By Paul Patskou
CBLT, Toronto’s first television station, began operations on September 8, 1952, two days after CBFT in Montreal signed on as Canada’s first TV station. Television was indeed in its infancy when the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) made plans to televise the GreyCup game between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Toronto Argonauts on November 29, 1952 from Varsity Stadium in Toronto
At the end of September of 1952, the approximate number of TV sets in the Toronto area was 90,000 and with the announcement of the televising of the game, it was projected that number would increase to 130,000 sets. Only those with television sets who could access Toronto’s CBLT would be able to view this historic broadcast. However, kinescopes produced from the game would be sent to stations outside the range of CBLT and also for showing in theatres.
For those football fans without sets there were other methods of viewing the game. Westinghouse in Hamilton installed over 20 sets so that their 8,000 employees and friends could watch the game. The Paddock and the El Mocambo Taverns in downtown Toronto each advertised that their ‘Giant TV Screen’ would be showing the game. Pubs with televisions in the Toronto area were filled to capacity and those with televisions at home were sure to have plenty of visitors on GreyCup day.
In November of 1952, CBLT’s programming during weekdays began with a test pattern at 7 p.m. and transmission ended before midnight. The CBC placed ads in newspapers to advise viewers of the first Grey Cup related programs. On CBLT’s ‘Big Revue’ show, Argo coach Frank Clair presented his views on the coming game. On Grey Cup day, the preview show hosted by Annis Stukus aired at 12:30 pm. with the game starting 15 minutes later.
For this initial telecast, four television cameras were used. One camera was to sweep the field and stands continuously for interesting shots. Two cameras were positioned in the press box and the other placed on a special platform overlooking the field. This camera would be moved at half time to the dressing room areas to conduct interviews.
Producing the game from the mobile production truck outside the stadium was Sydney Newman who was in charge of external broadcasts for CBLT.
Jack Bateman, the technical supervisor and George Robinson the technical producer were situated in the truck with Newman. Other crew members working in the mobile unit were video operator Earl Hughes and audio operator Peter Taylor. ‘Grips’ were responsible for the setup of the unit in the morning and after the game when they had to rush the mobile unit to Maple Leaf Gardens for the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast later that night. There were also two assistant producers, Wilf Hayden and Desmond Smith who were stationed inside the stadium and reported to Hayden via portable telephones.
Prior to the start of the game, CBC cameramen Wilf Fielding and Clint Fowler, using long distance telephoto lenses, captured acting Prime Minister C.D. Howe performing the traditional ceremonial kickoff with Toronto Mayor Allan Lamport and Edmonton Mayor William Hawrelak urging him on.
Newspaper reports declared that the first televised football game was a success and was the most watched program in the brief history of Canadian television. The television audience was estimated to be 700,000 viewers. Reviews indicated that the CBC “put a crisp, unclouded image on most screens within its 90-mile area and showed great skill in following the play.”
There was one problem however, a technical breakdown that prevented most of the third and part of the fourth quarter from being viewed. Football fans were subjected to their first ‘blackout’ with frantic technicians trying to determine the source of the failure. Video was not restored until 29 minutes later when a CBC technician managed to climb the CBC’s steel tower to restore communication between Varsity Stadium and the TV tower. The microwave receiver at the 300-foot high tower had ceased functioning although the voice of the commentators continued to be picked up. The enthusiastic viewers quickly became dismayed as they missed the Eskimos goal line stand and Edmonton’s Normie Kwong’s second touchdown. Producer Sydney Newman later said that such a technical problem could have happened anytime, but unfortunately, it happened ‘at our most conspicuous moment’. The day after the telecast, the matter of the unfortunate mechanical break that caused the interruption was discussed in the House of Commons.
Fortunately, a movie camera at the game filmed the entire contest in colour and clips of the missing televised footage were added to the kinescope of highlights that were shown later that evening on CBLT and the next day on CBFT in Montreal. Movie theatres in the Toronto area provided film or ‘Grey Cup Pictures’ in addition to their regular programs starting two days later.
A record crowd of 27,395 was announced with the estimated gate receipts of $150,000 – the biggest single day’s business ever recorded in Canadian sport at the time. The game itself ended with the Toronto Argonauts defeating the Edmonton Eskimos 21-11. Legendary Normie Kwong scored both of Edmonton’s touchdowns and a 37-yard touchdown pass by Argo quarterback Nobby Wirkowski to receiver Zeke O’Connor was also a highlight in the game. It was Toronto’s 10th Grey Cup and in that era, the Toronto Argonauts were known as the ‘New York Yankees’ of football.
Although this Grey Cup game was the start of a new era for Canadian football and the new medium of television, it was also the end of another era, as the Toronto Argonauts would not challenge for the Grey Cup again for almost 20 years.