1955 – Edmonton Eskimos 34, Montreal Alouettes 19
For 45 years the Grey Cup classic was an event held exclusively in the province of Ontario, with the one exception in 1931 when the game was staged in Montreal. This all changed in 1955 when the game was awarded to Vancouver, B.C.
The then largest crowd in the history of organized team sports in Canada packed Empire Stadium to witness the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes battle once again for Canadian football supremacy. The 39,417 in attendance remained a Grey Cup record until 1976.
With the Eskimos down 1-0 in the opening quarter, Normie Kwong completed a 57-yard scoring drive on a one-yard plunge across the goal line. The Alouettes answered back with an 88-yard drive of their own capped off by Pat Abbruzzi's goal-line run.
Jim Miller recovered a fumble by Rollie Miles to set up another Alouettes touchdown. Sam Etcheverry threw a pass from the Edmonton 41 to Hal Patterson who got behind the Eskimos defence to give Montreal a 13-6 advantage.
Etcheverry cost the Alouettes a touchdown in the second quarter as a hit by Mike King forced the Montreal great to fumble. Bob Heydenfeldt recovered the ball, setting up a 64-yard drive. Johnny Bright ran around the right side and through Alouettes defenders 42 yards for the major.
The Alouettes answered back once more as Etcheverry connected on a pass to Patterson all alone in the end zone. The Eskimos responded when Parker hit Heydenfeldt with a pass from the Montreal 15.
Down 19-18 after 30 minutes, the Eskimos took complete control of the second half. Kwong plunged for his second touchdown of the game from the Montreal one-yard line, and Bright scored his second on a three-yard jaunt.
Bob Dean booted a single and a field goal in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring for the Eskimos.
The Alouettes had an opportunity to make a game of it but Etcheverry once again fumbled, which King recovered on the Edmonton 17.
Two Grey Cup records that still stand today were established in this game. Kwong set a record for most rushing attempts with 30. He also set the record for most rushing yards in a single game at 145, but it was broken one year later. Etcheverry's 508 passing yards are the most ever in a Grey Cup game.
