1956 in Canadian football

The Edmonton Eskimos faced the Montreal Alouettes in the Grey Cup game for the third consecutive year. And for the third consecutive year, the Edmonton Eskimos were Grey Cup champions. It was the first time in a Grey Cup that a touchdown was worth six points instead of five.

On Sunday, January 22, representatives of the two largest and most powerful leagues in the Canadian Rugby Union, the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union and the Western Interprovincial Football Union, met in Winnipeg and formed the Canadian Football Council as an umbrella organization. G. Sydney Halter, QC, was named as commissioner of the CFC, which would evolve into today's Canadian Football League. The CFC introduced a national negotiation list.

Television rights for Canadian football games were sold for $101,000. The touchdown point value was increased from five to six points.^[1]

The first East-West All-Star game was played at Vancouver's Empire Stadium on December 8. The day after the game, Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 crashed into Mount Slesse, killing five players and one official who were on their way from Vancouver to Calgary. The five players who died in the crash included four members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders: offensive linemen Mario DeMarco and Ray Syrnyk, centre/tight end Mel Becket, and defensive lineman Gordon Sturtridge, along with Winnipeg Blue Bomber offensive lineman Cal Jones. The official killed in the crash was Ed Pettit, of Calgary.

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

• Bold text means the team clinched a playoff berth.
• Edmonton and Montreal had first-round byes.
• X – Rochester withdrew from the league.

Source:^[3]

Note: All dates in 1956

• Saskatchewan won the total-point series 50–26. The Roughriders moved on to play the Edmonton Eskimos in the WIFU Finals.

• The Tiger-Cats advanced to play the Montreal Alouettes in the IRFU Finals.

• Edmonton won the best of three series 2–1 and advanced to the Grey Cup game.

• Montreal won the total-point series 78–62 and advanced to the Grey Cup game.

• CFL Passing Leaders
• CFL Rushing Leaders
• CFL Receiving Leaders^[4]

• Most Outstanding Player Award – Hal Patterson (DB/OE), Montreal Alouettes
• Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Normie Kwong (RB), Edmonton Eskimos
• Most Outstanding Lineman Award – Kaye Vaughan (OT/DT), Ottawa Rough Riders
• Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy (IRFU MVP) – Hal Patterson (DB/OE), Montreal Alouettes
• Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy (WIFU MVP) - Jackie Parker (QB), Edmonton Eskimos
• Gruen Trophy (IRFU Rookie of the Year) - Tommy Grant (RB), Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Dr. Beattie Martin Trophy (WIFU Rookie of the Year) - Norm Rauhaus (DB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers
• Imperial Oil Trophy (ORFU MVP) - ???