1944 in Canadian football

The Hamilton Flying Wildcats were trying to defend their championship, but the St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy team finished off a Cinderella season by returning the Grey Cup back to Montreal for the first time since 1931.[1]

1944 in Canadian football
Playoffs
ORFU ChampionsHamilton Flying Wildcats
QRFU ChampionsSt. Hyacinthe–Donnacona
Navy
32nd Grey Cup
ChampionsSt. Hyacinthe–Donnacona
Navy
Canadian Football Seasons

Canadian football news in 1944

The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.[2]

In late August, the Winnipeg Rugby Club (aka Blue Bombers) suspended operations for the 1944 season. The team loaned its equipment to local high schools.[3]

The Regina Roughriders disbanded in early October. Unlike the previous season, the 1944 Roughriders did not have servicemen available to the team. Regular practices were conducted but the team gave up on the season when they failed to recruit enough civilian men to field a team.[4]

Regular season

Final regular season standings

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

Western Interprovincial Football Union

  • NO LEAGUE PLAY

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union

  • NO LEAGUE PLAY
Ontario Armed Services Football League
TeamGPWLTPFPAPts
Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers641174469
Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs642080548
Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes632194577
St. Thomas Hornets6060181090
Ontario Rugby Football Union
TeamGPWLTPFPAPts
Hamilton Flying Wildcats65101022810
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers6420105338
Ottawa Trojans633074746
Toronto Indians6060191680
Quebec Rugby Football Union
TeamGPWLTPFPAPts
St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy431058186
McGill422029534
Verdun413017332
  • Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
Manitoba Inter-Services Rugby League
TeamGPWLTPFPAPts
No.3 Wireless School Bombers (Winnipeg)440058168
No.1 Central Navigation School Pathfinders (Rivers)431062166
Army Grenades (Camp Shilo)422053474
No.18 Service Flying Training School Hurricanes (Gimli)413036662
No.3 Bombing & Gunnery Mustangs (MacDonald)404012760
OASFL Final
Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs vs. Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers @ Toronto
Date--
Nov. 11Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs 20Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers 1
All Navy Semi-Final
St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy vs. Halifax Navy Stadaconnas @ Montreal
Date--
Nov. 11Halifax Navy Stadaconnas 0St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy 13
All Navy Final
St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy vs. Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs @ Montreal
Date--
Nov. 18Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs 12St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy 1
  • The Navy playoffs did not affect the Grey Cup playoffs. The Grey Cup was played between the ORFU winners (Hamilton) and the QRFU winners (St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy) despite the Toronto Navy team beating the QRFU champions. The OSFL did not participate in the Grey Cup playoffs.

Manitoba Inter-Services Rugby League
MISRL Semi-Final
Rivers Pathfinders vs. Army Grenades @ Winnipeg
DateAwayHome
October 25No.1 CNS Rivers Pathfinders 15Army Grenades 5
[5]
MISRL Finals – Game 1
Rivers Pathfinders vs. Winnipeg Bombers @ Winnipeg
DateAwayHome
October 28No.1 CNS Rivers Pathfinders 7No.3 Wireless School Bombers 11
[6]
MISRL Finals – Game 2
Rivers Pathfinders vs. Winnipeg Bombers @ Winnipeg
DateAwayHome
November 11No.1 CNS Rivers Pathfinders 5No.3 Wirelss School Bombers 15
[7]
  • Bombers won the total-point series by 26-12. The MISRL did not compete for the Grey Cup.

Ontario Rugby Football League playoffs
ORFU Final
Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Hamilton Flying Wildcats
DateAwayHome
Nov. 11Hamilton Flying Wildcats 13Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 4
ORFU Final
Hamilton Flying Wildcats @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
DateAwayHome
Nov. 18Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 6Hamilton Flying Wildcats 0
  • Hamilton will play the St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy in the Grey Cup.

Grey Cup Championship
November 25

32nd Annual Grey Cup Game: A.A.A. Grounds - Hamilton, Ontario

St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy 7Hamilton Flying Wildcats 6
St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy are the 1944 Grey Cup Champions

1944 Ontario Armed Services Football League All-Stars

NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.

  • QB – LS Annis Stukus, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
  • HB – LS Tom Waldon, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
  • HB – LAC Ray Mullins, St. Thomas Hornets
  • DB – LAC Doug Smylie, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers
  • E – Sgt. Dick Groom, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers
  • E – LS Al Upper, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
  • FW – Sgt. Doug Pyzer, Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes
  • C – F/O Jake Gaudaur, Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes
  • G – LS Hank McMahon, Toronto Navy Bulldogs
  • G – Cpl. Fred Lamoureaux, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers
  • T – Flt. Lt. Mike Ozarko, Camp Borden RCAF Hurricanes
  • T – F/O Al Langford, Hagersville RCAF Flying Tigers

1944 Canadian Football Awards

References
  1. "Grey Cup Memories: 1944". CFL.ca. 2005-11-05. Retrieved 2019-10-12.
  2. "CANADIAN FOOTBALL TIMELINES (1860 – 2005)" (PDF). footballcanada.com. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  3. http://manitobia.ca/content/en/newspapers/WPT/1944/08/25/articles/125.pdf/iarchives
  4. http://manitobia.ca/content/en/newspapers/WPT/1944/10/03/articles/132.xml/iarchives?query=roughriders%2BAND%2Bdoctype%3Anewspapers%2BAND%2Byear%3A1944
  5. http://manitobia.ca/content/en/newspapers/WPT/1944/10/26/articles/156.xml/iarchives
  6. http://manitobia.ca/content/en/newspapers/WPT/1944/10/30/articles/183.xml/iarchives
  7. http://manitobia.ca/content/en/newspapers/WPT/1944/11/13/articles/127.xml/iarchives


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