1942 in Canadian football

With Canadians serving on battlefields across Europe and the Pacific, the first ever non-civilian Grey Cup took place in 1942. The Toronto RCAF Hurricanes defeated the Winnipeg RCAF Bombers on an icy field at Varsity Stadium in Toronto.

Canadian Football News in 1942

The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II. A couple of military teams based in Toronto, the RCAF Hurricanes and the Navy York Bulldogs joined the regular ORFU teams like Balmy Beach and the Toronto Indians.  The Ottawa Rough Riders continued operation, but as part of an Ottawa based league. Out West, a three team Winnipeg city league was formed with the Winnipeg Bombers, the University of Manitoba Bisons and a military team called the RCAF Flyers.

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 Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Toronto RCAF Hurricanes 10 8 1 1 180 61 17 Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 10 7 3 0 125 89 14 Hamilton Wildcats 10 6 4 0 119 66 12 Toronto HMCS York Bulldogs 10 5 4 1 94 44 11 Toronto Indians 10 3 7 0 66 113 6 Kitchener-Waterloo Panthers 10 0 10 0 21 222 0

Ottawa City Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Ottawa Rough Riders 4 3 1 0 66 13 6 Ottawa RCAF Uplands 4 3 1 0 53 31 6 Ottawa Civil Service 4 0 4 0 8 83 0

Winnipeg City League Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Winnipeg Bombers 6 4 1 1 93 30 9 Winnipeg RCAF Flyers 5 3 1 1 60 42 7 University of Manitoba Bisons 5 0 5 0 25 106 0

• Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.

Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1942

Winnipeg City playoffs

Bombers vs. RCAF Flyers Game Date Team 1 Team 2 1 October 31 RCAF Flyers 18 Bombers 14 2 November 3 Bombers 20 RCAF Flyers 11

• The Bombers won the total-point series by 34–29

Ottawa City Finals

Ottawa RCAF Uplands @ Ottawa Rough Riders Date Away Home November 21 Ottawa RCAF Uplands 9 Ottawa Rough Riders 0

ORFU Finals

Toronto Balmy Beach @ Toronto RCAF Hurricanes Date Away Home November 25 Toronto Balmy Beach 0 Toronto RCAF Hurricanes 24

Western Finals

Regina Navy @ Winnipeg RCAF Bombers Date Away Home November 7 Regina Navy 6 Winnipeg RCAF Bombers 13

Eastern Finals

Toronto RCAF Hurricanes @ Ottawa RCAF Uplands Date Away Home November 28 Toronto RCAF Hurricanes 18 Ottawa RCAF Uplands 13

Playoff bracket

Union Finals

Semifinals

Grey Cup final

ORFU

Toronto RCAF Hurricanes

24

ORFU

Toronto Balmy Beach

0

ORFU

Toronto RCAF Hurricanes

18

EAST

Ottawa City

Ottawa RCAF Uplands

13

Ottawa City

Ottawa RCAF Uplands

9

Ottawa City

Ottawa Rough Riders

0

ORFU

Toronto RCAF Hurricanes

8

Winnipeg City

Winnipeg RCAF Bombers

5

Winnipeg City

Winnipeg RCAF Bombers

14-20

Winnipeg City

Winnipeg RCAF Flyers

18-11

Winnipeg City

Winnipeg RCAF Bombers

13

WEST

SRFU

Regina Navy

6

SRFU

No Game

Grey Cup Championship

December 5 30th Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium - Toronto, Ontario Toronto RCAF Hurricanes 8 Winnipeg RCAF Bombers 5 Toronto RCAF Hurricanes are the 1942 Grey Cup Champions

1942 Ottawa City Senior Rugby Football Union All-Stars selected by Canadian Press

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

• QB – P/O Bobby Coulter, Ottawa RCAF Uplands
• FW – Joseph "Curley" Moynahan, Ottawa Rough Riders
• HB – P/O Tony Golab, Ottawa RCAF Uplands
• HB – Tommy Daley, Ottawa Rough Riders
• DB – Arnie McWatters, Ottawa Rough Riders
• DB – Thain Simon, Ottawa RCAF Uplands
• E – Pete O'Conner, Ottawa Rough Riders
• E – Hart Findley, Ottawa RCAF Uplands
• E – Jack Beull, Ottawa RCAF Uplands
• C – Doug Turner, Ottawa RCAF Uplands
• G – Leo Seguin, Ottawa Rough Riders
• G – George Fraser, Ottawa Rough Riders
• T – F/O George Sprague, Ottawa RCAF Uplands
• T – Eric Chipper, Ottawa Rough Riders

1942 Canadian Football Awards

• Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – no award given due to World War II
• Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - Bill Stukus - Toronto RCAF Hurricanes