The 1941 Winnipeg Blue Bombers was the 12th season in franchise history. They finished in first place in the WIFU with a 6–2 record. The Blue Bombers won their third Grey Cup championship by defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders 18–16. This would be the last official Blue Bomber season until 1945 due to the suspension of operations of both the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union and the Western Interprovincial Football Union because of World War II; star halfback Jeff Nicklin had elected to enlist in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles of the Canadian Army in the summer of 1940 and served abroad until his death in 1945. The Winnipeg Football club would establish a city league that had three teams, one with civilian Bomber players on it. The 1942 Grey Cup would be played with a team called the Winnipeg RCAF Bombers that was composed of all-stars from each of the teams.
Exhibition games Date Opponent Score Result Record Sat, May 24 vs. University of North Dakota Sioux 25–5 Loss 0–1 Tues, Aug 26 vs. Columbus Bullies 19–12 Win 1–1 Mon, Sept 1 vs. Columbus Bullies 6–0 Loss 1–2 Wed, Sept 10 vs. Columbus Bullies 31–1 Loss 1–3 Sat, Oct 4 vs. Kenosha Cardinals 18–16 Loss 1–4 Sun, Nov 2 at. Kenosha Cardinals 35–6 Loss 1–5https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jbpTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bDgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1513%2C5986162 The Leader-Post – Aug 27, 1941https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-K1TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1512%2C93963 The Leader-Post – Sep 2, 1941https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_61TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1609%2C1072212 The Leader-Post – Sep 11, 1941
Regular season
Standings + Western Interprovincial Football Union Team GP W L T PF PA PtsWinnipeg Blue Bombers 8 6 2 0 92 19 14Regina Roughriders 8 5 3 0 64 43 8Vancouver Grizzlies 8 1 7 0 15 109 2
Schedule Week Date Opponent Score Result Record 1 Sat, Sept 6 vs. Regina Roughriders 11–0https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=_K1TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1752%2C711284 The Leader-Post – Sep 8, 1941 Win 1–0 2 Bye 3 Mon, Sept 22 vs. Vancouver Grizzlies 18–0https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CK5TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1827%2C2326759 The Leader-Post – Sep 23, 1941 Win 2–0 4 Thurs, Sept 25 vs. Vancouver Grizzlies 12–5https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Cq5TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2298%2C2730162 The Leader-Post – Sep 25, 1941 Win 3–0 League Bye 5 Sat, Oct 11 at Regina Roughriders 9–0https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F65TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2045%2C4538606 The Leader-Post – Oct 14, 1941 Loss 3–1 5 Mon, Oct 13 at Vancouver Grizzlies 17–0https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F65TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1451%2C4541228 The Leader-Post – Oct 14, 1941 Win 4–1 6 Wed, Oct 15 at Vancouver Grizzlies 12–0https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ga5TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1494%2C4797048 The Leader-Post – Oct 16, 1941 Win 5–1 6 Sat, Oct 18 at Regina Roughriders 15–1https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HK5TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2223%2C5216079 The Leader-Post – Oct 20, 1941 Win 5–2 7 Sat, Oct 25 vs. Regina Roughriders 7–4https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IK5TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1377%2C5958255 The Leader-Post – Oct 27, 1941 Win 6–2
A. Winnipeg forfeited this game for using an ineligible player, Ken Preston.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H65TAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cjgNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1515%2C5818872 The Leader-Post – Oct 25, 1941
Playoffs Game Date Opponent Score Result WIFU Final #1 Nov 8 at Regina Roughriders 8–6 Loss WIFU Final #2 Nov 11 vs. Regina Roughriders 18–12 Win WIFU Final #3 Nov 15 vs. Regina Roughriders 8–2 Win 29th Grey Cup Nov 29 Ottawa Rough Riders 18–16 Win
Grey Cup Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 TotalWinnipeg Blue Bombers 3 6 9 0 18Ottawa Rough Riders 6 3 6 1 16 https://www.cfl.ca/page/his_greycup_recap1941 1941 Grey Cup
References