Talk:CFL All-Star Game

First CFL All_Star Game
{I added this to the talk page for "Differences between Canadian and American Football" a few years back, but visitors to this page might find it of interest, especially the manner in which the unqiue CFL rule regarding the "single" comes into play.)

The New York Times had some coverage of "Canada's first All-Star football game" in its issue of December 4, 1955. Those interested should be able to locate the microfilm at their public libraries. It's on page S1, presumably the front of the Sports section. Perhaps Canadian papers had more detailed coverage. If someone wants to rework this into one of the other articles, be my guest -- this is my own summary, and not verbatim. It must have been quite a show.

The December 3 game (a week after the Grey Cup contest) was played on Toronto mud (it was raining) before 15,083 spectators. It was apparently staged for charity (children's hospitals.)

The West squad took a 5-0 lead on a second-quarter touchdown by Gordon Sturtridge (of Saskatchewan). Sturtridge knocked the ball loose as quarterback Sam Etchverry tried to pass out of his own end zone, and then recovered the ball himself. Jackie Parker's extra point attempt was blocked. (That's correct: a Canadian touchdown was worth five points during the 1950s.) A single, on a Bob Heydenfeldt (Edmonton) kick early in the fourth quarter made it 6-0.

The East tied the game at 6-6 about the nine-minute mark on a pass from Tom Dublinski (Toronto) to Hal Patterson (Montreal). Patterson also scored the extra point because kicker Tom Tracy suffered a high snap, but caught it and managed to complete a pass.

With less than a minute to play, the West tried for a minimalist win. Heydenfelt punted into the East end zone, where Cam Fraser fielded the ball and punted it back – to Heydenfeldt, who got off yet another kick. However, the play ended with the ball at the East's 40 yard line after a no-yards penalty.

Dublinski completed a 42-yard pass to Al Pfeifer (also of Toronto). This permitted Fraser to make a last-second kick, which Jackie Parker kicked back as time ran out. Because Parker had been roughed, the West got another play, but chose to fall on the ball.

Sturtridge had almost scored another defensive touchdown on what must have been an amazing play. The East was within a yard of a touchdown when Sturtridge broke up a pitchout, and dribbled the ball the length of the field. However, Hal Waggoner (Hamilton) caught up to him and recovered at the other one-yard line. WHPratt (talk) 13:33, 8 August 2012 (UTC)


 * The article starts on p. 277/S1 col. 5 For those with timesmachine.nytimes.com access it continues on p. 279 col. 3. jnestorius(talk) 12:14, 3 March 2022 (UTC)