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First installment of games available on Grey Cup on Demand Portal

TORONTO — The CFL has released the first installment of Grey Cup games on the Grey Cup On Demand Portal powered by Mark’s. The first installment includes championship games and highlights from 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959.

Click here to visit the Grey Cup On Demand Portal powered by Mark’s

The Grey Cup On Demand Portal powered by Mark’s is a new one-stop platform that will allow fans to watch Grey Cup games on demand for free on CFL.ca. 65 Grey Cup games will be available from the 1940’s to the 107th Grey Cup in Calgary. Below are the games that were released:

GREY CUP GAMES AVAILABLE IN THE FIRST INSTALLMENT

34th Grey Cup*
November 30, 1946
Site: Varsity Stadium
Toronto (28) vs. Winnipeg (6)

Did you know?:

  • This marked the Argonauts’ second Grey Cup win in a row – both against Winnipeg.
  • The Argonauts opened the game with a 28-0 lead until Winnipeg scored in the final minute of play – nearly making it back-to-back Grey Cup shutouts.
  • The first two scoring plays featured Joe Krol and Royal Copeland. First Krol connected with Copeland for a 25-yard major. Next, Copeland returned the favour with a 30-yard touchdown pass to Krol.
  • In the game there were 15 combined completions in the game.

36th Grey Cup*
November 27, 1948
Site: Varsity Stadium
Calgary (12) vs. Ottawa (7)

Did you know?:

  •  In Calgary’s first Grey Cup game (Stampeders were formed in 1945), Calgary fans travelled to Toronto for the game in huge numbers and took over the Royal York Hotel.
  • Days leading up to the game, Calgary fans paraded around the city in their chuck wagons, pancake breakfasts, etc.
  • Legend has it, the team brought its mascot into the hotel lobby and began the tradition of Grey Cup Festivities.
  • Following Calgary’s victory, fans took down the goal posts and brought them to the hotel as well.
  • Calgary was led by quarterback and punter, Keith Spaith. The two game changing plays were made by Calgary in the second and fourth quarters. Calgary scored a touchdown with thirty seconds left in the first half from Spaith to Norm Hill on the sleeper play. The winning points were scored by Canadian Pete Thodos after a loose ball recovery by Woody Strode.
  • After his playing days, Strode later moved on to a career in Hollywood.

37th Grey Cup*
November 26, 1949
Site: Varsity Stadium
Montreal (28) vs. Calgary (15)

Did you know?:

  • Calgary reached the Grey Cup for the second straight year, however failed to defend their title.
  • Montreal Alouettes captured their first-ever Grey Cup and first for a Montreal league club since the AAA Winged Wheelers in 1931.
  • Lew Hayman led the Als and set a record with his fifth Grey Cup championship as Head Coach.
  • ‘Touchdown’ Virgil Wagner led Montreal with two major scores, while Ches McCance kicked 3 converts, a field goal and a single.
  • Montreal quarterback Frank Filchock passed for 208 yards and one touchdown.

38th Grey Cup*
November 25, 1950
Site: Varsity Stadium
Toronto (13) vs. Winnipeg (0)

Did you know?:

  • This classic Grey Cup was named the Mud Bowl because of the conditions of the field. The conditions were described as a muddy quagmire.
  • The Toronto Argonauts won the game 13-0 claiming the Grey Cup for the 9th time in team history.
  • This marked the last time a team was shutout in a Grey Cup game.
  • It was the first of five Grey Cup victories for Hall of Fame coach, Frank Clair.
  • Legend has it, that Hall of Fame player Buddy Tinsley was saved from drowning by an official.
  • Despite the terrible conditions, there were only three fumbles lost in the game. Toronto held Winnipeg to only three first downs in the game.
  • Long time Argonaut, Nick Volpe played a key role with two field goals in the muddy conditions.
  • In the game, there were only four completed passes.

40th Grey Cup*
November 29, 1952
Site: Varsity Stadium
Toronto (21) vs. Edmonton (11)

Did you know?:

  • The 1952 Grey Cup featured Edmonton’s return to the Grey Cup for the first time in 30 years. The last time Edmonton was in the game  was in 1922 as an amateur team.
  • Edmonton started strong, with a touchdown by Hall of Famer Normie Kwong who later went on to become Canada’s Governor General. He scored both touchdowns for Edmonton in the game.
  • Toronto was led by their quarterback Nobby Wirkowski who ran for a touchdown and threw another to Zeke O’Connor.
  • The game featured a 75-yard pass from Wirkowski to Doug Pyzer.
  • The game set an all-time attendance record at the time with 27,391 at Varsity Stadium.

