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1952 in Canadian football
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March 2026
1952 Canadian football sports
The Toronto Argonauts faced the Edmonton Eskimos in the Grey Cup. Although the Argos would hold on to win the game and their tenth Grey Cup championship, an Argo would not sip from the silver mug again until 1983.https://www.cfl.ca/2005/11/10/grey_cup_memories__1952/ Grey Cup Memories: 1952 2005-11-10 CFL.ca en 2019-10-06
Events in Canadian football in 1952
The Canadian Rugby Union received television revenue for the first time when it was paid $7,500 by CBC for the rights to televise the Grey Cup game. CBLT Toronto was the only station to carry the game live.
The WIFU increased their games to 16 per team.
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 Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Winnipeg Blue Bombers 16 12 3 1 394 211 25 Edmonton Eskimos 16 9 6 1 291 280 19 Calgary Stampeders 16 7 9 0 293 340 14Saskatchewan Roughriders 16 3 13 0 216 363 6
0.5em
+ Interprovincial Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12 9 2 1 268 162 19 Toronto Argonauts 12 7 4 1 265 191 15Ottawa Rough Riders 12 5 7 0 200 238 10Montreal Alouettes 12 2 10 0 136 278 4
0.5em
+ Ontario Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Sarnia Imperials 12 11 1 0 312 68 22 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 11 8 3 0 215 156 16Brantford Redskins 10 2 10 0 100 189 4Windsor Royals 9 0 9 0 60 274 0
Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
Winnipeg has a bye and will play in the WIFU Finals.
The last three Windsor Royals games were canceled, leading to an uneven number of games played. The Royals stopped competing in the ORFU after this season.
Grey Cup playoffs
Note: All dates in 1952
Semifinals
+ WIFU semifinals – game 1 Edmonton Eskimos @ Calgary Stampeders Date Away HomeOctober 22 Edmonton Eskimos 12 Calgary Stampeders 31
+ WIFU semifinals – game 2 Calgary Stampeders @ Edmonton Eskimos Date Away HomeOctober 25 Calgary Stampeders 7 Edmonton Eskimos 30
Edmonton won the total-point series by 42–38. The Eskimos will play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the WIFU Finals.
Finals
+ WIFU Finals – Game 1 Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Edmonton Eskimos Date Away HomeNovember 1 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28 Edmonton Eskimos 12
+ WIFU Finals – Game 2 Edmonton Eskimos @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Date Away HomeNovember 8 Edmonton Eskimos 18 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 12
+ WIFU Finals – Game 3 Edmonton Eskimos @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers Date Away HomeNovember 11 Edmonton Eskimos 22 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 11
Edmonton wins the best of three series 2–1. The Eskimos will advance to the Grey Cup game.
+ ORFU Finals – Game 1 Sarnia Imperials @ Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers Date Away HomeNovember 9 Sarnia Imperials 41 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 12
+ ORFU Finals – Game 2 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers @ Sarnia Imperials Date Away HomeNovember 15 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 7 Sarnia Imperials 24
Sarnia won the total-point series by 65–19. The Imperials will play the Toronto Argonauts in the Grey Cup semifinal.
+ IRFU Finals – Game 1 Toronto Argonauts @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats Date Away HomeNovember 15 Toronto Argonauts 22 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 6
+ IRFU Finals – Game 2 Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Toronto Argonauts Date Away HomeNovember 19 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27 Toronto Argonauts 11
+ IRFU Finals – Game 3 Toronto Argonauts @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats Date Away HomeNovember 22 Toronto Argonauts 12 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 7
Toronto wins the best of three series 2–1. The Argonauts will play the Sarnia Imperials in the Grey Cup semifinal.
Grey Cup semifinal
Sarnia Imperials @ Toronto Argonauts Date Away HomeNovember 26 Sarnia Imperials 15 Toronto Argonauts 34
The Toronto Argonauts will advance to the Grey Cup game.
