# 1953 in Canadian football

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Grey Cup in 1953.

## Canadian Football News in 1953

The Canadian Rugby Union was paid in total of $20,500 by three television stations for the rights to show the Grey Cup game live. Edmonton's Billy Vessels (RB), became the first player to win the Schenley Award as the Most Outstanding Player Award. G. Sydney Halter, QC was named as WIFU Commissioner.
For the 1953 season, it was ruled that the ORFU winners would travel west to play the WIFU winners in a semi-final game. This arrangement continued in the 1954 season.

## Regular season
### Final regular season standings

Source:
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 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 276 | 157 | 24 |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 243 | 239 | 17 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 226 | 226 | 16 |
| Calgary Stampeders | 16 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 190 | 313 | 7 |
Interprovincial Rugby Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Montreal Alouettes | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 292 | 229 | 16 |
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 229 | 243 | 16 |
| Ottawa Rough Riders | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 266 | 238 | 14 |
| Toronto Argonauts | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 172 | 249 | 10 |
Ontario Rugby Football Union :
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
| Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 218 | 178 | 16 |
| Sarnia Imperials | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 231 | 101 | 16 |
| Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 252 | 145 | 16 |
| Brantford Redskins | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 73 | 350 | 0 |
* Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
* Edmonton has a bye and will play in the WIFU Finals.
* Kitchener-Waterloo has a bye and will play in the ORFU Finals.

## Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1953

### Semifinals

WIFU semifinals – game 1 :
| Saskatchewan Roughriders @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| October 28 | Saskatchewan Roughriders 5 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 43 |
WIFU semifinals – game 2 :
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Saskatchewan Roughriders ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| October 31 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 17 | Saskatchewan Roughriders 18 |
* Winnipeg won the total-point series by 60–23. The Blue Bombers will play the Edmonton Eskimos in the WIFU Finals.
ORFU semifinals – game 1 :
| Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Sarnia Imperials ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 7 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 0 | Sarnia Imperials 2 |
ORFU semifinals – game 2 :
| Sarnia Imperials @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 8 | Sarnia Imperials 10 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 18 |
* Toronto Balmy Beach won the total-point series by 18–12. The Beachers will play the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen in the ORFU Finals.

### Finals

WIFU Finals – Game 1 :
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Edmonton Eskimos ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 7 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7 | Edmonton Eskimos 25 |
WIFU Finals – Game 2 :
| Edmonton Eskimos @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 11 | Edmonton Eskimos 17 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21 |
WIFU Finals – Game 3 :
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Edmonton Eskimos ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 14 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 30 | Edmonton Eskimos 24 |
* Winnipeg wins the best of three series 2–1. The Blue Bombers will play the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers in the Grey Cup semifinal.
ORFU Finals – Game 1 :
| Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 11 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 6 | Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen 9 |
ORFU Finals – Game 2 :
| Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 15 | Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen 12 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 24 |
* Toronto won the total-point series by 30–21. The Beachers will play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup semifinal.
IRFU Finals – Game 1 :
| Montreal Alouettes @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 18 | Montreal Alouettes 12 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37 |
IRFU Finals – Game 2 :
| Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Montreal Alouettes ||||
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 22 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats 22 | Montreal Alouettes 11 |
* Hamilton wins the best of three series 2–0. The Tiger-Cats will advance to the Grey Cup game.

### Grey Cup semifinal

Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers :
| Date | Away | Home |
| November 21 | Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 4 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24 |
* The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will advance to the Grey Cup game.

## Playoff bracket

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Grey Cup final | Grey Cup final | Grey Cup final |
| | | | IRFU | Montreal Alouettes | 12-11 | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | IRFU | Montreal Alouettes | 12-11 | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | IRFU | Hamilton Tiger Cats | 37-22 | | | |
| | | | | | | IRFU | Hamilton Tiger Cats | 12 |
| | | | | | | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 6 |
| WIFU | Edmonton Eskimos | 25-17-24 | | | | | | | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 6 |
| WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 7-21-30 | | | | | | |
| WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 7-21-30 | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 24 | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | WIFU | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 24 | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | ORFU | Toronto Balmy Beach | 4 | | | |
| ORFU | Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen | 9-12 | ORFU | Toronto Balmy Beach | 4 | | | |
| ORFU | Toronto Balmy Beach | 6-24 | | | | | | |

