Canadian History for Kids: The 50th Grey Cup

Considered one of the best 10 Grey Cups ever played, at least for those that could actually see the game!

The 50th Grey Cup, also known as the Fog Bowl, was the 1962 Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship game played between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on December 1, 1962 at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium. And December 2nd! It remains the only Grey Cup game ever suspended during play. This Canadian History for Kids, Sketches of Canada, looks at the fog bowl!

The game started on Saturday, December 1, 1962. However, by the second quarter, a thick fog started to roll in over the field, a combination of cold, moist, humid air from Lake Ontario. The fog was thick enough that fans could not see the action on the field, receivers lost sight of the ball after it left the quarterbacks’ hand, and punt returners could not find punts until they hit the ground.

Just prior to halftime, fog rolled into Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, much to the disappointment of the 32,655 in attendance and the millions watching on television across North America. Although not visible to the fans, play was able to continue until the 5:31 mark of the fourth quarter. Visibility became so poor that referee Paul Dojack stopped play with Winnipeg leading 28–27.

After a 20-minute delay, CFL commissioner Syd Halter decided that the remainder of the game would be played the following afternoon. The game will be forever known as “The Fog Bowl”.
Garney Henley, Ticats’ Mr. Everything, who ran the football, caught passes, played defence and returned punts: said, “You could see the bodies coming at you, but only from the waist down.”

The game continued the following afternoon, but there was no further scoring. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers had won the Fog Bowl, and the Grey Cup.

And that’s this weeks Canadian History for Kids, Sketches of our Canada.
 

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