The

Hamilton Flying Wildcats The Hamilton Wildcats were a Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) from 1941 to 1947, and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU) from 1948 to 1949. The team was formed ...

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.

Canadian football news in 1944

The

WIFU The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagu ...

and the

IRFU The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) ( ga, Cumann Rugbaí na hÉireann) is the body managing rugby union in the island of Ireland (both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland). The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and ...

suspended operations for the duration of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. 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. 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.http://manitobia.ca/content/en/newspapers/WPT/1944/10/03/articles/132.xml/iarchives?query=roughriders%2BAND%2Bdoctype%3Anewspapers%2BAND%2Byear%3A1944

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 The West Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League (CFL), its counterpart being the East Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the West Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagu ...

*NO LEAGUE PLAY

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League, its counterpart being the West Division. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues. T ...

*NO LEAGUE PLAY *Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.

Navy and Armed Services playoffs

*''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

*''Bombers won the total-point series by 26-12. The MISRL did not compete for the Grey Cup.''

Ontario Rugby Football League playoffs

*''Hamilton will play the St. Hyacinthe-Donnacona Navy in the Grey Cup.''

Grey Cup Championship

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 Annis Paul Stukus (October 25, 1914 – May 20, 2006) was a Canadian football player, coach and general manager, and ice hockey general manager. Stukus was born in Toronto. He played for the Toronto Argonauts from 1935 to 1941, leading the te ...

, Toronto Navy Bulldogs *HB – LS Tom Waldon, Toronto Navy Bulldogs *HB – LAC Ray Mullins, St. Thomas Hornets *DB – LAC

Doug Smylie Douglas John Smylie (June 3, 1922 – March 19, 1983) was a Canadian football player who played for the Toronto Argonauts, Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Rough Riders. He won the Grey Cup with Toronto in 1945 and 1952. The son of Rod Smylie, a pla ...

, 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

Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy The Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy is a Canadian football award recognizing the most outstanding football player of the Quebec Student Sport Federation (RESQ) The trophy was originally presented to the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanshi ...

(IRFU MVP) – ''no award given due to World War II'' * Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) -

Joe Krol Joseph "King" Krol (February 20, 1919 – December 16, 2008) was a Canadian gridiron football quarterback, running back, defensive back, and placekicker/ punter from 1942 to 1953 and 1955. Considered as possibly the most versatile player in Can ...

- Hamilton Wildcats

References

Canadian Football League seasons {{Canadianfootball-stub