Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers were a Canadian football
team based in Toronto, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union
, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League
. They appeared in four Grey Cup
championships spanning three decades and were the longest tenured member of the ORFU.
when they lost to Queen's University
in the 12th Grey Cup
game. They would go on to win the Grey Cup three years later in 1927
, defeating the IRFU's Hamilton Tigers
. After another three years, the Beachers would again return to the Grey Cup and were once again victorious, winning the 18th Grey Cup
in 1930
over the Regina Roughriders.
Due to the dominance of the Sarnia Imperials
, the Beachers otherwise had very little success in the 1930s
, qualifying for the playoffs three other times that decade, only to lose the ORFU Final to the Imperials. It wasn't until 1940 that the team made it back to the Grey Cup, when they lost to the Ottawa Rough Riders
in the 28th Grey Cup
game, the only Grey Cup to be played as a two-game series. They would continue to see futility as the team would not return to the Grey Cup for the remainder of their history.
On April 20, 1948
, it was announced that the Beachers would merge with the Toronto Indians
and assumed the name Toronto Beaches-Indians for that one season. The amalgamation took place due to the difficulty that the two teams were having in competing for fan support, in addition to the competition from the IRFU's Toronto Argonauts
. The team finished in 2nd place that year with a 5-4 record, but lost to the Hamilton Tigers
(who had transferred to the ORFU from the more competitive IRFU that year) in the ORFU Finals. On January 4, 1949, the club announced that the amalgamation would end and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers would resume play while the Indians would fold.
In 1953 they won the ORFU Championship and played in the Grey Cup semi-final against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
, losing in a hard fought game. The team struggled in the 1950s as the "Big Four" eastern teams and the five "Western Conference" teams began importing American players. The Beach was unable to pay the big salaries of the other two leagues and maintained an all-Canadian team which became increasingly less competitive. The team folded after the 1957 season
. Many Canadian Balmy Beach players played with the "Big Four" and "Western Conference" teams and have since entered the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
team based in Toronto, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union
Ontario Rugby Football Union
The Ontario Rugby Football Union or ORFU was an early amateur Canadian football league with teams in the Canadian province of Ontario. The ORFU was founded in 1883 and in 1903 became the first major competition to adopt the Burnside Rules, from which the modern Canadian football code would...
, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. They appeared in four Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
championships spanning three decades and were the longest tenured member of the ORFU.
History
The Beachers were runners-up to the national title in their first season of play in 19241924 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1924:Coach Bill Hughes of Queen's introduced the use of films as a coaching technique.The numbering of players, although used for years, was made compulsory.The Regina Rugby Club became the Regina Roughriders....
when they lost to Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in the 12th Grey Cup
12th Grey Cup
The 12th Grey Cup was played on November 29, 1924, before 5,978 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.Queen's University defeated the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 11 to 3....
game. They would go on to win the Grey Cup three years later in 1927
15th Grey Cup
The 15th Grey Cup was played on November 26, 1927, before 13,676 fans at the Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers defeated the Hamilton Tigers 9 to 6....
, defeating the IRFU's Hamilton Tigers
Hamilton Tigers (football)
The Hamilton Tigers were a Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union from 1883 to 1906 and 1948 to 1949 and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1907 to 1947. The club was a founding member of both the ORFU in 1883 and the IRFU in...
. After another three years, the Beachers would again return to the Grey Cup and were once again victorious, winning the 18th Grey Cup
18th Grey Cup
The 18th Grey Cup was played on December 6, 1930, before 3,914 fans at the Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers defeated the Regina Roughriders 11 to 6. Regina scored the first touchdown for a western club in a Grey Cup game....
in 1930
1930 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1930:The Winnipeg Winnipegs Rugby Football Club was formed on June 10 and adopted the colours of green and white.On September 29 in the first game played in Canada under floodlights, the Hamilton Tigers defeated the University of British Columbia in an exhibition game at...
over the Regina Roughriders.
Due to the dominance of the Sarnia Imperials
Sarnia Imperials
The Sarnia Imperials were a football team from Sarnia, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League and contested for the Grey Cup until 1955...
