59th Grey Cup The 59th Grey Cup was played on November 28 , 1971 , before 34 , 404 fans at Vancouver ' s Empire Stadium . The Calgary Stampeders beat the Toronto Argonauts on a slick rain covered field in an extremely close 14 to 11 match . Box Score . First Quarter Calgary - TD - Herm Harrison 14 yard pass from Jerry Keeling ( Larry Robinson convert ) Second Quarter Toronto - FG - Ivan MacMillan 11 yards Calgary - TD - Jesse Mims 6 yard run ( Larry Robinson convert ) Third Quarter Toronto - TD - Roger Scales 33 yard fumble return ( lateral from Joe Vijuk ) ( Ivan MacMillan convert ) Toronto - Rouge - Ivan MacMillan 27 yard missed FG Fourth Quarter No scoring Background . The Argonauts had not appeared in a Grey Cup championship game since 1952 . The Stampeders were making their third Grey Cup appearance in the last four years , but had not actually won a championship since 1948 . The 10 - 4 Argonauts faced the 9 - 6 - 1 Stampeders for the first time in the Grey Cup . Both teams finished in first place in their divisions , but Toronto , led by star rookie quarterback Joe Theismann was the favourite . Calgary was making their second straight appearance in the Grey Cup game , but had not won it since the famous 1948 game . Toronto had nearly as long a drought , with their last victory coming in 1952 . The 1971 Grey Cup was the first to be played on artificial ( tartan ) turf . The game . Field conditions were poor for the game , as it had been raining heavily , leaving sheets of water over the artificial turf at Empire Stadium . Calgary opened the scoring with Herm Harrison making an incredible one - handed grab of a Jerry Keeling pass in the end zone for a touchdown . Toronto countered with a big play , a 55 - yard pass reception by fan favourite tight end Mel Profit , but would come away from this drive deep into Stampeder territory with only a field goal from Ivan McMillan . Jesse Mims added another Stampeder major , ending the scoring for the half and for Calgary on the day . The second half saw Joe Theismann replaced by Greg Barton , but the Argos could not move the ball . Their only touchdown came when sure - handed Calgary punt returner Jim Silye dropped a kick which was then recovered by Joe Vijuk . Vijuk had the presence of mind to lateral to Roger Scales , who ran 33 yards for the touchdown . Dick Thornton , a great two way player who had already made a fantastic reception , intercepted a Calgary pass and returned it to the Stampeder 11 - yard line . With Theismann back in the game , he handed the ball off to Leon McQuay , the Argonauts ' star running back . As McQuay cut left across the field , he promptly slipped on the soggy turf and fumbled the ball , which was recovered Stampeder Reggie Holmes . To this day , there is still some dispute about this play , as McQuay dropped the ball when his elbow hit the ground and he had not been contacted by a Stampeder defender , thus bringing up the football adage that " the ground does not cause a fumble " . As well , then - Argo coach Leo Cahill still laments the play , often quipping that " when Leon ( McQuay ) slipped , I fell . " Toronto still had a chance as there was 1 : 53 left in the game , and Calgary was in a deep hole . Not getting a first down they had to punt . Unfortunately , the punt returner , Harry Abofs , in an effort to capture the wet ball , accidentally kicked it out of bounds while reaching down . CFL rules in force in 1971 stated that when a ball was kicked out of bounds , possession went to the other team , giving Calgary possession of the ball once again . If Abofs had knocked the ball out of bounds with his hand , Toronto would have had one last chance . Calgary successful ran out the clock to become the 1971 Grey Cup champion . Legacy . Argonaut coach Leo Cahill , who won the 1971 Coach of the Year award , would later say , " When Leon ( McQuay ) slipped , I fell . " He was fired in 1972 after the team , beset by injuries , stumbled to a 3 - 11 finish . Jim Silye was later a Member of Parliament for Calgary . The 1971 Argonaut team was the focus of an episode of Engraved on a Nation . Videos . Thornton interception and McQuay fumble