgary advances to the Western Final.

Finals

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• Winnipeg will face Toronto in the semifinal.

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• Toronto won the total-point series by 20–9. Toronto advances to the Grey Cup semifinal.

East semifinal

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• Toronto Varsity Blues quit the Grey Cup championship to focus on studies.
• Sarnia received a bye to the Grey Cup

Grey Cup semifinal

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• Toronto advances to the Grey Cup final.

Playoff bracket

| RD1-group1=EAST | RD1-group2=WEST

| seed-width= | score-width= | team-width=

| RD1-seed1=ORFU | RD1-team1=Sarnia Imperials | RD1-score1= | RD1-seed2= | RD1-team2=BYE | RD1-score2=

| RD1-seed3=CIRFU | RD1-team3= University of Toronto | RD1-score3= 10 | RD1-seed4=CIRFU | RD1-team4= Queen's University | RD1-score4= 3

| RD1-seed5=IRFU | RD1-team5=Toronto Argonauts | RD1-score5= 5–15 | RD1-seed6=IRFU | RD1-team6=Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers | RD1-score6= 4–5

| RD1-seed7=ARFU | RD1-team7= Calgary Altomahs | RD1-score7= 1 | RD1-seed8=MRFU | RD1-team8= Winnipegs | RD1-score8= 15

| RD2-seed1=ORFU | RD2-team1= Sarnia Imperials | RD2-score1= | RD2-seed2=CIRFU | RD2-team2= University of Toronto | RD2-score2= Forfeit

| RD2-seed3=IRFU | RD2-team3= Toronto Argonauts | RD2-score3= 13 | RD2-seed4=MRFU | RD2-team4= Winnipegs | RD2-score4= 0

| RD3-seed1=ORFU | RD3-team1= Sarnia Imperials | RD3-score1= 3 | RD3-seed2=IRFU | RD3-team2= Toronto Argonauts | RD3-score2= 4

Grey Cup Championship

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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.

• QB – Alex Hayes, Sarnia Imperials
• FW – Claude Harris, Sarnia Imperials
• FW – Art Synder, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• HB – Norm Perry, Sarnia Imperials
• HB – Joe Connelly, St. Michael's College
• DB – Hugh Sterling, Sarnia Imperials
• E – Syd Reynolds, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• E – Jimmy Burke, St. Michael's College
• C – John Metras, St. Michael's College
• G – Norman Mountain, Hamilton Tiger Cubs
• G – Johnny Baker, Sarnia Imperials
• T – Gil Putnam, Sarnia Imperials
• T – Clarence Burt, St. Michael's College

1933 Canadian Football Awards

• Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Huck Welch (RB), Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers

References

References

1. Winnipeg Free Press – June to November 1933
2. 2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, {{ISBN. 978-0-9739425-4-5, p.293
3. [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nxYvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TqgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5654%2C1649534 The Montreal Gazette – Nov 13, 1933]
4. "The Vancouver Sun - Google News Archive Search".
5. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-IlTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MDgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2142%2C609730 Regina Leader-Post
6. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_YlTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MDgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2181%2C1297910 Regina Leader-Post
7. "The Vancouver Sun - Google News Archive Search".
8. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DopTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MDgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1636%2C3651144 Regina Leader-Post