1959 – Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21, Hamilton Tiger-Cats 7
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers played the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for the third straight time in the Grey Cup final. The Bombers won the rubber match in a defensive showdown at the new CNE Stadium in Toronto.
The Bombers went on an 18-point scoring run in the final 12 minutes to seal the victory.
Winnipeg took the initial lead on their opening drive when Garry James was successful on a 21-yard field goal attempt.
In the second quarter, Hamilton's Vince Scott blocked Charlie Shepard's punt and chased the ball into the Winnipeg end zone. Scott jumped on the ball, but the slippery pigskin squirted loose and the Winnipeg's Jack Delveaux finally recovered it. Hamilton had to settle for a single point, rather than a potential touchdown. The Bombers held on to a 3-1 lead at halftime.
Hamilton missed on another touchdown opportunity in the third quarter. With the Tiger-Cats on the Winnipeg 4, the Ticats were stopped on consecutive plays. Rather than go for a touchdown, Hamilton elected to go for three points. Steve Oneschuk's field goal gave Hamilton the lead, and he added to it later in the quarter on another three-point kick. Charlie Shepard then closed the gap to 7-4 on a single.
The Bombers got the break they needed early in the fourth quarter. Hamilton's Gerry McDougall, who had trouble holding on to the ball the entire game, lost it on the Hamilton 43 after a jarring hit by Roger Savoie. Winnipeg's Bud Tinsley recovered, and two plays later the Bombers scored a touchdown.
Farrell Funston went down the sidelines and cut in to beat Lew Chandler and take Ken Ploen's 41-yard pass to the Hamilton two-yard line. From there, Charlie Shepard got over for the score. Chandler was filling in for an injured Ralph Goldston, who hurt his knee in the second quarter.
The Bombers never trailed again. With the wind at his back, Shepard kicked three consecutive rouges.
The Tiger-Cats' attempted drive to tie the score late in the game was stopped on a third down gamble, and the Bombers took over on the Hamilton 33.
Ploen hit Ernie Pitts with a 33-yard touchdown pass a few seconds before the final whistle.
The 1950s was a successful period for the West, winning five of six Grey Cups to close the decade.
