1940 in Canadian football
The only two-game total point series in Grey Cup history was played between the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers.
The Canadian Rugby Union arranged the series after it refused to allow the WIFU winners, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to compete in the final. The reason for the refusal was based on the WIFU season being played under rules that varied from IRFU rules.
The Ontario Rugby Football Union had three of its teams disband due to the war. The league managed to continue by quickly cobbling together three more teams, centered on military communities (as many players had joined the armed forces.)
The British Columbia Rugby Football Union operated for the final time. As winners of the BCRFU, the Victoria Revellers had the right to challenge the WIFU champions for the western championship. As was normal for the BCRFU champions, no challenge was issued.
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
A tie game between the Hamilton Alerts and Camp Borden was ordered to be replayed but was cancelled.
BCRFU - Three V League
| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|
| Victoria Revellers | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 14 | 8 |
| UBC Thunderbirds | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 42 | 2 |
| Vancouver Bulldogs | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 27 | 2 |
|
Grey Cup playoffs
Note: All dates in 1940
Division finals
- Winnipeg won the total-point series by 30–2. Winnipeg would have advanced to the Grey Cup game, but were refused by the Canadian Rugby Union. They instead went to the United States at the beginning of the 1941 season to play the Columbus Bullies, the champions of the American Football League, in a three-game series. The Bullies defeated the Blue Bombers 2 games to 1, with scores of 12–19, 6–0, and 31–1.
- Toronto Balmy Beach won the total-point series by 36–0.
- Ottawa won the total-point series by 20–2. Ottawa will play Toronto Balmy Beach (ORFU Champions) in the Grey Cup game.
Grey Cup Championship
NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.
- QB – Bobby Coulter, Toronto Argonauts
- FW – Andy Tommy, Ottawa Rough Riders
- HB – Tony Golab, Ottawa Rough Riders
- HB – Gordon Noseworthy, Montreal Bulldogs
- HB – Sammy Sward, Ottawa Rough Riders
- E – Eddie Burton, Montreal Bulldogs
- E – Bernie Thornton, Toronto Argonauts
- C – Doug Turner, Hamilton Tigers
- G – George Fraser, Ottawa Rough Riders
- G – Len Staughton, Ottawa Rough Riders
- T – Bunny Wadsworth, Ottawa Rough Riders
- T – Dave Sprague, Ottawa Rough Riders
NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.
- QB – Greg Kabat, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- FW – Jeff Nicklin, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- HB – Fritz Hanson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- HB – Art Stevenson, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- FB – Raul Rowe, Calgary Bronks
- E – Larry Haynes, Calgary Bronks
- E – Ches McCance, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- E – Bud Marquardt, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- C – Dean Griffing, Regina Roughriders
- G – Maurice Williams, Regina Roughriders
- G – Bill Ceretti, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- T – Gord Gellhaye, Calgary Bronks
- T – Toar Springstein, Regina Roughriders
NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.
- QB – Bobby Porter, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
- FW – Ralph Perry, Sarnia Imperials
- HB – Don Crowe, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
- HB – Eddie Thompson, Camp Borden
- DB – Frank Seymour, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
- E – Jim Butler, Sarnia 2/26 Battery
- E – Syd Reynolds, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
- C – Nick Paithouski, Sarnia 2/26 Battery
- G – Bob Reid, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
- G – Bruce Barron, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
- T – Gord Shields, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
- T – Dick Norris, Sarnia 2/26 Battery
References