1950 Montreal Alouettes season explained

Team:Montreal Alouettes
Year:1950
Record:6–6
Division Place:3rd, IRFU
Coach:Lew Hayman
Stadium:Delorimier Stadium
Playoffs:did not qualify
Uniform:Image:CFL MTL Jersey 1946.png
Shortnavlink:Alouettes seasons

The 1950 Montreal Alouettes was the fifth season for the franchise as they competed in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union, the highest level of play in eastern Canada. Finishing in third place within the IRFU, the Alouettes failed to make the playoffs despite winning the 37th Grey Cup the previous season.[1]

Background

In 1949, the Montreal Alouettes finished with an 8–4 record. The team became Grey Cup champions by defeating the Calgary Stampeders 28–15.

Acquisitions

The Alouettes signed tackle Jim Ambrose from the Quebec Senior Football League before the start of the regular season.

Exhibitions

GameDateOpponentResultsVenueAttendance
ScoreRecord
AAug 19at Calgary StampedersL 7–190–1Mewata Stadium14,000
BAug 21at Edmonton EskimosL 6–110–2Clarke Stadium10,500
CSept 28vs. McGill University RedmenW 19–61–2Delorimier Stadium10,403
[2]

Regular season

By late August, head coach Lew Hayman publicly stated that the Alouettes were performing more poorly than they had the previous season. The team had failed to find permanent starters for two spots on their roster, a tackle and an end. Hayman hoped to fill those roster spots with American players, but he also pointed to a "lack of drive" from the team to explain their two preseason losses. He predicted that the team would struggle for "a third of the schedule" before improving.[3] This prediction proved accurate. After the Alouettes won their season opener against Ottawa Rough Riders, they lost their next four games to fall to a 1–4 record. Their poor performance was partially blamed on injuries, a situation which worsened when former all-star halfback John Harper suffered a dislocated shoulder in a late September exhibition game against the McGill Redmen.[4] [5] The Alouettes improved in October, winning four of their next five games to reach an even 5–5 record. They remained a possible playoff team through the final week, when a win by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats pushed them into third place and prevented them from making the playoffs. The Alouettes finished with a 6–6 record.

Season standings

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union! Team !! GP !! W !! L !! T !! PF !! PA !! Pts
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12 7 5 0 231 217 14
Toronto Argonauts 12 6 5 1 291 187 13
12 6 6 0 192 261 12
12 4 7 1 182 231 9
[6]

Season schedule

WeekGameDateOpponentResultsVenueAttendance
ScoreRecord
11Aug 27W 14–71–0Delorimier Stadium18,000
22Sept 2at Toronto ArgonautsL 6–261–1Varsity Stadium16,000
33Sept 9at Toronto ArgonautsL 12–431–2Varsity Stadium18,000
44Sept 16at Ottawa Rough RidersL 15–421–3Lansdowne Park15,000
55Sept 23at Hamilton Tiger-CatsL 12–181–4Civic Stadium7,000
66Oct 1vs. Hamilton Tiger-CatsW 31–182–4Delorimier Stadium15,000
77Oct 7at Ottawa Rough RidersL 8–182–5Lansdowne Park13,000
78Oct 8vs. Ottawa Rough Riders18–143–5Delorimier Stadium18,894
89Oct 14vs. Toronto ArgonautsW 24–164–5Delorimier Stadium13,424
910Oct 22vs. Hamilton Tiger-CatsW 16–135–5Delorimier Stadium16,687
1011Oct 28at Hamilton Tiger-CatsL 18–295–6Civic Stadium12,000
1112Nov 4at Toronto ArgonautsW 18–176–6Varsity Stadium11,000

Notes and References

  1. Book: Maher. Tod. Gill. Bob. The Canadian Pro Football Encyclopedia: Every Player, Coach and Game, 1946–2012. 2013. Maher Sports Media. 978-0-9835136-6-7. 5.
  2. Web site: 1950 Montreal Alouettes - The Pro Football Archives. Pro Football Archives. March 6, 2017.
  3. News: Hayman Moans Als Not in Shape For Opener Against Ottawa. March 6, 2017. The Ottawa Journal. August 26, 1950. 21.
  4. News: Alouettes Have Opportunity To Break Slump in Hamilton. March 6, 2017. The Ottawa Journal. Canadian Press. September 23, 1950. 16.
  5. News: Adler. Phil. Alouettes Rally to Score Costly Exhibition Victory. March 6, 2017. The Ottawa Journal. September 28, 1950. 25.
  6. Web site: CFL.ca - Official Site of the Canadian Football League 2 . 2018-09-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090721010655/http://www.cfl.ca/standings/1950/reg . 2009-07-21 . dead .