The Dalhousie Tigers - Dalhousie University

The 1954 Dalhousie football team had an outstanding season.  Let’s salute the team as we examine their route to the Purdy Cup championship.

In the October 2 season opener on Studley Field before 2,026 fans, Stadacona defeated the Tigers 24-7.  End Bob Goss hauled in a 15 yard pass from Reg Cluney for Dalhousie’s major, converted by Cluney.  Under rookie head coach Al Thomas, Dalhousie was granted a late start to the season due to the fact that Dalhousie classes commenced in early October.

One week later, the Bengals came snarling from their den to blank the undefeated Shearwater Flyers 22-0 in Dartmouth on October 9 in what local fans termed the biggest upset in years.  Coach Thomas introduced a two platoon system, a first for Dalhousie football.  The defensive line headed by Bayne Henderson, Dick Eager, Pat Porter, Ted Marshall, Pete Adams and Hector McInnes was instrumental in keeping Shearwater off the scoreboard.  Quarterback Reg Cluney (also good on two converts), Dave Bryson and Dave Theakston all ran for touchdowns while Bob Goss hauled in a 27 yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Stu McInnes.  Touchdowns at the time were worth 5 points.

Premier Henry Hicks, who later became President at Dalhousie, put his foot behind the ceremonial kickoff on October 11 at a muddy and cold Greenwood Apple Bowl in front of 1,000 fans.   Dave Bryson (convert by Cluney) and John Nichols ran for majors enroute to a 11-1 Tiger victory.

Next up for the improving Tigers was a chance to revenge their earlier loss to Stadacona, this time at the Wanderers Grounds.  October 16 provided no different result with Stadacona prevailing 18-6.  Despite the loss,  the defensive squad played well with Hector McInnes and Peter Adams at ends, Pat Porter and Bayne Henderson at tackles with Mal Young and Walter Fitzgerald at the guard positions, Dick Eager, John Bourinot and George Slipp at suited up at the linebacker positions, with Bob Findlay and Don Murphy handling the back positions.

A new era in intercollegiate football commenced on October 23 when Dalhousie hosted a St. Francis Xavier team that was making its first appearance in the Nova Scotia Canadian Football League.  The X-Men, improving with every game, played the Tigers to a 17-17 draw in a game attended by a crowd estimated at over 3,000.  Garry Watson scored two touchdowns, one via a 35 yard pass from Cluney and Garry also converted a 20 yard interception.  Dave Bryson, at running back, had the other touchdown while Chuck MacKenzie added two converts.

In their first ever Canadian Football encounter in Antigonish on October 30, the Tigers were dominated in almost every department by a pumped up St. Francis Xavier squad.  In a muddy field, in the rain, the X-Men tamed the Tigers 38-6.  Bryson caught a Stu McInnes pass for Dalhousie’s only touchdown, converted by Neil “Scorchy” McVicar.  Don Lyons and Don Murphy had stellar games for the black and gold.

A previously hot and cold Dalhousie squad piled up the highest score of the season when they hosted the Greenwood Bombers on November 6 on the friendly confines of Studley Field. McVicar paced the Tigers with two touchdown’s (one run, one pass) and seven converts.  Running backs Nip Theakston and John Nichols each earned touchdowns while Bryson added three of his own.  Quarterback Reg Cluney went 9 for 16 in the air, good for 169 yards, with 4 touchdown strikes:  two to Watson, a 52 yarder to Bob Goss and another to McVicar.  Defensively, Dalhousie was led by the solid defensive play of Peter Adams, Charlie Lee, Dick Eager and Roger Greer and the Tigers finished the day with a solid 57-5 win over Greenwood.

Another home game and another impressive 19-0 win was next on the plate for the Tigers, this time on November 13 in their regular season finale against the Shearwater Flyers, while they played in near freezing conditions.  Bryson ran for 180 yards including one touchdown, while John Nichols tallied an impressive 103 yards and another Tiger touchdown.  A Cluney to Bob Goss aerial accounted for the other Dalhousie touchdown.  Watson scored a rouge on a Goss kick with McVicar chipping in three converts.

The November 20 league semi final saw the Tigers continue their mastery over Shearwater.  The big difference in the game was the line play of the Tigers.  The offensive line of Garry Watson, Roger Greer, Gord Rankin, Don Lyons, Tom Kennedy, Larry Marshall and Bob Goss consistently opened huge holes for the Dalhousie running backs.  Quarterback Reg Cluney ran for 2 touchdown’s, with Bryson, Nichols and McVicar running for a touchdown apiece.  Bryson, Greer and Larry Marshall smothered a Goss kick in the end zone for one single while McVicar also had 4 converts to lead Dalhousie to a convincing 30-15 win over Shearwater.

The stage was set for the first all collegiate Purdy Cup, emblematic of Nova Scotia Canadian Football supremacy.  The game was played in a mud and sawdust covered Memorial Field in Antigonish on November 27 before 1,800 fans.  Several busloads of Dalhousie supporters made the trip and witnessed he underdog Tigers outplay the X-Men enroute to a 10-0 shutout.  Two way captain Reg Cluney scored one touchdown and connected on a pass to Goss for the other major.  Led by Bayne Henderson, Peter Adams, Mal Young, Ted Marshall, Brian Conrod, Pat Porter and George Slipp, the defensive line had another outstanding game.  The secondary of Roger Greer, Dick Eager and Garry Watson were also most effective as were the tertiary of Stu McInnes and Don Murphy.  The offensive line cited in the previous game were very tough and Flying Wings Lick MacDonald and Don MacLeod blocked and ran well all afternoon.  Nip Theakston also played a key role at the flanker position and fullback Bob Findlay had a solid game.