On today’s date in 1962, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by one point in the 50th Grey Cup, which became known as the “Fog Bowl.”
The game began the previous day – Dec. 1 – at Toronto’s Exhibition Stadium, a multi-purpose venue that formerly stood at Exhibition Place (where BMO Field now stands). The contest was halted with 9:29 seconds remaining in the final quarter due to heavy lakefront fog. The Blue Bombers were leading 28-27.
The game was completed the following day after the fog dissipated. The final score was 28-27.
To read more about the famed “Fog Bowl,” click here for a story from Alan Christie, who watched the game on TV alongside his father.
A number of collectibles, including this first-day cover, were released as part of Canada Post’s 17-stamp CFL issue.
CFL COMMEMORATION
In 2012, Canada Post and the Royal Canadian Mint issued a combined coin and stamp set marking the 100th Grey Cup (where the Toronto Argonauts beat the Calgary Stampeders 35-22).
As part of its 2012 “CFL Teams” issue, Canada Post released a full roster of team stamps plus one stamp honouring the Grey Cup. The teams’ logos were featured on eight different Permanent domestic coils.
Exceptional games or events – one for each team – were also captured on commemoratives available in booklets of 10 stamps.
‘MOVING THE BALL IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION’
According to stamp design manager Liz Wong, when you’re producing an issue that includes 17 stamps; 10 official first-day covers (OFDCs); and various strips and coils, you need everyone to be “moving the ball in the right direction.”
“Working with a creative team that knew the CFL – and the history of the teams – was instrumental in producing an issue of this scale,” said Wong. “Securing the rights and permissions alone was a huge undertaking, but we were lucky to have both the right players in place and the support of the CFL along the way. That made things go smoothly.”
The stamps were designed by Bensimon Byrne, the official advertising agency for the CFL. The agency also provided the written content for the booklets and OFDCs.
The Blue Bombers, who won the 107th Grey Cup this November – again against the Tiger-Cats – have 11 championships altogether (1935, 1939, 1941, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1984, 1988, 1990 and 2019).