# 1944 in Canadian football

The Hamilton Flying Wildcats were trying to defend their championship, but the St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy team finished off a Cinderella season by returning the Grey Cup back to Montreal for the first time since 1931.

## Canadian football news in 1944

The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.
In late August, the Winnipeg Rugby Club (aka Blue Bombers) suspended operations for the 1944 season. The team loaned its equipment to local high schools.
The Regina Roughriders disbanded in early October. Unlike the previous season, the 1944 Roughriders did not have servicemen available to the team. Regular practices were conducted but the team gave up on the season when they failed to recruit enough civilian men to field a team.

## 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
* NO LEAGUE PLAY
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
* NO LEAGUE PLAY
Ontario Armed Services Football League :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 74 | 46 | 9 |
| Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 80 | 54 | 8 |
| Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 94 | 57 | 7 |
| St. Thomas Hornets | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 109 | 0 |
Ontario Rugby Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Hamilton Flying Wildcats | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 102 | 28 | 10 |
| Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 105 | 33 | 8 |
| Ottawa Trojans | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 74 | 74 | 6 |
| Toronto Indians | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 19 | 168 | 0 |
Quebec Rugby Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 18 | 6 |
| McGill | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 53 | 4 |
| Verdun | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 33 | 2 |
* Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
Manitoba Inter-Services Rugby League :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| No.3 Wireless School Bombers (Winnipeg) | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 16 | 8 |
| No.1 Central Navigation School Pathfinders (Rivers) | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 16 | 6 |
| Army Grenades (Camp Shilo) | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 53 | 47 | 4 |
| No.18 Service Flying Training School Hurricanes (Gimli) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 66 | 2 |
| No.3 Bombing & Gunnery Mustangs (MacDonald) | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 76 | 0 |

## Navy and Armed Services playoffs

OASFL Final :
| Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs vs. Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers @ Toronto ||||
| Date | - | - |
| Nov. 11 | Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs 20 | Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers 1 |
All Navy Semi-Final :
| St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy vs. Halifax Navy Stadaconnas @ Montreal ||||
| Date | - | - |
| Nov. 11 | Halifax Navy Stadaconnas 0 | St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy 13 |
All Navy Final :
| St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy vs. Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs @ Montreal ||||
| Date | - | - |
| Nov. 18 | Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs 12 | St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy 1 |
* The Navy playoffs did not affect the Grey Cup playoffs. The Grey Cup was played between the ORFU winners (Hamilton) and the QRFU winners (St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy) despite the Toronto Navy team beating the QRFU champions. The OSFL did not participate in the Grey Cup playoffs.

## Manitoba Inter-Services Rugby League

MISRL Semi-Final :
| Rivers Pathfinders vs. Army Grenades @ Winnipeg ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| October 25 | No.1 CNS Rivers Pathfinders 15 | Army Grenades 5 |
MISRL Finals – Game 1 :
| Rivers Pathfinders vs. Winnipeg Bombers @ Winnipeg ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| October 28 | No.1 CNS Rivers Pathfinders 7 | No.3 Wireless School Bombers 11 |
MISRL Finals – Game 2 :
| Rivers Pathfinders vs. Winnipeg Bombers @ Winnipeg ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 11 | No.1 CNS Rivers Pathfinders 5 | No.3 Wirelss School Bombers 15 |
* Bombers won the total-point series by 26-12. The MISRL did not compete for the Grey Cup.

## Ontario Rugby Football League playoffs

ORFU Final :
| Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Hamilton Flying Wildcats ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| Nov. 11 | Hamilton Flying Wildcats 13 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 4 |
ORFU Final :
| Hamilton Flying Wildcats @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| Nov. 18 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 6 | Hamilton Flying Wildcats 0 |
* Hamilton will play the St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy in the Grey Cup.

## Grey Cup Championship

November 25
32nd Annual Grey Cup Game: A.A.A. Grounds - Hamilton, Ontario :
| St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy 7 | Hamilton Flying Wildcats 6 |
| St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy are the 1944 Grey Cup Champions ||||

## 1944 Ontario Armed Services Football League 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 – LS Annis Stukus, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
* HB – LS Tom Waldon, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
* HB – LAC Ray Mullins, St. Thomas Hornets
* DB – LAC Doug Smylie, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers
* E – Sgt. Dick Groom, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers
* E – LS Al Upper, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
* FW – Sgt. Doug Pyzer, Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes
* C – F/O Jake Gaudaur, Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes
* G – LS Hank McMahon, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
* G – Cpl. Fred Lamoureaux, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers
* T – Flt. Lt. Mike Ozarko, Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes
* T – F/O Al Langford, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers

## 1944 Canadian Football Awards

* Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – no award given due to World War II
* Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - Joe Krol - Hamilton Wildcats