1938 in Canadian football

For the second consecutive season the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers met for the Grey Cup. The Argonauts won the game.^[1]

Canadian Football News in 1938

The Edmonton Eskimos joined the WIFU and adopted the colours of blue and white. The Eskimos eventually withdrew from the union in 1940.^[2]

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 Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Calgary Bronks 8 6 2 0 50 27 12 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 8 6 2 0 114 63 12 Regina Roughriders 8 4 4 0 69 55 8 Edmonton Eskimos 8 0 8 0 29 117 0

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Ottawa Rough Riders 6 5 1 0 141 41 10 Toronto Argonauts 6 5 1 0 151 52 10 Hamilton Tigers 6 2 4 0 61 122 4 Montreal Cubs 6 0 6 0 30 168 0

Ontario Rugby Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA Pts Sarnia Imperials 6 3 1 2 95 27 8 Montreal Nationals 6 3 1 2 77 42 8 Toronto Balmy Beach 6 3 3 0 73 33 6 Peterborough Orfuns 6 1 5 0 15 158 2

*Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.

British Columbia Rugby Football Union

Team	GP	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pts
North Shore Lions	8	7	1	0	110	24	15
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds	6	5	1	0	57	18	15
Knights of Columbus	8	3	5	0	43	56	6
Vancouver Meralomas	8	0	8	0	3	115	0

*UBC games are worth 3 points in the standings

Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1938

Semifinals

WIFU Semifinals

Date	Away	Home
October 29	Regina Roughriders 0	Winnipeg Blue Bombers 13

ORFU Finals

Game	Date	Away	Home
1	November 19	Sarnia Imperials 9	Montreal Nationals 5
2	November 26	Sarnia Imperials 15	Montreal Nationals 0

• Sarnia won the total-point series by 24–5. Sarnia will play the Toronto Argonauts (IRFU Champions) in the Eastern Finals.

IRFU Finals

Game	Date	Away	Home
1	November 19	Toronto Argonauts 9	Ottawa Rough Riders 1
2	November 26	Toronto Argonauts 5	Ottawa Rough Riders 3

• Toronto won the total-point series by 14–4. Toronto will play the Sarnia Imperials (ORFU Champions) in the Eastern Finals.

Finals

Western Finals

Game	Date	Away	Home
1	November 5	Winnipeg Blue Bombers 12	Calgary Bronks 7
2	November 12	Calgary Bronks 2	Winnipeg Blue Bombers 13

• Winnipeg won the total-point series by 25–9. Winnipeg advances to the Grey Cup game.

Eastern Finals

Date	Away	Home
December 3?	Toronto Argonauts 25	Sarnia Imperials (ORFU) 8

• Toronto advances to the Grey Cup game.

Playoff bracket

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Grey Cup final

IRFU

Toronto Argonauts

9-5

IRFU

Ottawa Rough Riders

1-3

IRFU

Toronto Argonauts

25

EAST

ORFU

Sarnia Imperials

8

ORFU

Sarnia Imperials

9-15

ORFU

Montreal Nationals

5-0

IRFU

Toronto Argonauts

30

WIFU

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

7

WIFU

Calgary Bronks

WIFU

BYE

WIFU

Calgary Bronks

7-2

WEST

WIFU

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

12-13

WIFU

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

13

WIFU

Regina Roughriders

0

Grey Cup Championship

December 10 26th Annual Grey Cup Game: Varsity Stadium – Toronto, Ontario
WIFU Champion	IRFU Champion
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7	Toronto Argonauts 30
The Toronto Argonauts are the 1938 Grey Cup Champions

• Note: Eastern Final Playoff date is not confirmed, however since the regular season in the East ended November 12, and all other playoff dates, as well as Grey Cup date are accurate, it is reasonable to assume the above date is accurate.

1938 Eastern (Combined IRFU & ORFU) All-Stars selected by Canadian Press

NOTE: During this time most players played both ways, so the All-Star selections do not distinguish between some offensive and defensive positions.

1st Team

• QB – Annis Stukus, Toronto Argonauts
• FW – Ted Morris, Toronto Argonauts
• HB – Johnny Ferraro, Montreal Nationals
• HB – Hugh Sterling, Sarnia Imperials
• HB – Art West, Toronto Argonauts
• E – Wes Cutler, Toronto Argonauts
• E – Bernie Thompson, Toronto Argonauts
• C – George Willis, University of Western Ontario
• G – Charles "Tiny" Hermann, Ottawa Rough Riders
• G – Bob Reid, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• T – Dave Sprague, Ottawa Rough Riders
• T – Mike Clawson, Sarnia Imperials

2nd Team

• QB – Ab Box, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• FW – Ernie Hempey, Montreal Nationals
• HB – Murray Griffin, Ottawa Rough Riders
• HB – Herb Westman, McGill University
• HB – Bob Isbister, Toronto Argonauts
• E – Tony McCarthy, Ottawa Rough Riders
• E – Syd Reynolds, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• C – Joseph "Curley" Moynahan, Ottawa Rough Riders
• G – Alex Fleming, Montreal Nationals
• G – George Fraser, Ottawa Rough Riders
• T – Tommy Burns, Montreal Indians
• T – Bunny Wadsworth, Ottawa Rough Riders

1938 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 – Ab Box, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• FW – Ernie Hempey, Montreal Nationals
• HB – Johnny Ferraro, Montreal Nationals
• HB – Eddie Thompson, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• DB – Hugh Sterling, Sarnia Imperials
• E – Syd Reynolds, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• E – Eddie Burton, Montreal Nationals
• C – Dave Ryan, Montreal Nationals
• G – Bob Reid, Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
• G – Alex Fleming, Montreal Nationals
• T – Mike Clawson, Sarnia Imperials
• T – Tommy Burns, Montreal Nationals

1938 Canadian Football Awards

• Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Wes Cutler (DE), Toronto Argonauts
• Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - John Ferraro - Montreal Nationals

References

1. "Grey Cup: 1938". Canadian Football League. Archived from the original on 2010-09-10. Retrieved 2019-10-11.
2. "CANADIAN FOOTBALL TIMELINES (1860 – 2005)" (PDF). footballcanada.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 January 2017. Retrieved 11 October 2019.