The

Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Commo ...

upset the

Montreal Alouettes The Montreal Alouettes (Canadian French, French: Les Alouettes de Montréal) are a professional Canadian football team based in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 1946, the team has folded and been revived twice. The Alouettes compete in the Canadian F ...

to send the

Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...

trophy back west for the first time since 1948.

Canadian Football News in 1954

1954 is generally recognized as the start of the modern era of Canadian football. The

BC Lions The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place. The Lions played their first season ...

joined 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 adopted the colours of burnt orange and brown. The

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

national network were televising

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 home ...

games. Winnipeg's

Gerry James Edwin Fitzgerald (Gerry) James (born October 22, 1934) is a former professional Canadian football running back and professional ice hockey player. He played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Toronto Ma ...

(RB), became the first player to win the Most Outstanding Canadian Award. This was the last season that the

Ontario Rugby Football Union The Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) was an early amateur Canadian football league comprising teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded on Saturday, January 6, 1883 and in 1903 became the first major competition to adopt th ...

would be allowed to challenge for the

Regular season

Final regular season standings

Source: ''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. *''Edmonton has a bye and will play in the WIFU Finals.''

Grey Cup playoffs

Source: ''Note: All dates in 1954''

SEMI-FINALS

*''Winnipeg won the total-point series by 27–25. The Blue Bombers will play the Edmonton Eskimos in the WIFU Finals.''

FINALS

* ''Kitchener-Waterloo wins the best of three series 2–0. The Dutchmen will advance to the Grey Cup Semi-Final. '' *''Edmonton wins the best of three series 2–1. The Eskimos will advance to the Grey Cup Semi-Final.'' * ''Montreal wins the best of three series 2–0. The Alouettes will advance to the Grey Cup game. ''

Grey Cup Semi-Final

*''The Edmonton Eskimos will advance to the Grey Cup game.''

Playoff Bracket

*Final appearance in the Grey Cup playoffs by the ORFU

Grey Cup Championship

Canadian Football Leaders

CFL Passing Leaders The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

CFL Rushing Leaders The CFL was officially formed in 1958. Statistics for the IRFU/Eastern Division date back to 1954 whereas WIFU/Western Division statistics date back to 1950. See also *List of Canadian Football League annual passing leaders *List of Canadian F ...

CFL Receiving Leaders The CFL was officially formed in 1958. Statistics for the IRFU/Eastern Division date back to 1954 whereas WIFU/Western Division statistics date back to 1950. See also *List of Canadian Football League annual passing leaders *List of Canadian ...

1954 Eastern (Interprovincial Rugby Football Union) All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

Sam Etcheverry Samuel "The Rifle" Etcheverry (May 20, 1930 – August 29, 2009) was a professional American football, American and Canadian football player and head coach. Etcheverry played the quarterback position, most famously with the Montreal Alouettes of ...

, Montreal Alouettes *RB –

Alex Webster Alex Webster (born 1969) is an American bass player who is best known as a member of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is one of two remaining members of the original lineup of the band, along with drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz. He is al ...

, Montreal Alouettes *RB – Gene Wilson, Toronto Argonauts *RB –

Bernie Custis Bernard Eugene Custis (September 23, 1928 – February 23, 2017) was an American and Canadian football player who went on to a distinguished coaching career. He is known for having been the first black professional quarterback in the modern era ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *E –

Red O'Quinn John William "Red" O'Quinn (September 7, 1925 – April 21, 2002) was a gridiron football end. Early years John William "Red" O'Quinn, Jr. was born in Bluett Falls, North Carolina. He graduated from Asheboro High School in Asheboro, North ...

, Montreal Alouettes *E –

Ray Ramsey "Rocket" Raymond LeRoy Ramsey (July 18, 1921 – August 25, 2009)Joey Pal, Montreal Alouettes *C –

Tommy Hugo Tom Hugo (August 25, 1930 – November 15, 2004) was a Canadian Football League offensive lineman and linebacker who played seven seasons for the Montreal Alouettes from 1953 to 1959. He was a Montreal All-Star 12 times (1953 offence, 1954–1958 ...

, Montreal Alouettes *OG –

Ray Cicia Ray may refer to: Fish * Ray (fish), any cartilaginous fish of the superorder Batoidea * Ray (fish fin anatomy), a bony or horny spine on a fin Science and mathematics * Ray (geometry), half of a line proceeding from an initial point * Ray (gra ...

, Montreal Alouettes *OG –

Herb Trawick Herb Trawick (February 22, 1921 – September 16, 1985) was a professional Canadian football player and was the first African American to play professional Canadian football. Trawick spent his entire 12-year career as an offensive lineman and def ...

, Montreal Alouettes *OT –

Tex Coulter DeWitt Echoles "Tex" Coulter (October 26, 1924 – October 2, 2007) was an American gridiron football player. He played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union ...

, Montreal Alouettes *OT – Vince Mazza, Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Defence

*DT –

, Montreal Alouettes *DT – Jim Staton, Montreal Alouettes *DE –

Pete Neumann Peter Michael Neumann (1931 – January 1, 2020) was a Canadian Football League player for 14 seasons the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was a 9-time CFL's Eastern All-Star and a part of three Grey Cup championship teams. Neumann was inducted into the ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DE – Doug McNichol, Montreal Alouettes *DG –

Vince Scott Vincent Joseph "Boomer" Scott (July 10, 1925 – July 13, 1992) was a Canadian football player. He played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and was later a Hamilton city councillor. He became a Canadian citizen in the mid-1950s Scott was born in ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DG –

Eddie Bevan Eddie Bevan (c. 1925–1988) was a Canadian football player who played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He won the Grey Cup with them in 1953. He previously served in World War II with the Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: M ...

, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *LB –

Red Ettinger Donald Nesbit Ettinger (November 20, 1921 – February 13, 1992) was an American football player. He was born in Independence, Missouri. Nicknamed "Red Dog", Ettinger played college football for the University of Kansas and later the National Foo ...

, Toronto Argonauts *LB –

, Montreal Alouettes *DB – Lou Kusserow, Hamilton Tiger-Cats *DB –

Hal Patterson Harold Edward Patterson (October 4, 1932November 21, 2011), nicknamed Prince Hal, was a star American college basketball player at the University of Kansas, and a professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League Montreal Al ...

, Montreal Alouettes *S – Bill MacFarlane, Toronto Argonauts *S -

Billy Cross Billy Cross was born in Manhattan, New York on July 15, 1946 and is an American guitarist, singer and producer who has lived in Denmark since 1980. He has been part of the Danish bands: Delta Cross Band, Cross-Schack-Ostermann, and Everybody's ...

, Toronto Argonauts

1954 Western (Western Interprovincial Football Union) All-Stars

Offence

*QB –

Frank Tripucka Francis Joseph TripuckaProfile
, polishsportshof.com; accessed December 28, 2015.

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *RB –

Rollie Miles Rollie is a nickname, often for Roland or Rolland, and occasionally a given name which may refer to: Rolands * Rollie Boutin (born 1957), Canadian retired ice hockey goaltender * Rollie Cook (born 1952), Canadian politician * Rollie Dotsch (1933 ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *RB –

Jackie Parker John Dickerson "Jackie" Parker (January 1, 1932 – November 7, 2006) was an American gridiron football player and coach. He was an All-American in college football and an outstanding professional football player in the Canadian Football League ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *RB –

Howard Waugh Howard Waugh (February 24, 1931 – November 29, 2009) was an all-star and record setting halfback who played in the Western Interprovincial Football Union with the Calgary Stampeders. A graduate of the University of Tulsa, Waugh joined the Calg ...

, Calgary Stampeders *RB – Ed Macon, Calgary Stampeders *E –

Mac Speedie Mac Curtis Speedie (January 12, 1920 – March 5, 1993) was an American football end who played for the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC) and National Football League (NFL) for seven years before joining the Saskatc ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *E –

Bud Grant Harry Peter "Bud" Grant Jr. (born May 20, 1927) is a former head coach and player of American football, Canadian football, and a former player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Grant served as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *C –

Eagle Keys Eagle Keys (December 4, 1923 – December 20, 2012) was a Canadian football player and coach. He is currently fifth all-time in regular season wins with 131 as a head coach in the Canadian Football League. He was inducted into the Canadian Foo ...

, Edmonton Eskimos *OG –

Mario DeMarco Mario Joseph DeMarco, (July 24, 1924 – December 9, 1956) was an American college football, National Football League, and professional Canadian football player, and was one of 62 people who died on Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810, on December ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *OG –

Roy Jenson Roy Cameron Jenson, also known and credited as Roy Jensen, (February 9, 1927 – April 24, 2007) was a Canadian American football player, stuntman, and actor. Early years Born in Calgary, Alberta, Jenson moved to Los Angeles with his family as ...