Playoff bracket
Quarterfinals Semifinals Grey Cup final EAST WEST IRFU Hamilton Tiger Cats 6-27-7 IRFU Toronto Argonauts 22-11-12 ORFU Sarnia Imperials 41-24 ORFU Toronto Balmy Beach 12-7 WIFU Winnipeg Blue Bombers WIFU BYE WIFU Edmonton Eskimos 12-30 WIFU Calgary Stampeders 31-7 IRFU Toronto Argonauts 34 ORFU Sarnia Imperials 15 WIFU Winnipeg Blue Bombers 28-12-1 WIFU Edmonton Eskimos 12-18-22 IRFU Toronto Argonauts 21 WIFU Edmonton Eskimos 11
Grey Cup Championship
November 29
40th Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium – Toronto WIFU Champion IRFU Champion Edmonton Eskimos 11 Toronto Argonauts 21The Toronto Argonauts are the 1952 Grey Cup Champions
Note: WIFU Semifinal, as well as Eastern Playoff dates are not confirmed, however since [1] the regular season ended October 18 in the West, and November 8 in the East, and [2] WIFU Final dates, as well as Grey Cup date are accurate, it is reasonable to assume the above dates are accurate.
1952 Eastern (Interprovincial Rugby Football Union) 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 – Bill Mackrides, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
RB – Hal Waggoner, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
RB – Ulysses Curtis, Toronto Argonauts
RB – Gene Roberts, Ottawa Rough Riders
E – Red O'Quinn, Montreal Alouettes
E – Al Bruno, Toronto Argonauts
FW – Bob Simpson, Ottawa Rough Riders
C – Red Ettinger, Toronto Argonauts
G – Eddie Bevan, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
G – Vince Scott, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
T – Jim Staton, Montreal Alouettes
T – Vince Mazza, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
1952 Western (Western Interprovincial Football Union) 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.
48%
1st Team
QB – Jack Jacobs, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
HB – Tom Casey, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
HB – Rollie Miles, Edmonton Eskimos
FB – Johnny Bright, Calgary Stampeders
E – Rollin Prather, Edmonton Eskimos
E – Bob Shaw, Calgary Stampeders
FW – Bud Korchak, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
C – Bill Blackburn, Calgary Stampeders
G – Mario DeMarco, Edmonton Eskimos
G – Jim McPherson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
T – Dick Huffman, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
T – Buddy Tinsley, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
48%
2nd Team
QB – Frank Filchock, Edmonton Eskimos
QB – Claude Arnold, Edmonton Eskimos
HB – Pete Thodos, Calgary Stampeders
HB – Normie Kwong, Edmonton Eskimos
FB – Ralph McAlister, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
E – Paul Salata, Calgary Stampeders
E – Joe Aguirre, Edmonton Eskimos
E – Holland Alphin, Saskatchewan Roughriders
FW – Butch Avinger, Saskatchewan Roughriders
G – Harry Langford, Calgary Stampeders
G – Dean Bandiera, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
T – Martin Ruby, Saskatchewan Roughriders
48%
1952 Ontario Rugby Football Union 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 – Jack McKelvie, Sarnia Imperials
HB – John Pont, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
HB – Archie McAffer, Sarnia Imperials
HB – John Duchene, Sarnia Imperials
E – Fred Smale, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
E – Jack Glendenning, Sarnia Imperials
FW – John Florence, Sarnia Imperials
C – Bruce Mattingly, Sarnia Imperials
G – Bob O'Ree, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
G – Wally McIntosh, Sarnia Imperials
T – Oatten Fisher, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
T – Maurice Dorocke, Sarnia Imperials
T – Lloyd "Dutch" Davey, Sarnia Imperials
1952 Canadian Football Awards
Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Vince Mazza (OT), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (WIFU MVP) - Jack Jacobs (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Gruen Trophy (IRFU Rookie of the Year) - John Fedosoff (RB), Toronto Argonauts
Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (WIFU Rookie of the Year) - Lorne Benson (FB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - John Pont - Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
References
Category:Canadian Football League seasons