I was surfing Wikipedia today and managed to find out an interesting fact (not verified but presumed true) - that the Roughriders beat Winnipeg 37-30 in the last game of the 1957 season but forfeited the game, because they played one American over the then-12-man import limit. (Frank Tripucka apparently played quarterback - he was at the time the head coach - because all three Rider quarterbacks were injured. It sounds like there was not an injured reserve list at the time, perhaps.)
That begs the question... what was the most recent CFL game forfeit, and what were the circumstances?
And wouldn’t you rather your team were one penalty away from winning the Grey Cup than whatever happened to your team last year?
Unless, of course, you’re Montreal in which case enjoy your tainted Grey Cup.
I felt bad about it at the time, but compared to 1976, when we blew the Grey Cup late and had a team of aged veterans, I’m not too worried about it. We have a good chance of being back in the big game this year, and a few times over the next decade or so. I’m quite convinced we’re in the middle of forming a dynasty like we had in the 1960s.
If anyone is interested, there is a nice article about this 1959 Roughriders game called something like "The Curious Case of the 13th Import" on the Professional Football Researchers Association website under either the "Articles" section or in the "Coffin Corner" section. The CC section features reprints of many of the Association's newsletters (which is called the "Coffin Corner"), with interesting articles.
The site is mainly NFL focused, but there are a few articles about the CFL, & some about the old WFL & USFL as well.
