Football returned to relative normal in 1945 following the conclusion of World War II. Two rivals from the pre-war years met once again in the annual Grey Cup, but on this occasion, the

Winnipeg Blue Bombers The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a professional Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Blue Bombers compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West division. They play their home games at IG Fie ...

were no match for the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...

. For Winnipeg, it was the worst loss by a western team in the Grey Cup since 1923 when Queen's University routed the

Regina Roughriders The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a professional Canadian football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Roughriders compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member club of the league's West Division. The Roughriders were founded in 1 ...

54-0.

Canadian Football News in 1945

On Thursday, September 27 a new football team was formed in Calgary. On October 10, it was decided that the new team would play as the

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third-o ...

. The Stampeders joined the WIFU with

blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...

and

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...

colours. 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 ...

would resume play, but the WIFU still suspended operations.

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 *Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.

Grey Cup playoffs

''Note: All dates in 1945''

Semifinals

Finals

*''Toronto won the total-point series by 33–18. Toronto will play the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers (ORFU Champions) in the Eastern finals.'' *''Winnipeg advances to the Grey Cup game.'' *''Toronto won the total-point series by 17–1. Toronto will play the Toronto Argonauts (IRFU Champions) in the Eastern finals.''

Eastern Finals

*''Toronto advances to the Grey Cup game.''

Playoff bracket

Grey Cup Championship

*Note: WIFU semifinal playoff dates are not confirmed, nor is Eastern Final date. However, since the regular season in the East ended October 27, and all other playoff dates, as well as Grey Cup date are accurate, it is reasonable to assume the above dates are accurate.''

1945 Interprovincial 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 –

Billy Myers William Harrison Myers (August 14, 1910 – April 10, 1995) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1935 through 1941 for the Cincinnati Reds (1935–1940) and Chicago Cubs (1941). Listed at 5' 8", 168 lb., Myers batted and thr ...

, Toronto Argonauts *HB – Royal Copeland, Toronto Argonauts *HB –

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 ...

, Toronto Argonauts *FB –

Tony Golab Anthony Charles Golab, (January 17, 1919 – October 16, 2016) was a Canadian football halfback and flying wing who played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union and Interprovincial Rugby Football Union for 11 years with the Sarnia Imperials, O ...

, Ottawa Rough Riders *E – Dick Groom, Hamilton Tigers *E – Jack Wedley, Toronto Argonauts *FW – Ken Charlton, Ottawa Rough Riders *C – Curly Moynahan, Ottawa Rough Riders *G – George Fraser, Ottawa Rough Riders *G – Eddie Remigis, Hamilton Tigers *T – Eric Chipper, Ottawa Rough Riders *T – Les Ascot, Toronto Argonauts *T –

Steve Levantis Steve Levantis (July 28, 1916 – February 27, 1993) was a Canadian professional football player who played for the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He won the Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship ...

, Toronto Argonauts

1945 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 – Bill Stukus, Toronto Indians *HB – Doug Pyzer, Toronto Indians *HB – Ross McKelvey, Toronto Indians *DB – Sam Sward, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers *E –

Len Wright Sir Leonard Morton Wright (1906 – 22 October 1967) was a Dunedin Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from ...

, Hamilton Wildcats *E – Johnny Farmer, Toronto Indians *FW –

Fred Kijek Bronislaus "Fred" Kijek (1919-1986) was a Grey Cup champion and All-Star fullback in the early days of Canadian football. He was also an excellent punter and flying wing. The son of Joseph Kijek and Mary Buita, Kijek was a well traveled football ...

, Toronto Indians *C – Bob Cosgrove, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers *G –

George Mountain George Jehoshaphat Mountain (27 July 1789 – 6 January 1863) was a British-Canadian Anglican bishop (3rd Anglican Bishop of Quebec), the first Principal of McGill College from 1824 to 1835, and one of the founders of Bishop's University and B ...

, Hamilton Wildcats *G – Len Staughton, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers *G – Harry "Suze" Turner, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers *T –

George Sprague George Able Sprague (November 30, 1871 – November 8, 1963), businessman, was mayor of Dallas in 1935–1937. Biography George Able Sprague was born on November 30, 1871, in Preston, Fillmore County, Minnesota, to Isaac Sprague and Anna Jeannet ...

, Ottawa Trojans *T – Don Durno, Toronto Indians

1945 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) – George Fraser (OG), Ottawa Rough Riders * Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - Arnie McWatters - Ottawa Trojans

References

{{CFL seasons Canadian Football League seasons Grey Cups hosted in Toronto