, the Beachers otherwise had very little success in the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
, qualifying for the playoffs three other times that decade, only to lose the ORFU Final to the Imperials. It wasn't until 1940 that the team made it back to the Grey Cup, when they lost to the Ottawa Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
in the 28th Grey Cup
28th Grey Cup
The 28th Grey Cup was played as a two-game series with the first game played on November 30, 1940, before 4,998 fans at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. The second game was played on December 7, 1941, with cold weather and snow contributing to a small attendance of 1,700 fans, at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa...
game, the only Grey Cup to be played as a two-game series. They would continue to see futility as the team would not return to the Grey Cup for the remainder of their history.
On April 20, 1948
1948 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1948:The WIFU increased their games from 8 to 12 games per team.The Hamilton Tigers, formerly of the IRFU joined the ORFU, and the Hamilton Wildcats joined the IRFU on Friday, April 9....
, it was announced that the Beachers would merge with the Toronto Indians
Toronto Indians
The Toronto Indians were a football team from Toronto, Ontario and a member of the Ontario Rugby Football Union, a league that preceded the Canadian Football League. After the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers moved to the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union in 1941, the Indians began play in the ORFU...
and assumed the name Toronto Beaches-Indians for that one season. The amalgamation took place due to the difficulty that the two teams were having in competing for fan support, in addition to the competition from the IRFU's Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
. The team finished in 2nd place that year with a 5-4 record, but lost to the Hamilton Tigers
Hamilton Tigers (football)
The Hamilton Tigers were a Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario that played in the Ontario Rugby Football Union from 1883 to 1906 and 1948 to 1949 and in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union from 1907 to 1947. The club was a founding member of both the ORFU in 1883 and the IRFU in...
(who had transferred to the ORFU from the more competitive IRFU that year) in the ORFU Finals. On January 4, 1949, the club announced that the amalgamation would end and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers would resume play while the Indians would fold.
In 1953 they won the ORFU Championship and played in the Grey Cup semi-final against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are a Canadian football team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League . They play their home games at Canad Inns Stadium, and plan to move to a new stadium for the 2012 season.The Blue Bombers were founded...
, losing in a hard fought game. The team struggled in the 1950s as the "Big Four" eastern teams and the five "Western Conference" teams began importing American players. The Beach was unable to pay the big salaries of the other two leagues and maintained an all-Canadian team which became increasingly less competitive. The team folded after the 1957 season
1957 in Canadian football
-Canadian Football News in 1957:The Canadian Football Council allowed interference to be legal up to third 5-yard stripe by eligible blockers.The 45th annual Grey Cup game was televised live from coast to coast in Canada for the first time...
. Many Canadian Balmy Beach players played with the "Big Four" and "Western Conference" teams and have since entered the Canadian Football Hall of Fame
Canadian Football Hall of Fame
The Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
.
Canadian Football Hall of Famers
- Ab BoxAb BoxAlbert George "Ab" Box was a Canadian professional football halfback, quarterback and punter.Born in Toronto, Box attended Malvern Collegiate Institute where he played on the football team and later on the Malvern Grads junior team from 1928-1929 under coach Ted Reeve...
- Dean Griffing
- Ted ReeveTed ReeveEdward Henry "Ted" Reeve was a multi-sport Canadian athlete and sports journalist. He was on two Grey Cup winning teams as a football player, a Mann Cup championship as a lacrosse player and three Yates Cup championships as a coach for Queen's University. He is a member of Canada's Sports Hall of...
- Mike RoddenMike RoddenMichael James Rodden was a Canadian sports journalist, National Hockey League referee, and Canadian football coach, and was the first person elected to both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame .Born in Mattawa, Ontario, Rodden officiated in 1,187 National Hockey League...
- Annis StukusAnnis StukusAnnis Paul Stukus was a Canadian football player, coach and general manager, and ice hockey general manager....
- Bill ZockBill ZockWilliam Zock is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played for the Toronto Argonauts and the Edmonton Eskimos from 1937 to 1954. He was part of five Grey Cup championships with the Argonauts and another one with the Eskimos...
