1956
Article from Montreal Gazette, November 10, 1956
Parkdales, Maple Leafs Tangle Tomorrow
First Toronto-Montreal Jr. Playoff in 23 Years
By Hans Grottke
When NDG Maple Leafs and Parkdale Lions meet in the eastern Canadian junior football final at Verdun stadium tomorrow, it will mark the first clash of representatives from the country's two largest cities in 23 years. The last time teams from Montreal and Toronto met in a junior playoff was in 1933 when Toronto Argonauts defeated Montreal Westwards 14-6 for the Canadian title.
Since then, not a single Toronto club has been able to get as far as the eastern final as Hamilton and Windsor teams have dominated the Ontario circuit between them.
But this year's edition of the Parkdales finally put an end to the drought last week as they eliminated Windsor AKO in the Ontario final. The Parkdales, in fact, are being hailed as one of the strongest junior clubs ever assembled in Ontario. They have been referred to as the Toronto All-Stars. Line Coach Shanty MacKenzie claims there are so many good players on the team "we don't know what to do with them all."
The Lions have proven themselves a well-balanced squad over the season. Against Windsor last week, six different players scored touchdowns in the 38-15 triumph. Among their top ball luggers are Rick Potter, Charlie Reid, Ed Mitchell and Walter Adams. Mick Davies is the first string quarterback.
From the NDG camp, meanwhile, the news is both good and bad. Coach Roy Chesley reports four of his first string players are on the limp. They are guard Henry Harbinson, halfbacks Dick Rubin and Walter Lencz and end D'Arcy Coulson. Of these, Rubin is the most seriously injured and listed as a doubtful starter. He suffered badly bruised ribs in last Sunday's game against St. Mary's.
If Rubin isn't able to play, Chesley is expected to use Doug Smart in his place. Smart sat out last week's game. First string quarterback Bob Dickie is also nursing a leg injury but will definitely be in uniform.
Poirier May Play
The good news for NDG supporters concerns Joe Poirier and Ross Graham. Poirier, a fine pass-catching end, was the league's leading scorer during the season but decided to drop out of football to play hockey for Loyola College. But it is now expected he will be given special permission by the college authorities to play in tomorrow's game.
Graham, the club's regular convert kicker and third string quarterback, suffered an ankle injury late in the season but he may also be in the lineup against Parkdale.
While the Leafs undoubtedly rate as underdogs against the highly-touted visitors, Chesley has high hopes for his club. "No one seems to think we stand much of a chance but they haven't beaten us yet," he points out.
The fact that Parkdale aren't taking NDG lightly is borne out by the fact that they had three scouts at last week's game against St. Mary's to get a line on the Leafs. The game is scheduled to start at 1:15 p.m.
The winner of the sudden-death contest will play host to the western champions next week for the Canadian title.
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