42nd Grey Cup
November 27, 1954
Site: Varsity Stadium
Edmonton (26) vs. Montreal (25)

Did you know?:

  • The first of three consecutive Grey Cup wins for Edmonton over the Montreal Alouettes. Each one led by Edmonton coach Frank Ivy.
  • Montreal led 25-14 midway through the fourth quarter, when Edmonton drove for a converted touchdown to cut the lead to five points. Touchdowns did not become worth six points until 1956.
  • The game turned on arguably the most famous play in Grey Cup history when Montreal’s Chuck Hunsinger made a wild lateral that led to a Jackie Parker 90-yard scoop and score to tie the game. Bob Dean kicked the convert to give Edmonton the lead.
  • The game featured Hall of Fame quarterbacks Sam Etcheverry and Bernie Faloney.
  • 1,076 yards of offence occurred in the game – a Grey Cup record at that time.

43rd Grey Cup
November 26, 1955
Site: Empire Stadium
Edmonton (34) vs. Montreal (19)

Did you know?:

  • The first Grey Cup game played out West – Empire Stadium located in Vancouver.
  • The size of Empire Stadium permitted the Grey Cup attendance record to get shattered with 39,4167 fans.
  • Sam Etcheverry passed for 508 yards, a Grey Cup record that still stands today.
  • Kwong rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Edmonton outscored Montreal 16-0 in the second half of the game to cap their second straight Grey Cup victory, led by Jackie Parker. Parker passed for 128 yards, rushed for 75 yards, made 13 tackles on defence and added an interception.

44th Grey Cup
November 24, 1956
Site: Varsity Stadium
Edmonton (50) vs. Montreal (27)

Did you know?:

  • The timing for this game appears to have been done differently then what was normal by rule with the clock stopping virtually after every play. This led to a total of 235 plays, some 60 more than what was averaged. This is responsible for 171 rushing and passing attempts in the game.
  • Edmonton rushed for 457 yards in the game – a Grey Cup record.
  • Edmonton became the first Western team to win three consecutive Grey Cups.
  • Edmonton forced 10 Montreal turnovers in the game (4 fumbles, 4 interceptions, 2 turnovers on downs).

45th Grey Cup
November 30, 1957
Site: Varsity Stadium
Hamilton (32) vs. Winnipeg (7)

Did you know?:

  • This Grey Cup was the second win for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats who were formed by merger in 1950.
  • Hamilton dominated the game building a 32-0 lead late into the fourth quarter.
  • The game featured an unlikely hero for Hamilton. Ray Bawel opened the scoring with a 50-yard fumble return and in the fourth quarter was part of the most controversial play in Grey Cup history. On play 158, Ray Bawel intercepted a Winnipeg third down pass on a fake punt by Gerry Vincent. Vincent’s pass was picked off by Bawel and then he started his return. However, he was tripped intentionally by a fan standing at the Winnipeg sideline on the 42 yard-line. He was not awarded a touchdown, but the Bombers were assessed a 21-yard penalty – half the distance to the goal.
  • Bawel had two fumble recoveries and two interceptions in the game.

46th Grey Cup
November 29, 1958
Site: Empire Stadium
Winnipeg (35) vs. Hamilton (28)

Did you know?:

  • The 46th Grey Cup was a rematch between Winnipeg and Hamilton from a year earlier.
  • Winnipeg was led by Jim Van Pelt who did it all in the game. Van Pelt passed for 140 yards, ran 29 yards and a touchdown, caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Leo Lewis, kicked two field goals and four converts for a total of 22 points – a then Grey Cup record.
  • This was the first of four Grey Cup wins for head coach Bud Grant in a year stretch.
  • A key play in the game ended the first half when Winnipeg’s Norm Rauhaus recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown to make the score 20-14 in favour of the Blue Bombers.
  • Winnipeg Charlie Shepard was the offensive star rushing for 120 yards and catching two passes for 35 yards. He also punted six times in the game as well.

47th Grey Cup
November 28, 1959
Site: Exhibition Stadium
Winnipeg (21) vs. Hamilton (7)

Did you know?:

  • Winnipeg won the Grey Cup for the second straight year, again led by Charlie Shepard and their defence.
  • The Bomber defence held Hamilton to seven points, no touchdowns and 180 net yards.
  • Winnipeg capped their win with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Ken Ploen to Ernie Pitts.
  • There were 33 punts in the game, 17 by Shepard and 15 from Cam Fraser, 1 from Ron Howell.
  • Winnipeg defence was led by Hall of Famer, Herb Gray who recorded seven tackles and a sack.

*Indicates games that are news reels and highlights, not entire games.

Below is the publishing schedule for the Grey Cup On Demand Portal powered by Mark’s. New games will be released every two weeks between January 28th to April 22nd.

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