CFL.ca
Photo: Scott Grant
For the first time in four years the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger-Cats failed to make the final as the Ottawa Rough Riders battled the Edmonton Eskimos in the 1960 Grey Cup.
As in the previous year however, the game turned out to be a defensive struggle. Ottawa took advantage of an Edmonton turnover in the fourth quarter to win their first Grey Cup title since 1951, upsetting the favoured Eskimos 16-6.
The Eskimos running attack, which was a key to victories in the 1954, ’55 and ’56 finals, was non-existent against the Riders. Edmonton was limited to 44 yards rushing. Ottawa broke the ice on a slippery Empire Stadium field in Vancouver in the opening quarter when Gary Schreider booted a 16-yard field goal.
The teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter. Jackie Parker hit Jim Letcavits for a 63-yard scoring play. Schreider gambled attempting to go for an interception, only to have Letcavits grab the ball away from him and run for the big score. Less than two minutes later, Ottawa’s Russ Jackson answered back, fooling the Eskimos with a bootleg and passing to Bill Sowalski for a 32-yard touchdown. The Riders advanced 72 yards in five plays. Each team’s kicker missed their convert attempt.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Riders capitalized on a key Edmonton turnover. Joe Bob Smith fumbled a punt on a hit by Lou Bruce on the Edmonton two-yard line, and Kaye Vaughan recovered the ball for a touchdown. It was Vaughan’s first touchdown in 14 years of football. Schreider was successful on the convert attempt. Parker ran back a kickoff 74 yards that Jim Reynolds saved from being a touchdown, a potential game saving play.
The game was marred by an unfortunate incident when a mob of fans surged onto the field with 41 seconds remaining, forcing officials to halt the game. It is the only time in Grey Cup history that a game was cut short. The game proved to be the beginning of a great era for one club, and the end for the other. The Riders went on to win two more titles to close the decade; a total of five between 1960 and 1976. For the Eskimos, it was the end of the first great dynasty in franchise history. Edmonton did not return to the Grey Cup final until 1973.
1960 Grey Cup Classic Moment – Ottawa QB Russ Jackson bootlegs and then fires a perfect strike to Bill Sowalski for the 32 yard touchdown against Edmonton. OTT 16 EDM 6
