69th Grey Cup
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The 69th
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 ...
was played on November 22, 1981, at the
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in
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, Quebec in front of 52,487 fans. The 1981 Grey Cup game is considered to be one of the ten best Grey Cup games of all time. CFL football fans saw an unexpectedly exciting game, as the 22.5 point underdog
Ottawa Rough Riders The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine ...
, sporting a woeful record of 5–11 (which is the worst record in CFL history by any Grey Cup finalist team), came within 3 seconds of denying 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 ...
the title. The Esks, with a 14–1–1 record, were almost the victims of what would have been the biggest upset in the history of 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 ...
. This was the final appearance in the Grey Cup game for the Ottawa Rough Riders, who folded in 1996. A team from Ottawa would not return to the Grey Cup until
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, when the second-year Redblacks faced off, incidentally, against the Edmonton Eskimos. Canadian Football Hall of Fame legends
Tom Wilkinson Thomas Geoffrey Wilkinson (born 5 February 1948)Born January–March 1948, according to the ''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com is an English actor of film, television, and stage. He has rece ...
(Edmonton) and
Tony Gabriel Anthony Michael Peter Gabriel (born December 11, 1948) is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981. He played for both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders. ...
(Ottawa) played their final game in the 69th
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 ...
as did veteran Edmonton centre
Bob Howes Bob Howes (born January 4, 1943) is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played fourteen seasons in the Canadian Football League, mainly for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was a part of five Grey Cup championship teams with the ...
. Future US Congressman
J.C. Watts Julius Caesar Watts Jr. (born November 18, 1957) is an American politician, clergyman, and athlete. Watts was a college football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners and later played professionally in the Canadian Football League. He served in ...
was Ottawa's quarterback. He won the
Grey Cup Most Valuable Player The Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is awarded annually since 1959 to the player of the winning team who deemed to have had the best performance in the Grey Cup Game, the Canadian Football League's championship game. This award is prese ...
(Offensive) award.


Box Score

First Quarter Ottawa – FG –
Gerry Organ Gerry Organ (born December 4, 1944) is a former professional Canadian football placekicker and Punter (football), punter for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He played for 13 seasons for the Rough Riders, playing in three G ...
34 yards
Ottawa – FG –
Gerry Organ Gerry Organ (born December 4, 1944) is a former professional Canadian football placekicker and Punter (football), punter for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He played for 13 seasons for the Rough Riders, playing in three G ...
37 yards
Ottawa – TD –
Jim Reid James McLeish Reid (born 29 December 1961) is a Scottish singer/songwriter and the lead singer for the alternative rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain, which he formed with his elder brother and guitarist William Reid in 1983. Career The Jes ...
1-yard run (
Gerry Organ Gerry Organ (born December 4, 1944) is a former professional Canadian football placekicker and Punter (football), punter for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He played for 13 seasons for the Rough Riders, playing in three G ...
convert) Second Quarter Ottawa – TD – Sam Platt 14-yard run (
Gerry Organ Gerry Organ (born December 4, 1944) is a former professional Canadian football placekicker and Punter (football), punter for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He played for 13 seasons for the Rough Riders, playing in three G ...
convert)
Edmonton – Single –
Dave Cutler David Neil Cutler Sr. (born March 13, 1942) is an American software engineer. He developed several computer operating systems, namely Microsoft's Windows NT, and Digital Equipment Corporation's RSX-11M, VAXELN, and VMS. Personal history Cutl ...
24 yards missed Field Goal Third Quarter Edmonton – TD –
Jim Germany Jim Germany (born February 2, 1953), is a former star running back in the Canadian Football League. He played his college football at New Mexico State University, where he inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1994. Drafted by the NFL's St. Louis ...
2-yard run (Dave Cutler convert)
Edmonton – TD –
Warren Moon Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played professionally for 23 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonto ...
1-yard run (Dave Cutler convert) Fourth Quarter Ottawa – FG –
Gerry Organ Gerry Organ (born December 4, 1944) is a former professional Canadian football placekicker and Punter (football), punter for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He played for 13 seasons for the Rough Riders, playing in three G ...
28 yards
Edmonton – TD –
Warren Moon Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played professionally for 23 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonto ...
1-yard run (
Marco Cyncar Marco Cyncar (born April 13, 1958) is a former Canadian Football League receiver who played eleven seasons for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was a member of four Grey Cup Championship teams in Edmonton. Cyncar played for the Edmonton Wildcats of the ...
2 point convert pass from Moon)
Edmonton – FG – Dave Cutler 27 yards


Game summary

Ottawa unexpectedly built up a lead of 20 to 1 at halftime on touchdowns by Jim Reid and Sam Platt and two
Gerry Organ Gerry Organ (born December 4, 1944) is a former professional Canadian football placekicker and Punter (football), punter for the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He played for 13 seasons for the Rough Riders, playing in three G ...
field goals. Edmonton fought back in the second half with short touchdown runs by
Jim Germany Jim Germany (born February 2, 1953), is a former star running back in the Canadian Football League. He played his college football at New Mexico State University, where he inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1994. Drafted by the NFL's St. Louis ...
and
Warren Moon Harold Warren Moon (born November 18, 1956) is an American former football quarterback who played professionally for 23 seasons. He spent the majority of his career with the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonto ...
. After another Ottawa field goal, Moon scored his second rushing touchdown and hit
Marco Cyncar Marco Cyncar (born April 13, 1958) is a former Canadian Football League receiver who played eleven seasons for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was a member of four Grey Cup Championship teams in Edmonton. Cyncar played for the Edmonton Wildcats of the ...
for a 2-point conversion to tie the game at 23. The most controversial play in this closely fought game came in the last 4 minutes. Ottawa tight end
Tony Gabriel Anthony Michael Peter Gabriel (born December 11, 1948) is a former professional Canadian football pass receiver who played in the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1981. He played for both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Ottawa Rough Riders. ...
, limping down the field with torn knee ligaments, caught a vital 20-yard pass while battling Eskimo defender
Gary Hayes Gary Hayes (born August 19, 1957) is a former defensive back in the National Football League. He played three seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Previously, he played three seasons in the Canadian Football League The Canadian Football Lea ...
. The officials called pass interference penalties on both players, wiping out the gain. Gabriel was stunned and argued his case on field, to no avail. Gabriel, his knee finally disabling him and denied this last moment of greatness, would not play again. Ottawa was soon forced to punt and lost the game on a 27-yard field goal by
Dave Cutler David Neil Cutler Sr. (born March 13, 1942) is an American software engineer. He developed several computer operating systems, namely Microsoft's Windows NT, and Digital Equipment Corporation's RSX-11M, VAXELN, and VMS. Personal history Cutl ...
with three seconds left.


References


External links

* {{1981 CFL season by team
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 ...
Grey Cup Grey Cups hosted in Montreal Ottawa Rough Riders Edmonton Elks Grey Cup, 1981
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...