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The legendary Lorne Cullen got his start with the Blue Bombers at the
age of 16. Tutored by Coach Mattu, Cullen, too old to continue as
a player in the junior division, picked up the coaching reigns as a
21-year old assistant in 1949 and went on to a Hall of Fame career
including having the BC Conference trophy being named in his honor.
The Blue Bomber franchise lasted for 35 seasons and won 15 Conference
Championships and the Canadian National Championship in 1947.
Cullen was there for most of them.
1944 players: Rod Pantages (HB #53), Lorne Cullen (E #66), Bert Dinsmore (C
#10),
Terry Timchuck (G #22), George Offley (G #23), Kelly Cohen (T), Harvey Cook (T
#77),
Don McIntosh (E #99), Al Sigurdson (QB #19), Cecil Stein (HB #27), Johnny Panton
(FB #55), Dalt Chapman (T #71)
* * *
1945: Averaging 18-years old as a virtual all-star prep team, the Blue
Bombers played a mix of American-rules and Canadian rules.
Oct 8, the Blue Bombers played their first American-rules game against
the Victoria Mustangs, Sam Casey scoring the TD in the loss.
The "Forest Bowl" was scheduled for New Year's Day against the
Buckaroos, but was called off as to not draw away from Vancouver College
vs St. Paul College in the Evergreen Bowl that same day.
Players: Sam Casey (HB), Bill Kinder (FB), Ernie Choukalous (E), Gil
Steers (C), Rod Pantages, Doug Ralls (C), Walt Chahley (K), Danny Holden
(HB), George Offley (G), Art Offley (G), Dalt Chapman (T) Ed Barry (T),
Terry Cather (E), Marshall Smith (T), Lorne Cullen (E), Don McIntosh
(E), Al Sigurdsen (QB)
* * *
1946
During the spring season, the Blue Bombers competed in the Junior "B"
division (under 18) and moved up to the "A" division (under 21) for the
fall season going undefeated in regular season play.
By the slimest of whiskers, the Vancouver Blue Bombers lost to Calgary
8-7, but in the final seconds, Calgary's Harry Irving had the ball
knocked out of his hands on a punt return at the goal line.
Surrounded by four Bombers, teammate Bill Fayter recovered the fumble
and the Tornadoes ran out the final seconds at their own 8-yard line.
Following the Calgary game, the Junior league demanded that Coach Ranji
Mattu put his team on the field against the Pacific Buckaroos in a
championship playoff. Coach Mattu declined on the grounds the team
was to receive a bye as undefeated league champions, the league claimed
the game was originally scheduled for Nov 23, but was postponed due to
the Calgary game. Following his refusal, the Junior Board of Trade
Junior Canadian Football Union executives banned Mattu from any further
coaching. A January 1st game with the Buckaroos dubbed the
"Timber Bowl" for the Junior A Championship was in jeapardy as well when
the players would not take the field without their coach. The
league capitulated and the Bombers took a 1-0 victory to claim the
Gordon Mould trophy in a blanket of snow.
1946 Players: Lorne Cullen (QB), Walt Chahley (HB), Cece Stein (HB),
Jerry Nestman (FB), John Weston (WB), Doug Partington (C), George Offley
(G), Al Newhouse (G), John Hudak (T), Maurice Carey (T), Girling (T),
Jim Mitchener (T), Barry Robertshaw (C), Doug Ralls (T), R. Chud Reid
(G), Doug Durant (G), BIll Reid (G), Ron Gunn (T), Don McKay (T), E.
Barry (T), Gil Steers (G), Ghoukalos, Bill Wallace (E), Terry McGuire
(E), Rod Pantages (HB), Bill Morrison (E), Terry Cathers (E), Don
Waldron (HB), Ced Gyles, Don Knight (HB), Dan Holmes (FB), Sam Casey,
Jack Patrick (QB)
* * *
1947
One of the greatest seasons in Western Canada history, the Blue Bombers
streaked to a Dominion Championship (National). The title sparked
talks of the Blue Bombers moving up to the "Senior" League, at the time
the WIFU. The Vancouver Grizzlies of 1941 had played just one
season (1-7) before World War II shut down football. British
Columbia would have to wait until 1953 to finally get their "senior"
team with the creation of the B.C. Lions franchise that has won 6 CFL
Grey Cups.
