Teddy Morris
Encyclopedia
Allan Byron Morris (March 1910 - September 5, 1965) was a Canadian Football Hall of Fame
player and coach for the Toronto Argonauts
.
Morris began playing Canadian football
with Toronto playground teams and moved on to the Winnipeg Native Sons junior football
team. Upon his return to Toronto he joined the Argonauts junior squad and quickly earned a spot on the senior team. He was a star player for the Argonauts for nine years and was named All-Eastern
running back
three times and flying wing twice and named the 1937 Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy
winner as the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union.
Morris' recovery of an Argonauts' punt blocked by Winnipeg's
Bud Marquardt in the 25th Grey Cup
is often cited as the first of the fabled "Argos Bounces" as it bounced off the field and right into Morris' hands preventing a Blue Bomber possession deep in Argos territory.
In 1940, the year following his last game as a player, Morris began as a backfield
coach for the Argonauts then, during IRFU's break from playing during the Second World War
, coached the HMCS York
Navy football team, and upon IRFU's return to play in 1945, became Argonauts head coach earning three consecutive Grey Cups from 1945
to 1947
and respect from fans and players alike.
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...
player and coach for the 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...
.
Morris began playing 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...
with Toronto playground teams and moved on to the Winnipeg Native Sons junior football
Junior football
The term junior football could be used to refer to the following:*Football played at the junior level, such as under the auspices of the Scottish Junior Football Association*Football played in the Scottish Junior Football League...
team. Upon his return to Toronto he joined the Argonauts junior squad and quickly earned a spot on the senior team. He was a star player for the Argonauts for nine years and was named All-Eastern
Canadian Football League East Division
The East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.- Pre-1907 :...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
three times and flying wing twice and named the 1937 Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy
Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy
The Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy is a Canadian football award recognizing the most outstanding player of the Quebec University Football LeagueThe trophy was originally presented to the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union...
winner as the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union.
Morris' recovery of an Argonauts' punt blocked by Winnipeg's
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...
Bud Marquardt in the 25th Grey Cup
25th Grey Cup
The 25th Grey Cup was played on December 11, 1937, before 11,522 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 4 to 3....
is often cited as the first of the fabled "Argos Bounces" as it bounced off the field and right into Morris' hands preventing a Blue Bomber possession deep in Argos territory.
In 1940, the year following his last game as a player, Morris began as a backfield
Backfield
The backfield is the area of an American football field behind the line of scrimmage. The backfield or offensive backfield can also refer to members of offense who begin plays behind the line, typically including any backs on the field, such as the quarterback, running back, and/or fullback.-Play...
coach for the Argonauts then, during IRFU's break from playing during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, coached the HMCS York
HMCS York
HMCS York is a Canadian Forces Naval Reserve Division located in Toronto, Ontario. Before the move to its current location on Lake Shore Boulevard West, it had been situated on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition...
Navy football team, and upon IRFU's return to play in 1945, became Argonauts head coach earning three consecutive Grey Cups from 1945
33rd Grey Cup
The 33rd Grey Cup was played on December 1, 1945, before 18,660 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 35 to 0....
to 1947
35th Grey Cup
The 35th Grey Cup was played on November 29, 1947, before 18,885 fans at Varsity Stadium at Toronto.The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 10 to 9....
and respect from fans and players alike.
Awards, honours, and records
- The Teddy Morris Memorial Trophy is the championship trophy of the Ontario Football Conference of the Canadian Junior Football LeagueCanadian Junior Football LeagueThe Canadian Junior Football League is a national amateur Canadian football league consisting of 19 teams playing in six provinces across Canada. The teams compete annually for the Canadian Bowl...
. - The Ted Morris Memorial Trophy is awarded to the Most Valuable PlayerMost Valuable PlayerIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the CIS footballCIS footballTwenty-six universities across Canada compete in football under the auspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport . The teams are divided into four conferences, drawing from the four regional associations of the CIS: Canada West Universities Athletic Association, Ontario University Athletics, Quebec...
Vanier CupVanier CupThe Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
championship game. - awarded the Jeff Russel Memorial TrophyJeff Russel Memorial TrophyThe Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy is a Canadian football award recognizing the most outstanding player of the Quebec University Football LeagueThe trophy was originally presented to the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union...
in 1937 as the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union. - named All-EasternCanadian Football League East DivisionThe East Division is one of the two regional divisions of the Canadian Football League. Although the CFL was not founded until 1958, the East Division and its clubs are descended from earlier leagues.- Pre-1907 :...
running back in 1933, 1934, and 1936. - named All-Eastern flying wing in 1935 and 1938.
- merited Canadian Football Hall of Fame as both a player and a builder (19641964 CFL seasonThe 1964 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 11th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 7th Canadian Football League season.-Final regular season standings:...
) - inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of FameCanada's Sports Hall of FameCanada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
in 1975 - named an All-Time Argo in 1998.