1931 Toronto Argonauts season

Last updated
1931 Toronto Argonauts season
Head coach Buck McKenna [1]
Home stadium Varsity Stadium [2]
Results
Record3–3
Division place3rd, IRFU
PlayoffsDid not qualify

The 1931 Toronto Argonauts season was the club's 45th season since its inception in 1873 and its 22nd season in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union. The team finished tied with the Hamilton Tigers for second place in the IRFU with three wins and three losses and failed to qualify for the playoffs.

Contents

This was the first IRFU season in which the forward pass was allowed by the rules of the game. The first forward pass completion in Argonauts' history was thrown by halfback Teddy Morris to halfback Bill Darling for a gain of twenty-five yards during the opening game of the season in Hamilton, which the Argos lost 12–7. [3]

The Argonauts' top player in 1931 was halfback Frank Turville, winner of the 1930 Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy, around whose punt-catching, ball-carrying and kicking abilities the Argos' offence revolved. This season also saw the debut of Teddy Morris, future star player, Russel-Trophy winner and multiple Grey-Cup winning head coach of the Argonauts.

Preseason

In 1931 the Argos, Balmy Beach and the University of Toronto launched a new preseason competition for the "city championship", the winning club to receive the Reg DeGruchy Memorial Trophy. The Argos defeated the University reserves squad in the first round, but lost in the final to the Beach, reigning Grey Cup champions.

GameDateOpponentResultsVenueAttendance
ScoreRecord
ASeptember 26 University of Toronto Orfuns W 17–51–0 Varsity Stadium 5,000
BOctober 3 Toronto Balmy Beach L 1–51–1Varsity Stadium6,000

Regular season

Standings

Interprovincial Rugby Football Union
TeamGPWLTPFPAPts
Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers 66001123912
Hamilton Tigers 633060566
Toronto Argonauts 633055646
Ottawa Rough Riders 606031980

[4]

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResults
ScoreRecord
1Oct 10at Hamilton Tigers L 7–120–1
2Oct 17vs. Montreal Winged Wheelers L 10–320–2
3Oct 24at Ottawa Rough Riders W 8–51–2
4Oct 31vs. Ottawa Rough RidersW 24–72–2
5Nov 7at Montreal Winged WheelersL 1–42–3
6Nov 14vs. Hamilton TigersW 5–43–3

[5]

References

  1. "All-Time Coaching". Toronto Argonauts. Archived from the original on 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  2. "Toronto Argonauts Stadium History". Toronto Argonauts. Archived from the original on 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  3. Toronto Globe, October 12, 1931, p. 9
  4. 2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN   978-0-9739425-4-5, p.293
  5. "The Toronto Argonauts' 1931 Season". stats.cfldb.ca.