1963 - A year of Firsts
Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:55 pm
1963
A year of Firsts - First Conference Championship, Playoff Round win and Grey Cup Appearance
Following a year of improvement in all regards in 1962, new optimism was voiced about the Lions actually having a chance to make it to the Grey Cup game, which was to be played at Empire Stadium. With a great season from a veteran roster headlined by Kapp and Fleming, the Lions 12-4 record gave them first place (for the first time) and a 2-1 series victory over Saskatchewan put them in the Grey Cup. With injuries going in, and star player Fleming sent to the sidelines early by Angelo Mosca, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats took home the prize with a 21-10 victory, but the fans knew they would meet again. Tom Brown became the first Lion to win a Schenley award, winning the Defensive Player-of-the-Year award.
Western Football Conference Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
British Columbia Lions 16 12 4 0 387 232 24
Calgary Stampeders 16 10 4 2 427 323 22
Saskatchewan Roughriders 16 7 7 2 223 226 16
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 16 7 9 0 302 325 14
Edmonton Eskimos 16 2 14 0 220 425 4
Eastern Football Conference Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 14 10 4 0 312 214 20
Ottawa Rough Riders 14 9 5 0 326 284 18
Montreal Alouettes 14 6 8 0 277 297 12
Toronto Argonauts 14 3 11 0 202 310 6
Western Semi-Finals - Saskatchewan Roughriders 9 Calgary Stampeders 35
Western Semi-Finals - Calgary Stampeders 12 Saskatchewan Roughriders 39
Saskatchewan won the total-point series by 48-47. The Roughriders will play the British Columbia Lions in the Western Finals.
Eastern Semi-Finals Montreal Alouettes 5 Ottawa Rough Riders 17
The Rough Riders will play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Finals.
Western-Finals -British Columbia Lions 19 Saskatchewan Roughriders 7
Western Finals - Saskatchewan Roughriders 13 British Columbia Lions 8
Western Finals -Saskatchewan Roughriders 1 British Columbia Lions 36
B.C. wins the best of three series 2-1. The Lions will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.
Eastern Finals - Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45 Ottawa Rough Riders 0
Eastern Finals - Ottawa Rough Riders 35 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 18
Hamilton won 2 game total-point series by 63-35. The Tiger-Cats will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.
Grey Cup Championship
November 30
51st Annual Grey Cup Game: Empire Stadium - Vancouver, British Columbia
Western Champion Eastern Champion
British Columbia Lions 10 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the 1963 Grey Cup Champions
A year of Firsts - First Conference Championship, Playoff Round win and Grey Cup Appearance
Following a year of improvement in all regards in 1962, new optimism was voiced about the Lions actually having a chance to make it to the Grey Cup game, which was to be played at Empire Stadium. With a great season from a veteran roster headlined by Kapp and Fleming, the Lions 12-4 record gave them first place (for the first time) and a 2-1 series victory over Saskatchewan put them in the Grey Cup. With injuries going in, and star player Fleming sent to the sidelines early by Angelo Mosca, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats took home the prize with a 21-10 victory, but the fans knew they would meet again. Tom Brown became the first Lion to win a Schenley award, winning the Defensive Player-of-the-Year award.
Western Football Conference Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
British Columbia Lions 16 12 4 0 387 232 24
Calgary Stampeders 16 10 4 2 427 323 22
Saskatchewan Roughriders 16 7 7 2 223 226 16
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 16 7 9 0 302 325 14
Edmonton Eskimos 16 2 14 0 220 425 4
Eastern Football Conference Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 14 10 4 0 312 214 20
Ottawa Rough Riders 14 9 5 0 326 284 18
Montreal Alouettes 14 6 8 0 277 297 12
Toronto Argonauts 14 3 11 0 202 310 6
Western Semi-Finals - Saskatchewan Roughriders 9 Calgary Stampeders 35
Western Semi-Finals - Calgary Stampeders 12 Saskatchewan Roughriders 39
Saskatchewan won the total-point series by 48-47. The Roughriders will play the British Columbia Lions in the Western Finals.
Eastern Semi-Finals Montreal Alouettes 5 Ottawa Rough Riders 17
The Rough Riders will play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Finals.
Western-Finals -British Columbia Lions 19 Saskatchewan Roughriders 7
Western Finals - Saskatchewan Roughriders 13 British Columbia Lions 8
Western Finals -Saskatchewan Roughriders 1 British Columbia Lions 36
B.C. wins the best of three series 2-1. The Lions will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.
Eastern Finals - Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45 Ottawa Rough Riders 0
Eastern Finals - Ottawa Rough Riders 35 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 18
Hamilton won 2 game total-point series by 63-35. The Tiger-Cats will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.
Grey Cup Championship
November 30
51st Annual Grey Cup Game: Empire Stadium - Vancouver, British Columbia
Western Champion Eastern Champion
British Columbia Lions 10 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are the 1963 Grey Cup Champions