Season-by-season
| Season | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924 1924 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1924:Coach Bill Hughes of Queen's introduced the use of films as a coaching technique.The numbering of players, although used for years, was made compulsory.The Regina Rugby Club became the Regina Roughriders.... |
3 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 30 | 6 | 1st, ORFU Orfu Orfű is a village in Baranya county, Hungary. The settlement is a well-known pleasure resort.- External links :* *... |
Lost 12th Grey Cup 12th Grey Cup The 12th Grey Cup was played on November 29, 1924, before 5,978 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.Queen's University defeated the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers 11 to 3.... |
| 1925 1925 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1925:McGill coach Frank Shaughnessy introduced the huddle system to Canadian football. It was at first called the Conference System.Calgary 50th Battalion became the Tigers.The Ottawa Rough Riders club changed its name to the Senators.... |
5 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 37 | 10 | 1st, ORFU | Lost East Semi-Final |
| 1926 1926 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1926:The British Columbia Rugby Football Union was formed on September 1.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
5 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 18 | 10 | 1st, ORFU | Lost East Final |
| 1927 1927 in Canadian football -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-Western Finals:... |
5 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 19 | 10 | 1st, ORFU | Won 15th Grey Cup 15th Grey Cup The 15th Grey Cup was played on November 26, 1927, before 13,676 fans at the Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers defeated the Hamilton Tigers 9 to 6.... |
| 1928 1928 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1928:The Tri-City Rugby Football Union was formed on August 25 and consisted of Moose Jaw, Regina and Winnipeg. The Union disbanded the following year because of travel expenses... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 103 | 6 | 8 | 1st, ORFU Group 2 | Lost ORFU Semi-Final |
| 1929 1929 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1929:CRU adopted use of the forward pass on a limited basis in Junior, Interscholastic, Western Canada Rugby Union, Western Intercollegiate Union and the Grey Cup final.... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 104 | 27 | 12 | 1st, ORFU Eastern | Lost ORFU Final |
| 1930 1930 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1930:The Winnipeg Winnipegs Rugby Football Club was formed on June 10 and adopted the colours of green and white.On September 29 in the first game played in Canada under floodlights, the Hamilton Tigers defeated the University of British Columbia in an exhibition game at... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 44 | 8 | 1st, ORFU Eastern | Won 18th Grey Cup 18th Grey Cup The 18th Grey Cup was played on December 6, 1930, before 3,914 fans at the Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers defeated the Regina Roughriders 11 to 6. Regina scored the first touchdown for a western club in a Grey Cup game.... |
| 1931 1931 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1931:The Ottawa Senators reverted back to the name "Ottawa Rough Riders."The Canadian Rugby Union approved the forward pass for all leagues and the first TD pass in Grey Cup history was a Warren Stevens to Kenny Grant play in Montreal's 22–0 win over Regina.Convert... |
3 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 4 | 6 | 1st, ORFU Eastern | Lost ORFU Final |
| 1932 1932 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1932:The Calgary Altomah-Tigers became the Altomahs.Winnipeg and St. John's amalgamated to field a stronger team, and adopted the colours of blue and gold.-Final regular season standings:... |
4 | 1 | 1 | 60 | 40 | 9 | 2nd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1933 1933 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1933:The Toronto Argonauts lost their first two games of the season, only to storm back and win eight straight, including their first Grey Cup win in 12 years.-Final regular season standings:... |
3 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 64 | 6 | 2nd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1934 1934 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1934:Eastern Intercollegiate Union formally withdrew from Grey Cup competition.The horn was introduced to officiating.-Final regular season standings:... |
0 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 84 | 0 | 4th, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1935 1935 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1935:The Winnipeg 'Pegs became the first Western Canadian team to win the Grey Cup by defeating the Hamilton Tigers, 18–12, in Hamilton.The Calgary franchise became known as the "Bronks".... |
2 | 2 | 0 | 59 | 17 | 4 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Finals |
| 1936 1936 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1936:Teams from the WIFU and IRFU are restricted to a maximum of five imports and players who had lived in Canada for one full year were eligible to play in the Grey Cup game. The WIFU was formed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Bronks, and the Regina... |
3 | 1 | 0 | 62 | 35 | 6 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Final |
| 1937 1937 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1937:The Quebec Rugby Football Union began to compete for the Grey Cup.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
1 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 23 | 3 | 2nd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1938 1938 in Canadian football -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.The Quebec Rugby Football Union discontinued their competition of the Grey Cup.... |
