1955 in Canadian football


The Edmonton Eskimos defeat the Montreal Alouettes in the first Grey Cup held in the west.

Canadian Football News in 1955

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 defeat the Montreal Alouettes. The 39,417 in attendance remained a Grey Cup record until 1976.
The Interprovincial Rugby Football Union allowed the third place team to qualify for a playoff berth. The Grey Cup had a gross revenue of $198,000.
In January 1955, the Western Interprovincial Football Union announced that a playoff game with the Ontario Rugby Football Union was no longer desired. The WIFU and IRFU both scheduled their games so as not to leave an open date for the traditional game with the ORFU. At the March meeting of the CRU, the ORFU withdrew from Grey Cup competition for 1955. 1955 became the first year that only the IRFU and the WIFU competed for the Grey Cup.
Montreal's Tex Coulter became the first player to win the Most Outstanding Lineman Award.

Regular season

Final regular season standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

  • Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
  • Edmonton and Montreal both have first round byes.

    Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1955

SEMI-FINALS

  • Winnipeg won the total-point series by 24–16. The Blue Bombers will play the Edmonton Eskimos in the WIFU Finals.
  • The Argonauts will play the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Finals.

    FINALS

  • Edmonton wins the best of three series 2–0. The Eskimos will advance to the Grey Cup game.
  • The Alouettes will advance to the Grey Cup game.

    Playoff Bracket

Grey Cup Championship

  • Note: IRFU and Eastern Final dates are not confirmed, however since the regular season ended October 29 in the West, and November 5 in the East, and WIFU playoff dates, as well as the Grey Cup date are accurate, it is reasonable to assume the above dates are accurate.

    Canadian Football Leaders

  • CFL Passing Leaders
  • CFL Rushing Leaders
  • CFL Receiving Leaders

    1955 Eastern (Interprovincial Rugby Football Union) All-Stars

Offence

Defence


NOTE: The following players were selected to the All-Star team as replacements for players who would have had to play both ways in the Shrine Game :
  • RB – Corky Tharp, Toronto Argonauts
  • DT – Jim Staton, Montreal Alouettes
  • LB – John Blaicher, Montreal Alouettes
  • LB – Juan Sheridan, Montreal Alouettes
  • DB – Bobby Simpson, Ottawa Rough Riders

    2nd Team Offence

  • QB – Bob Celeri, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen
  • RB – Hal Patterson, Montreal Alouettes
  • RB – Corky Tharp, Toronto Argonauts
  • RB – Avatus Stone, Ottawa Rough Riders
  • E – Doug McNichol, Montreal Alouettes
  • E – Pete Neumann, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
  • FW – Ron Stewart, Queen's University
  • C – Frank Dempsey, Ottawa Rough Riders
  • OG – Eddie Bevan, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
  • OG – Vince Scott, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
  • OT – Jim Hughes, Queen's University
  • OT – Ray Collins, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

    1955 Western (Western Interprovincial Football Union) All-Stars

Offence

Defence


NOTE: The following players were selected to the All-Star team as replacements for players who would have had to play both ways, or were injured, in the Shrine Game :
NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.

1955 Canadian Football Awards

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