## Grey Cup Championship

November 28
41st Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium – Toronto, Ontario :
| WIFU Champion | IRFU Champion |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers 6 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12 |
| The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the 1953 Grey Cup Champions ||||

## 1953 Eastern (Interprovincial Rugby Football Union) All-Stars
### Offence

* QB – Sam Etcheverry, Montreal Alouettes
* RB – Avatus Stone, Ottawa Rough Riders
* RB – Joe Scudero, Toronto Argonauts
* RB – Gene Roberts, Ottawa Rough Riders
* E – Red O'Quinn, Montreal Alouettes
* E – Bernie Flowers, Ottawa Rough Riders
* FW – Bob Simpson, Ottawa Rough Riders
* C – Tommy Hugo, Montreal Alouettes
* OG – Kaye Vaughan, Ottawa Rough Riders
* OG – Ed Bradley, Montreal Alouettes
* OT – Tex Coulter, Montreal Alouettes
* OT – Vince Mazza, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

### Defence

* DT – Tex Coulter, Montreal Alouettes
* DT – Vince Mazza, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DE – Pete Neumann, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DE – Doug McNichol, Montreal Alouettes
* DG – Vince Scott, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DG – Eddie Bevan, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* LB – Red Ettinger, Toronto Argonauts
* LB – Ralph Toohy, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* LB – Tommy Hugo, Montreal Alouettes
* DB – Dick Brown, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* DB – Howie Turner, Ottawa Rough Riders
* DB – Lou Kusserow, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* S - Teddy Toogood, Toronto Argonauts

## 1953 Western (Western Interprovincial Football Union) All-Stars
### Offence

* QB – Claude Arnold, Edmonton Eskimos
* RB – Rollie Miles, Edmonton Eskimos
* RB – Billy Vessels, Edmonton Eskimos
* RB – Normie Kwong, Edmonton Eskimos
* E – Mac Speedie, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* E – Bud Grant, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* FW – Bud Korchak, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* C – Eagle Keys, Edmonton Eskimos
* OG – Mike Cassidy, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* OG – Jim Quondamatteo, Edmonton Eskimos
* OT – Leon Manley, Edmonton Eskimos
* OT – Martin Ruby, Saskatchewan Roughriders

### Defence

* DT – Dick Huffman, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DT – Martin Ruby, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* DE – Frank Anderson, Edmonton Eskimos
* DE – Ezzret Anderson, Calgary Stampeders
* DG – Dean Bandiera, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* DG – Gordon Brown, Calgary Stampeders
* LB – John Wozniak, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* LB – Tony Momsen, Calgary Stampeders
* DB – Ray Willsey, Edmonton Eskimos
* DB – Bobby Marlow, Saskatchewan Roughriders
* DB – Neill Armstrong, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
* S – Tom Casey, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

## 1953 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 – Bob Schneidenbach, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* HB – Dick Gregory - Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* HB – Jack Mancos, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
* HB – John Duchene, Sarnia Imperials
* E – Harvey Singleton, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* E – Keith Fisher, Sarnia Imperials
* FW – Johnny Chorostecki, Sarnia Imperials
* C – Bruce Mattingly, Sarnia Imperials
* G – Jay Fry, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
* G – Lloyd "Dutch" Davey, Sarnia Imperials
* T – Oatten Fisher, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
* T – Maurice Dorocke, Sarnia Imperials

## 1953 Canadian Football Awards

* Most Outstanding Player Award – Billy Vessels (RB), Edmonton Eskimos
* Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Bob Cunningham (FB), Ottawa Rough Riders
* Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (WIFU MVP) - John Henry Johnson (RB), Calgary Stampeders
* Gruen Trophy (IRFU Rookie of the Year) - Bob Dawson (RB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
* Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (WIFU Rookie of the Year) - Gordon Sturtridge (DE), Saskatchewan Roughriders
* Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - Dick Gregory - Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers