The 1970 CFL season is considered to be the 17th season in modern-day
Canadian football
Canadian football () is a team sport, sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed oval-shaped ball into the opposing team's sco ...
, although it is officially the 13th
Canadian Football League
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 ...
season.
CFL news in 1970
3M Tartan Turf was installed at Vancouver's
Empire Stadium, making it the first CFL venue to have artificial turf. The first sod was preserved and sent to
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
to be used as part of the future
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is maintained by the Canadian Football League (CFL). It includes displays about t ...
building. The first CFL All-Star Game was held since 1958. The Montreal Alouettes are sold to former Ottawa Rough Rider owner
Sam Berger
Samuel Berger, (January 1, 1900 – July 24, 1992) was a Canadian owner of the Canadian Football League's Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal Alouettes and president of the CFL.
Life
A lawyer by profession, he was an early football fan who be ...
, who changes their colours to green, white and red, and it is the beginning of a great dynasty in Montreal.
Regular season standings
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.
*''Saskatchewan and Hamilton have first round byes.''
Grey Cup playoffs
''Note: All dates in 1970''
Conference Semi-Finals
Conference Finals
Playoff bracket
}
Grey Cup Championship
1970 CFL All-Stars
Offence
*QB –
Ron Lancaster
Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*RB –
Bill Symons
Bill Symons (born June 14, 1943 in Nucla, Colorado) is a former professional Canadian football running back with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
College football career
Symons played for the University of Colorado Buf ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*RB –
Hugh McKinnis
Hugh Lee McKinnis, Jr. (born June 6, 1948) is a former professional American and Canadian football player who played in 3 CFL seasons from 1970 to 1972 for the Calgary Stampeders and 4 NFL seasons from 1973 to 1976 for the Cleveland Browns and th ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*RB –
Jim Evenson
Jim Evenson (born January 9, 1947) was a running back who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League for the British Columbia Lions and the Ottawa Rough Riders. Evenson won the Eddie James Memorial Trophy in 1971. He was a part of the ...
, BC Lions
*TE –
Herman Harrison, Calgary Stampeders
*SE –
Tommy Joe Coffey
Tommy Joe Coffey (November 18, 1936 – August 25, 2020) was an American-born Canadian Football League (CFL) player who was an end, wide receiver and place kicker for the Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts.
CFL
In his f ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*F –
Jim Thorpe
James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Native ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*C –
Ted Urness
Harold Edwards Urness (June 23, 1937 – December 29, 2018) was an offensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1961 to 1970.
CFL career
Urness played in three Grey Cups for the Roughriders, winning one in 1966, the 54th Grey Cup ag ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Charlie Bray, Toronto Argonauts
*OG –
Bill Danychuk, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*OG –
Ken Sugarman
Ken Sugarman (born June 16, 1942) is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League's the British Columbia Lions. After playing college football at Whitworth College, Sugarman spent his entire 9-year CFL career as ...
, BC Lions
*OT –
Bill Frank
William B. Frank, Jr. (April 13, 1938 – June 26, 2014) was a Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League for the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the Na ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*OT –
Ellison Kelly
Ellison Lamar Kelly (May 17, 1935 – February 11, 2016) was an American and Canadian football offensive lineman for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1960–1970 and the Toronto Argonauts from 1971-1972 of the Canadian Football League. He also playe ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Defence
*DT –
Angelo Mosca
Angelo Valentino Mosca (February 13, 1937 – November 6, 2021) was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. He was a defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As a wrestler, Mosca was known by the ni ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DT –
Greg Pipes, Edmonton Eskimos
*DE –
Steve Smear
Steve Smear (born May 18, 1948) is a former defensive end and linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was a CFL All-Star in 1970 and was a part of a Grey Cup victory for the Alouettes.
He was named an All- ...
, Montreal Alouettes
*DE –
Ed Harrington
Ed Harrington (February 8, 1941 – November 26, 2011) was a star defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League.
Harrington played college football at Langston University and later with the Toronto Rifles of the Continental Football League. ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*LB –
Wayne Harris
Carroll Wayne Harris (May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 through 1972. His son, Wayne Harris, Jr., coaches f ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*LB –
Jerry Campbell, Ottawa Rough Riders
*LB –
Greg Findlay, BC Lions
*DB –
John Wydareny, Edmonton Eskimos
*DB –
Garney Henley
Garney Henley (born December 21, 1935) is an American former professional football player, who played in the Canadian Football League.
College career
Garney Henley attended Huron College in South Dakota, playing as a running back from 1956 to ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DB –
Al Phaneuf
Al Phaneuf (born February 4, 1944) is a former defensive back in the Canadian Football League.
College
Al Phaneuf played college football at the University of Kentucky. During his second year at Kentucky, Phaneuf "became a Christian." After g ...
, Montreal Alouettes
*DB –
Al Marcelin, Ottawa Rough Riders
*DB –
Marv Luster
Marvin Luster (November 27, 1937 – May 25, 2020) was an American football defensive back and end. He played college football at UCLA and professional football in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for from 1961 to 1974. He was inducted into ...
, Toronto Argonauts
1970 Eastern All-Stars
Offence
*QB –
Gary Wood, Ottawa Rough Riders
*RB –
Bill Symons
Bill Symons (born June 14, 1943 in Nucla, Colorado) is a former professional Canadian football running back with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
College football career
Symons played for the University of Colorado Buf ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*RB –
Moses Denson
Moses Denson (born July 6, 1944) is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Denson played three seasons for the ...
, Montreal Alouettes
*RB –
Dave Fleming, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*TE –
Mel Profit
Mel Profit (born July 30, 1941 in New York, New York) was a football player in the CFL for six years. He was selected originally by the Los Angeles Rams in the 1963 NFL Draft. He starred as a tight end for the Toronto Argonauts.
Mel authored ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*SE –
Tommy Joe Coffey
Tommy Joe Coffey (November 18, 1936 – August 25, 2020) was an American-born Canadian Football League (CFL) player who was an end, wide receiver and place kicker for the Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts.
CFL
In his f ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*F –
Jim Thorpe
James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Native ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*C –
Gene Ceppetelli, Montreal Alouettes
*OG –
Charlie Bray, Toronto Argonauts
*OG –
Bill Danychuk, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*OT –
Ed George, Montreal Alouettes
*OT –
Ellison Kelly
Ellison Lamar Kelly (May 17, 1935 – February 11, 2016) was an American and Canadian football offensive lineman for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1960–1970 and the Toronto Argonauts from 1971-1972 of the Canadian Football League. He also playe ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Defence
*DT –
Angelo Mosca
Angelo Valentino Mosca (February 13, 1937 – November 6, 2021) was an American professional football player and professional wrestler. He was a defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As a wrestler, Mosca was known by the ni ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DT –
Marshall Shirk, Ottawa Rough Riders
*DE –
Steve Smear
Steve Smear (born May 18, 1948) is a former defensive end and linebacker for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was a CFL All-Star in 1970 and was a part of a Grey Cup victory for the Alouettes.
He was named an All- ...
, Montreal Alouettes
*DE –
Ed Harrington
Ed Harrington (February 8, 1941 – November 26, 2011) was a star defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League.
Harrington played college football at Langston University and later with the Toronto Rifles of the Continental Football League. ...
, Toronto Argonauts
*LB –
Charlie Collins, Montreal Alouettes
*LB –
Jerry Campbell, Ottawa Rough Riders
*LB –
Mike Widger, Montreal Alouettes
*DB –
Jim Tomlin, Toronto Argonauts
*DB –
Garney Henley
Garney Henley (born December 21, 1935) is an American former professional football player, who played in the Canadian Football League.
College career
Garney Henley attended Huron College in South Dakota, playing as a running back from 1956 to ...
, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
*DB –
Al Phaneuf
Al Phaneuf (born February 4, 1944) is a former defensive back in the Canadian Football League.
College
Al Phaneuf played college football at the University of Kentucky. During his second year at Kentucky, Phaneuf "became a Christian." After g ...
, Montreal Alouettes
*DB –
Al Marcelin, Ottawa Rough Riders
*DB –
Marv Luster
Marvin Luster (November 27, 1937 – May 25, 2020) was an American football defensive back and end. He played college football at UCLA and professional football in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for from 1961 to 1974. He was inducted into ...
, Toronto Argonauts
1970 Western All-Stars
Offence
*QB –
Ron Lancaster
Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*RB –
Silas McKinnie, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*RB –
Hugh McKinnis
Hugh Lee McKinnis, Jr. (born June 6, 1948) is a former professional American and Canadian football player who played in 3 CFL seasons from 1970 to 1972 for the Calgary Stampeders and 4 NFL seasons from 1973 to 1976 for the Cleveland Browns and th ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*RB –
Jim Evenson
Jim Evenson (born January 9, 1947) was a running back who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League for the British Columbia Lions and the Ottawa Rough Riders. Evenson won the Eddie James Memorial Trophy in 1971. He was a part of the ...
, BC Lions
*TE –
Herman Harrison, Calgary Stampeders
*SE –
Rick Shaw, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*F –
Mike Eben
Michael Eben (born January 29, 1946) is a former wide receiver who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League, mainly for the Toronto Argonauts. Eben also played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ottawa Rough Riders and Edmonton Eskimos. Eben w ...
, Edmonton Eskimos
*C –
Ted Urness
Harold Edwards Urness (June 23, 1937 – December 29, 2018) was an offensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1961 to 1970.
CFL career
Urness played in three Grey Cups for the Roughriders, winning one in 1966, the 54th Grey Cup ag ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Jack Abendschan
Jack Abendschan (born December 18, 1942) is a former Canadian Football League offensive lineman and placekicker who played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1965 through 1975.
Professional career
Jack Abendschan began his career with the Sask ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*OG –
Ken Sugarman
Ken Sugarman (born June 16, 1942) is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League's the British Columbia Lions. After playing college football at Whitworth College, Sugarman spent his entire 9-year CFL career as ...
, BC Lions
*OT –
Bill Frank
William B. Frank, Jr. (April 13, 1938 – June 26, 2014) was a Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League for the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the Na ...
, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*OT –
Lanny Boleski, Calgary Stampeders
Defence
*DT –
John Helton
John Helton (born 23 May 1947) is a former defensive tackle for the Calgary Stampeders from 1969 to 1978 and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers from 1979 to 1982 of the Canadian Football League.
High school and college
John Helton graduated from Captai ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*DT –
Greg Pipes, Edmonton Eskimos
*DE –
Ron Forwick, Edmonton Eskimos
*DE –
Ken Frith
Kenneth Frith (born December 1, 1945) is an American-born Canadian football
Canadian football () is a sport played in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*LB –
Wayne Harris
Carroll Wayne Harris (May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 through 1972. His son, Wayne Harris, Jr., coaches f ...
, Calgary Stampeders
*LB –
Dave Gasser
David Gasser (born October 7, 1942) is an American-born Canadian football player who played for the Edmonton Eskimos., where he wore jersey uniform number 65. He previously played football at West Texas State University. He later worked as a polic ...
, Edmonton Eskimos
*LB –
Greg Findlay, BC Lions
*DB –
John Wydareny, Edmonton Eskimos
*DB –
Bruce Bennett
Bruce Bennett (born Harold Herman Brix, also credited Herman Brix; May 19, 1906February 24, 2007) was an American film and television actor who prior to his screen career was a highly successful college athlete in football and in both intercol ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*DB –
Paul Brule, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*DB –
Ted Dushinski
Ted J. Dushinski (November 10, 1943 – October 24, 2005) was a former defensive back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
Early days
Ted Dushinski was born in Ituna, Saskatchewan in 1943. Dushinski loved hockey w ...
, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*DB –
Joe Hernandez, Edmonton Eskimos
1970 CFL Awards
*
CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award The Most Outstanding Player Award is annually awarded to the best player in the Canadian Football League. The two nominees for the award are the Terry Evanshen Trophy winner from the East Division, and the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy winner from ...
–
Ron Lancaster
Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...
(QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
*
CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award –
Jim Young
James Norman Young (born June 6, 1943) is a former professional American football and Canadian football player. Young played running back and wide receiver for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings for two seasons (1965–66), and the CFL's BC Lions f ...
(WR), BC Lions
*
CFL's Most Outstanding Lineman Award The Most Outstanding Lineman Award was an award annually given to the best defensive player or offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League from the year 1955 to 1973. By the 1974 season, the league decided to make two separate awards for bo ...
–
Wayne Harris
Carroll Wayne Harris (May 4, 1938 – June 4, 2015) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1961 through 1972. His son, Wayne Harris, Jr., coaches f ...
(LB), Calgary Stampeders
*
CFL's Coach of the Year –
Ray Jauch
Ray Jauch ( ; born February 11, 1938) is an American former gridiron football player and coach. He was head coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL), the United States Football League (USFL), and the Arena Football League. He won 127 regular ...
, Edmonton Eskimos
*
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 ...
(Eastern MVP) –
Bill Symons
Bill Symons (born June 14, 1943 in Nucla, Colorado) is a former professional Canadian football running back with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
College football career
Symons played for the University of Colorado Buf ...
(RB), Toronto Argonauts
*
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 ...
(Western MVP) -
Ron Lancaster
Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...
(QB), Saskatchewan Roughriders
*
Gruen Trophy (Eastern Rookie of the Year) -
Jim Corrigall (DL), Toronto Argonauts
*
Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (Western Rookie of the Year) -
John Senst (WR), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*
DeMarco–Becket Memorial Trophy (Western Outstanding Lineman) -
Greg Pipes (DT), Edmonton Eskimos
1970 Miss Grey Cup
*Miss Montreal Alouettes Nancy Durrell was named Miss Grey Cup 1970, with Miss Edmonton Eskimos Anita Urschel the first runner-up, and Miss Hamilton Tiger-Cats Linda Endicott the second runner-up. A fourth-year student at McGill University, she received a new 1971 Buick Opel, a mink stole, a diamond watch, a rhinestone tiara, a peignoir set, a stadium coat, a pant suit, boots, a shoulder bag, a Miss Grey Cup brooch, a two-year "keep fit" membership at a health club, and a professional beauty kit.
[Toronto Star, Saturday 28 November 1970, page 11.]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1970 Cfl Season
CFL
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 ...
Canadian Football League seasons