3 | 3 | 0 | 73 | 33 | 6 | 3rd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1939 1939 in Canadian football -Regular season, final standings:Column headings: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points*Bold text indicates team reached the playoffs.-Semifinals:-Finals:... |
3 | 2 | 1 | 58 | 27 | 7 | 3rd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1940 1940 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1940:The only two-game total point series in Grey Cup history was played between the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers.... |
6 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 12 | 12 | 1st, ORFU | Lost 28th Grey Cup 28th Grey Cup The 28th Grey Cup was played as a two-game series with the first game played on November 30, 1940, before 4,998 fans at Varsity Stadium in Toronto. The second game was played on December 7, 1941, with cold weather and snow contributing to a small attendance of 1,700 fans, at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa... |
| 1941 1941 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1941:The Calgary Bronks left the WIFU and the Vancouver Grizzlies joined.The IRFU was renamed to Eastern Canada Union for one season. The Hamilton Tigers did not participate in the Eastern Canada Union, due to World War II and the Toronto Balmy Beach Beachers of the ORFU... |
2 | 4 | 0 | 27 | 34 | 4 | 3rd, ECU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1942 1942 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1942:The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
7 | 3 | 0 | 125 | 89 | 14 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Final |
| 1943 1943 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1943:The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
8 | 2 | 0 | 148 | 74 | 16 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Final |
| 1944 1944 in Canadian football -Canadian football news in 1944:The WIFU and the IRFU suspended operations for the duration of World War II.-Final regular season standings:Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points... |
4 | 2 | 0 | 105 | 33 | 8 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Final |
| 1945 1945 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1945:On Friday, September 28, the Calgary Bronks changed their name to the Calgary Stampeders and rejoin the WIFU with blue and gold colours.The IRFU would resume play, but the WIFU still suspended operations.... |
6 | 2 | 0 | 112 | 66 | 12 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost Eastern Final |
| 1946 1946 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1946:The WIFU resumed play for the first time since 1942. The IRFU increased their season play from 6 games to 12 games, per team.... |
6 | 4 | 0 | 112 | 64 | 12 | 3rd, ORFU | Lost Eastern Final |
| 1947 1947 in Canadian football -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.-SEMI-FINALS:*Hamilton advances to the ORFU Final.... |
7 | 3 | 0 | 103 | 100 | 14 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Semi-Finals |
| 1948 1948 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1948:The WIFU increased their games from 8 to 12 games per team.The Hamilton Tigers, formerly of the IRFU joined the ORFU, and the Hamilton Wildcats joined the IRFU on Friday, April 9.... |
5 | 4 | 0 | 124 | 86 | 10 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Finals |
| 1949 1949 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1949:The Edmonton Eskimos rejoined with the WIFU and adopted the colours of gold and green. WIFU games were extended to 14 games, per team.Wearing helmets became compulsory with the two unions... |
1 | 11 | 0 | 55 | 290 | 2 | 4th, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1950 1950 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1950:The Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats merged to form the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Regina franchise officially changed their name to become the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday, April 1.... |
6 | 2 | 0 | 162 | 100 | 12 | 1st, ORFU | Lost Eastern Finals |
| 1951 1951 in Canadian football -Canadian football news in 1951:The BC Lions were formed in January at the Arctic Club in Vancouver; however, the franchise would begin play at the start of the 1954 season.E. Kent Philips of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was appointed WIFU Commissioner... |
7 | 3 | 0 | 173 | 124 | 14 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Finals |
| 1952 1952 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1952:The Canadian Rugby Union received television revenue for the first time when it was paid $7,500 by CBC for the rights to televise the Grey Cup game... |
8 | 3 | 0 | 215 | 156 | 16 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Finals |
| 1953 1953 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1953:The Canadian Rugby Union was paid in total of $20,500 by three television stations for the rights to show the Grey Cup game live.... |
8 | 4 | 0 | 252 | 145 | 16 | 3rd, ORFU | Lost Grey Cup Semi-Final |
| 1954 1954 in Canadian football The 1954 season of Canadian football is widely considered to be the first season of the modern era of Canadian football, although the Canadian Football League would not be officially founded for another four years.-Canadian Football News in 1954:... |
1 | 11 | 0 | 169 | 280 | 2 | 3rd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1955 1955 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1955:The IRFU allowed the third place team to qualify for a playoff berth.The Ontario Rugby Football Union withdrew from Grey Cup competition.... |
1 | 11 | 0 | 101 | 319 | 2 | 3rd, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |
| 1956 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.... |
6 | 4 | 0 | 203 | 183 | 12 | 2nd, ORFU | Lost ORFU Semi-Finals |
| 1957 1957 in Canadian football -Canadian Football News in 1957:The Canadian Football Council allowed interference to be legal up to third 5-yard stripe by eligible blockers.The 45th annual Grey Cup game was televised live from coast to coast in Canada for the first time... |
0 | 12 | 0 | 35 | 570 | 13 | 4th, ORFU | Missed Playoffs |