# 1938 in Canadian football

For the second consecutive season the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers met for the Grey Cup. The Argonauts won the game.

## Canadian Football News in 1938

The Edmonton Eskimos joined the WIFU and adopted the colours of blue and white. The Eskimos eventually withdrew from the union in 1940.

## Regular season
### Final regular season standings

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 |
| Calgary Bronks | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 27 | 12 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 114 | 63 | 12 |
| Regina Roughriders | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 69 | 55 | 8 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 29 | 117 | 0 |
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Ottawa Rough Riders | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 141 | 41 | 10 |
| Toronto Argonauts | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 151 | 52 | 10 |
| Hamilton Tigers | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 61 | 122 | 4 |
| Montreal Cubs | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 30 | 168 | 0 |
Ontario Rugby Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Sarnia Imperials | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 95 | 27 | 8 |
| Montreal Nationals | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 77 | 42 | 8 |
| Toronto Balmy Beach | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 73 | 33 | 6 |
| Peterborough Orfuns | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 158 | 2 |
*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
British Columbia Rugby Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| North Shore Lions | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 110 | 24 | 15 |
| University of British Columbia Thunderbirds | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 57 | 18 | 15 |
| Knights of Columbus | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 43 | 56 | 6 |
| Vancouver Meralomas | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 115 | 0 |
*UBC games are worth 3 points in the standings

## Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1938

### Semifinals

WIFU Semifinals :
| Date | Away | Home |
| October 29 | Regina Roughriders 0 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 13 |
ORFU Finals :
| Game | Date | Away | Home |
| 1 | November 19 | Sarnia Imperials 9 | Montreal Nationals 5 |
| 2 | November 26 | Sarnia Imperials 15 | Montreal Nationals 0 |
* Sarnia won the total-point series by 24–5. Sarnia will play the Toronto Argonauts (IRFU Champions) in the Eastern Finals.
IRFU Finals :
| Game | Date | Away | Home |
| 1 | November 19 | Toronto Argonauts 9 | Ottawa Rough Riders 1 |
| 2 | November 26 | Toronto Argonauts 5 | Ottawa Rough Riders 3 |
* Toronto won the total-point series by 14–4. Toronto will play the Sarnia Imperials (ORFU Champions) in the Eastern Finals.

### Finals

Western Finals :
| Game | Date | Away | Home |
| 1 | November 5 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 12 | Calgary Bronks 7 |
| 2 | November 12 | Calgary Bronks 2 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 13 |
* Winnipeg won the total-point series by 25–9. Winnipeg advances to the Grey Cup game.
Eastern Finals :
| Date | Away | Home |
| December 3? | Toronto Argonauts 25 | Sarnia Imperials (ORFU) 8 |
* Toronto advances to the Grey Cup game.

## Playoff bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grey Cup final | Grey Cup final | Grey Cup final |
| IRFU | Toronto Argonauts | 9-5 | | | | | | |
| IRFU | Ottawa Rough Riders | 1-3 | | | | | | |
| IRFU | Ottawa Rough Riders | 1-3 | IRFU | Toronto Argonauts | 25 | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | IRFU | Toronto Argonauts | 25 | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | ORFU | Sarnia Imperials | 8 | | | |
| ORFU | Sarnia Imperials | 9-15 | ORFU | Sarnia Imperials | 8 | | | |
| ORFU | Montreal Nationals | 5-0 | | | | | | |
| ORFU | Montreal Nationals | 5-0 | | | | IRFU | Toronto Argonauts | 30 |
| | | | | | | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 7 |
| WIFU | Calgary Bronks | | | | | | | | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 7 |
| WIFU | BYE | | | | | | | |
| WIFU | BYE | | WIFU | Calgary Bronks | 7-2 | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | WIFU | Calgary Bronks | 7-2 | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 12-13 | | | |
| WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 13 | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 12-13 | | | |
| WIFU | Regina Roughriders | 0 | | | | | | |

## Grey Cup Championship

December 10
26th Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium – Toronto, Ontario :
| WIFU Champion | IRFU Champion |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7 | Toronto Argonauts 30 |
| The Toronto Argonauts are the 1938 Grey Cup Champions ||||
* Note: Eastern Final Playoff date is not confirmed, however since the regular season in the East ended November 12, and all other playoff dates, as well as Grey Cup date are accurate, it is reasonable to assume the above date is accurate.

## 1938 Eastern (Combined IRFU & ORFU) All-Stars selected by Canadian Press

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

### 1st Team

* QB – Annis Stukus, Toronto Argonauts
* FW – Ted Morris, Toronto Argonauts
* HB – Johnny Ferraro, Montreal Nationals
* HB – Hugh Sterling, Sarnia Imperials
* HB – Art West, Toronto Argonauts
* E – Wes Cutler, Toronto Argonauts
* E – Bernie Thompson, Toronto Argonauts
* C – George Willis, University of Western Ontario
* G – Charles "Tiny" Hermann, Ottawa Rough Riders
* G – Bob Reid, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* T – Dave Sprague, Ottawa Rough Riders
* T – Mike Clawson, Sarnia Imperials

### 2nd Team

* QB – Ab Box, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* FW – Ernie Hempey, Montreal Nationals
* HB – Murray Griffin, Ottawa Rough Riders
* HB – Herb Westman, McGill University
* HB – Bob Isbister, Toronto Argonauts
* E – Tony McCarthy, Ottawa Rough Riders
* E – Syd Reynolds, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* C – Joseph "Curley" Moynahan, Ottawa Rough Riders
* G – Alex Fleming, Montreal Nationals
* G – George Fraser, Ottawa Rough Riders
* T – Tommy Burns, Montreal Indians
* T – Bunny Wadsworth, Ottawa Rough Riders

## 1938 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 – Ab Box, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* FW – Ernie Hempey, Montreal Nationals
* HB – Johnny Ferraro, Montreal Nationals
* HB – Eddie Thompson, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* DB – Hugh Sterling, Sarnia Imperials
* E – Syd Reynolds, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* E – Eddie Burton, Montreal Nationals
* C – Dave Ryan, Montreal Nationals
* G – Bob Reid, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* G – Alex Fleming, Montreal Nationals
* T – Mike Clawson, Sarnia Imperials
* T – Tommy Burns, Montreal Nationals

## 1938 Canadian Football Awards

* Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Wes Cutler (DE), Toronto Argonauts
* Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - John Ferraro - Montreal Nationals