, Calgary Stampeders *OT –

Dick Huffman Richard Maxwell Huffman (March 27, 1923 – September 13, 1992) was an American gridiron football tackle in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU). A 9th round selection (81st overall ...

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *OT –

Martin Ruby Martin Owen Ruby (June 9, 1922 – January 3, 2002) was an offensive tackle and defensive tackle for the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers in the All-America Football Conference, New York Yanks of the National Football League,''Will C ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders

Defence

*DT –

, Winnipeg Blue Bombers *DT –

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DE – Frank Anderson, Edmonton Eskimos *DE –

Gene Brito Gene Herman Brito (November 23, 1925 – June 8, 1965) was an American football Defensive end in the National Football League who played nine seasons for the Washington Redskins and the Los Angeles Rams from 1951 to 1960. Early career Brito, bor ...

, Calgary Stampeders *DG – Mike Cassidy, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DG –

Bob Levenhagen Robert Ernest Levenhagen (October 2, 1925 – September 16, 1973) was a Canadian football player who played for the BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders. He played college football at the University of Washington The University of Washington (UW, ...

, BC Lions *LB –

John Wozniak John Keith Wozniak (born January 19, 1971) is an American musician best known as the lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the band Marcy Playground. Early life Wozniak was born and raised in Minneapolis. He learned how to play the guitar ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *LB –

Ed Henke Edgar Edwin Henke (December 13, 1927 – June 28, 2015) was an American football offensive and defensive lineman in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Cardinals. He also played in the All-America Footba ...

, Calgary Stampeders *DB – Stan Williams, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DB –

Bobby Marlow Robert R. "Bobby" Marlow (February 8, 1930 – June 5, 1985) was an American and Canadian football running back who played for the Alabama Crimson Tide football, University of Alabama and the Canadian Football League's (CFL) Saskatchewan Roughrider ...

, Saskatchewan Roughriders *DB –

, Edmonton Eskimos *S – Tom Casey, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

1954 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 – Bob Celeri, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen *RB –

Cookie Gilchrist Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist (May 25, 1935 – January 10, 2011) was an American football player who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). Career A star player at Har-Brack High S ...

, Sarnia Imperials *RB – Paul Amodio, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen *RB – Nayland Moll, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers *RB –

Blake Taylor Blake Michael Taylor (born August 17, 1995) is an American-British professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB), and the Great Britain national team. Taylor was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2nd ...

, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen *E – Harvey Singleton, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers *E – Gerry McTaggart, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen *FW – Carl Totzke, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen *C –

Bruce Mattingly Bruce Mattingly (born c. 1924) was a centre in the Ontario Rugby Football Union, playing 10 years with the Sarnia Imperials. A mainstay of the Sarnia offensive line, Mattingly was an all-star 5 times and won two ORFU championships. By far his bes ...

, Sarnia Imperials *G –

Jay Fry A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For example, the Eurasian m ...

, Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen *G – Lloyd "Dutch" Davey, Sarnia Imperials *T –

Keith Carpenter Keith Richards, Keith A. Carpenter (born August 3, 1941) was one of Canada's top men's tennis players during the 1960s. Tennis career Overview Carpenter's best result was winning the Canadian Open Men's Doubles Championship in 1966 alongside hi ...

, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers *T – Dan Nykoluk, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers

1954 Canadian Football Awards

* Most Outstanding Player Award –

(QB), Montreal Alouettes * Most Outstanding Canadian Award –

(RB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers *

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) –

(QB), Montreal Alouettes *

Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy The Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy is a trophy awarded to the Canadian Football League West Division's most outstanding player, chosen from the nominees from each team in the division. Either this trophy winner or the winner of the Terry Evanshen T ...

(WIFU MVP) -

(RB), Edmonton Eskimos * Gruen Trophy (IRFU Rookie of the Year) - Ron Howell (WR), Hamilton Tiger-Cats * Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (WIFU Rookie of the Year) - Lynn Bottoms (HB), Calgary Stampeders * Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - Bob Celeri - Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1954 In Canadian Football Canadian Football League seasons