1956 in Canadian football

Canadian Football News in 1956
On Sunday, January 22, the Canadian Football Council was formed in Winnipeg and the national negotiation list was introduced. G. Sydney Halter, QC was named as the Canadian Football Council Commissioner.

Television rights for Canadian football games were sold for $101,000. The touchdown point value was increased from five to six points.

The first East-West All-Star game was played at Vancouver's Empire Stadium on December 8. The day after the game, Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 crashed into Mount Slesse, killing five players and one official who were on their way from Vancouver to Calgary. The five players who died in the crash included four members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders: offensive linemen Mario DeMarco and Ray Syrnyk, center/tight end Mel Becket, and defensive lineman Gordon Sturtridge, along with Winnipeg Blue Bomber offensive lineman Cal Jones. The official killed in the crash was Ed Pettit of Calgary.

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.
 * Edmonton and Montreal both have first round byes.
 * X – Rochester had withdrawn from the league.

Grey Cup playoffs
Note: All dates in 1956

SEMI-FINALS

 * Saskatchewan won the total-point series by 50–26. The Roughriders will play the Edmonton Eskimos in the WIFU Finals.


 * The Tiger-Cats will play the Montreal Alouettes in the IRFU Finals.

FINALS

 * Edmonton wins the best of three series 2–1. The Eskimos will advance to the Grey Cup game.


 * Montreal won the total-point series by 78–62. The Alouettes will advance to the Grey Cup game.

Grey Cup Championship

 * Note: WIFU and IRFU Finals dates are not confirmed, however since [1] the regular season ended October 27 in the West, and November 3 in the East, and [2] WIFU & IRFU Semi-Final dates, as well as the Grey Cup date are accurate, it is reasonable to assume the above dates are accurate.

Offence

 * QB – Sam Etcheverry, Montreal Alouettes
 * RB – Cookie Gilchrist, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
 * RB – Pat Abbruzzi, Montreal Alouettes
 * RB – Dick Shatto, Toronto Argonauts
 * E – Hal Patterson, Montreal Alouettes
 * E – Bobby Simpson, Ottawa Rough Riders
 * FW – Joey Pal, Montreal Alouettes
 * C – Tom Hugo, Montreal Alouettes
 * OG – Francis Machinsky, Toronto Argonauts
 * OG – Larry Hayes, Ottawa Rough Riders
 * OT – Kaye Vaughan, Ottawa Rough Riders
 * OT – Bill Albright, Toronto Argonauts

Defence

 * DT – Kaye Vaughan, Ottawa Rough Riders
 * DT – Bill Albright, Toronto Argonauts
 * DE – Pete Neumann, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
 * DE – Jim Miller, Montreal Alouettes
 * DG – Vince Scott, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
 * MG – Hardiman Cureton, Toronto Argonauts
 * LB – Tom Hugo, Montreal Alouettes
 * LB – Ken Vargo, Montreal Alouettes
 * DB – Hal Patterson, Montreal Alouettes
 * DB – Ralph Goldston, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
 * DB – Ray Truant, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
 * S – Don Pinney, Ottawa Rough Riders

Offence

 * QB – Jackie Parker, Edmonton Eskimos
 * RB – Ken Carpenter, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * RB – Ed Vereb, British Columbia Lions
 * RB – Normie Kwong, Edmonton Eskimos
 * RB – Bob McNamera, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
 * E – Don Edwards, British Columbia Lions
 * E – Bud Grant, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
 * C – Mel Beckett, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * C – George Druxman, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
 * OG – Harry Langford, Calgary Stampeders
 * OG – Buddy Allison, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
 * OT – Martin Ruby, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * OT – Buddy Tinsley, Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Defence

 * DT – Dick Huffman, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
 * DT – Martin Ruby, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * DE – Frank Anderson, Edmonton Eskimos
 * DE – Gord Sturtridge, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * MG – Ron Atchison, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * LB – John Wozniak, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * LB – Earl Lindley, Edmonton Eskimos
 * LB – Bobby Marlow, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * LB – Ted Tully, Edmonton Eskimos
 * DB – Rollie Miles, Edmonton Eskimos
 * DB – Larry Isbell, Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * S – Paul Cameron, British Columbia Lions

1956 Canadian Football Awards

 * Most Outstanding Player Award – Hal Patterson (DB/OE), Montreal Alouettes
 * Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Normie Kwong (RB), Edmonton Eskimos
 * Most Outstanding Lineman Award – Kaye Vaughan (OT/DT), Ottawa Rough Riders