1947 Players: Doug Pardington (C), Chud Reid (G), Bob Sikorsky (G), Ed
Barry (T), Gil Steers (T), Ernie Choukalos (E), Jim Mitchener (E), Lorne
Cullen (QB), Ced Gyles (HB), Walt Chahley (HB), John Weston (FB), Rod
Pantages (HB), Jerry Nestman (HB), Pete Thodus
Nestman would depart in October to join the University of Oregon
freshman team.
19-year old Rod Pantages along with Cedric Gyles, Pete Thodus, and Jim
Mitchener would go on to win a Grey Cup with the 1948 Calgary
Stampeders. Pantages would also win with the 1954 Edmonton Eskimos,
retiring from the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1956 at just 27 years old.
The 1947 Blue Bombers would be elected to the British Columbia Hall of
Fame in 2011 along with Lorne Cullen (Head Coach 1950-1968) and Lorne
Davies (Coach 1952-1956). The B.C. Lions honored the 1947 team
with the Pioneers Award in 2008. Cyd Gyles (1947) and Walt Chahley
(1948) would be the first two Bombers named to the Top 50 players of the
first 50 years of the BC Football Conference. A total of 13 Blue
Bombers were named to the 1997 list playing from 1947-1974 including 9
of the first 12 (1947-1958)
* * *
1948
A raging blizzard in Saskatoon that required tractors clear the field 3
times prior to kickoff, mentally affected the Bombers as they lost 27-0
to the Hilltops in the Western Canada Jr Championship.
1948 Players: Lorne Cullen (QB), Weston (HB), Al Byman (HB), Walt
Chahley (HB), Wendall Green (HB), Davies (C), Gallo (G), Thorpe (G),
Ross (T), Strange (T), Carey (E), Bill Bennett (E), Waldern, Hudak,
Durant, Tremblay, Vince Chessa, Stan Crampton, Patrick, Pull, Bourne,
Kaulfield, Charley Reid, Bitzkal, Parkington, Eaton, Taylor
* * *
1949 Players: Pete Muir (HB), Ed Barry (G), Jack Patrick (QB),
Keith Bennett (FB), Chud Reid (HB), Vince Casey (HB), Maury Casey (E),
Don Ross (T), Tex Thorpe (G), Lorne Davies (C), Mike Giroday (G), John
Hudak (T), Bob Holburn (E), Wendel Green (K), John Woyat (HB), Tommy
Smith (QB)
Jack Patrick, 4-years the backup to Lorne Cullen, finally got the reigns
and led the Bombers to an undefeated regular season. He threw four
TD passes in the playoff opening win over Edmonton. Cullen became
backfield coach.
1951:
Bill Stuart (HB), Ted Duncan (HB/E), Frank Stock (FB), Bob Holburn
(E/PK), Ron Hunt, Ray Markham (G), Leo Mulhern (QB), John Woyat (HB/FB),
Bill Lambdin (T), Al Bradshaw (G), Art Wick (C), Doug Kaufield (G), Stan
Szymanski (T), Gordon Montford (FB)
John Woyat was courted by two college teams prior to returning for his
final season with the Blue Bombers. Coach Cullen tried to organize
the Cambie Clippers to save the season when the North Shore Lions
waffled but found the talent in Cambie too small to throw against the
Bombers.
As a Junior entity that climbed up to Intermediates
to play the Kamloops Kougars, a start up team at the Intermediate level.
After a blow out loss, the leaders determined the Bombers should return
to playing only Junior (under 21) games.
1961 Players:
Bruce Burns, Glen Brandt, Bill Miller, Clarence Hanson, Ed Vernon, Tony
Toljanich (PK), John Kochan (HB/PK), Larry Johnson (QB)
Halfback John Kochan ripped off a 107-yard touchdown run against the
North Shore Cougars, Sep 24, 1961.
Larry Johnson, the 23-year old former Bomber QB was named Head Coach in
1965 when Lorne Cullen was forced to step away for business and health
reasons following the '64 campaign.
1971 Players
Bob Kusch (QB), Rick Nielson (E), Daryl Solecki (HB), Randy Buckell
(PK), John Gelley (DB), Doug Lucier (HB), Paul Owens (HB)
1971 All Stars:
Jim Levas (T)
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