Mud Bowl: Replaying a historic Grey Cup

Nov 19, 2012 | News

The 100th Grey Cup festivities kicked off today with a recreation of the Mud Bowl between the Toronto Argonauts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. PHOTO BY USTAD KHAIRA

By Shaleni McBain, Ustad Khaira and Luke Vermeer

History repeated itself today at a recreation of the historic 1950 Grey Cup Mud Bowl.

The 100th Grey Cup festival partnered with RONA and the Toronto District School Board to simulate a historic game in advance of Sunday’s championship Canadian Football League match between the Toronto Argos and Calgary Stampeders.

The Mud Bowl is a famous CFL championship game that took place in 1950 in Toronto at Varsity stadium. Due to melting snow and rain, the field got to the point where it was no longer recognizable because of all the water and mud.

On Monday, the football field at SATEC @ W A Porter Collegiate Institute, a Toronto high school, was torn up and sprayed with water by local Toronto firefighters to recreate the playing conditions of the original Mud Bowl. Male and female members of the Toronto media suited up for a flag football encounter as the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of 1950.

http://youtu.be/DwATtrnfUII

In the spring of 2013, the school’s football field will be re-sodded and refurbished by the Toronto Argonauts Football Club and RONA to create a legacy for the school, and the community surrounding it.

Nick Volpe, former CFL player, played in the original Mud Bowl and came out today to talk to the crowd and watch the recreation of the historic game. Volpe walked around proudly with the game ball from the 1950 Grey Cup.

Damon Allen, legendary CFL quarterback, came out to play head coach for the team simulating the Toronto Argonauts.

 

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