61st Grey Cup
Encyclopedia
The 61st Grey Cup
game was the Canadian Football
Championship on November 25, 1973. Ottawa Rough Riders
defeated Edmonton Eskimos
22-18 in the CNE Stadium in Toronto before a crowd of 36,653.
found a big hole in the left side for a 38 yard touchdown run. Rick Cassata, the Riders' backup quarterback who was replacing injured Jerry Keeling
responded with a 38-yard touchdown pass-and-run to Rhome Nixon. Late in the quarter, however, Tom Wilkinson
was knocked out of bounds by Ottawa's Wayne Smith
and suffered a rib injury. He was replaced by backup Bruce Lemmerman
. Lemmerman took the Eskimos close enough for Dave Cutler
to kick a field goal, giving them a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
A low snap to Edmonton punter Garry Lefebvre
caused him to bobble the ball in the end zone, and he was tackled for a safety by Ottawa's Wayne Tosh at 21 seconds of the second quarter. Gerry Organ
kicked a 46-yard field goal in the last minute of the half. The half-time score was 12-10 for Ottawa.
Ottawa increased its lead with an 18 yard touchdown run by Jim Evenson
at 9:45 of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Lemmerman suffered an arm injury, and Wilkinson, his rib injury frozen, came off the bench to bring some life to the Eskimo offence. Edmonton receiver Tyrone Walls fumbled after receiving a Wilkinson pass on Edmonton's 47. Wayne Tosh recovered and Organ kicked another Ottawa field goal from the 39.
Edmonton then scored a single and Lefebvre, who played both ways as well as being the punter, caught a Wilkinson touchdown pass with seven seconds left, but it was not enough to erase Ottawa's 12 point lead.
was named Most Valuable Canadian.
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...
game was the Canadian Football
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...
Championship on November 25, 1973. 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...
defeated Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
22-18 in the CNE Stadium in Toronto before a crowd of 36,653.
Game summary
Edmonton scored quickly in the first quarter when running back Roy BellRoy Bell (Canadian football)
Roy Bell was a running back who played five seasons in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos. In his career, Bell ran for 4667 yards and was a two time CFL All-Star.-References:...
found a big hole in the left side for a 38 yard touchdown run. Rick Cassata, the Riders' backup quarterback who was replacing injured Jerry Keeling
Jerry Keeling
Jerry Keeling was a quarterback and defensive back in the Canadian Football League. He played fifteen seasons from 1961-1975 for the Calgary Stampeders, the Ottawa Rough Riders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 1989...
responded with a 38-yard touchdown pass-and-run to Rhome Nixon. Late in the quarter, however, Tom Wilkinson
Tom Wilkinson (football player)
Tom Wilkinson was a football quarterback for several teams in the Canadian Football League.He was born in Iowa on January 4, 1943 but moved to Wyoming with his parents in 1945. Tom Wilkinson played high school football in the small town of Greybull, Wyoming. He is the second of three professional...
was knocked out of bounds by Ottawa's Wayne Smith
Wayne Smith (Canadian football)
Wayne Smith was a Canadian Football League defensive end who played twelve seasons for five different teams. He was a CFL All-Star two times.-External links:*...
and suffered a rib injury. He was replaced by backup Bruce Lemmerman
Bruce Lemmerman
Bruce Lemmerman is a former professional American football player. He was a backup quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons in 1968 and 1969. He later played in the Canadian Football League for the Edmonton Eskimos....
. Lemmerman took the Eskimos close enough for Dave Cutler
Dave Cutler (football player)
Dave Cutler is a former all-star place kicker with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. Cutler is considered by many to be one of the best field goal kickers in CFL history.-CFL:...
to kick a field goal, giving them a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.
A low snap to Edmonton punter Garry Lefebvre
Garry Lefebvre
Garry Lefebvre, , is a former award winning and Grey Cup champion Canadian Football League player with the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes at the wide receiver and punter positions.- Professional career :...
caused him to bobble the ball in the end zone, and he was tackled for a safety by Ottawa's Wayne Tosh at 21 seconds of the second quarter. Gerry Organ
Gerry Organ
Gerry Organ is a former placekicker for the Ottawa Rough Riders from 1971-1983 of the Canadian Football League.Organ was the winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award in 1973 and is a two time CFL All-Star and a two time Grey Cup Champion . He also played in the 1981 Grey Cup Game in...
kicked a 46-yard field goal in the last minute of the half. The half-time score was 12-10 for Ottawa.
Ottawa increased its lead with an 18 yard touchdown run by Jim Evenson
Jim Evenson
Jim Evenson was a running back who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League for the British Columbia Lions and the Ottawa Rough Riders. Evenson won the Eddie James Memorial Trophy in 1971. He was a part of the Rough Riders 1973 Grey Cup winning team. Evenson played college football at...
at 9:45 of the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Lemmerman suffered an arm injury, and Wilkinson, his rib injury frozen, came off the bench to bring some life to the Eskimo offence. Edmonton receiver Tyrone Walls fumbled after receiving a Wilkinson pass on Edmonton's 47. Wayne Tosh recovered and Organ kicked another Ottawa field goal from the 39.
Edmonton then scored a single and Lefebvre, who played both ways as well as being the punter, caught a Wilkinson touchdown pass with seven seconds left, but it was not enough to erase Ottawa's 12 point lead.
Most valuable players
Ottawa Defensive End Charlie Brandon was named Most Valuable Player and Garry LefebvreGarry Lefebvre
Garry Lefebvre, , is a former award winning and Grey Cup champion Canadian Football League player with the Edmonton Eskimos and Montreal Alouettes at the wide receiver and punter positions.- Professional career :...
was named Most Valuable Canadian.