CANADA'S PROS ARE AT IT TOO

North of the border, the Canadian professional football season is nearly three-quarters over, with the same two teams which met for the Grey Cup in 1955 again leading their respective divisions. Montreal's Alouettes, coached by Douglas (Peahead) Walker, have won six and lost two to pace Eastern Canada's Big Four. A passing combination—Sam (The Rifle) Etcheverry to Harold Patterson—has given the Alouettes enough offensive punch to counteract a rather loose defense. In Montreal's recent 44-43 victory over Hamilton, Etcheverry completed 26 of 48 passes for 604 yards, Patterson at the same time setting a new record for receivers with 381 yards. Ottawa is second, two games behind Montreal, a game ahead of Hamilton and Toronto. Hal Ledyard, from the University of Chattanooga, has recovered from a slow start to give Ottawa good quarter-backing. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats, whose concentration has been somewhat diverted by their troubles with the Knox family—Harvey and Ronnie—lost three games in a row after a good start. Since Ronnie and his stepfather have departed for Hollywood, the Ticats may finish fast enough to reach the playoff round. The Toronto Argonauts under Coach Bill Swiacki have had trouble replacing Quarterback Tom Dublinski, injured in a preseason game, but whipped the Alouettes 51-28 recently, with Arnie Galiffa directing the attack.

In the five-team Western Interprovincial Football Union, the Edmonton Eskimos, last year's champs, lead again. Coach Frank (Pop) Ivy has won the Grey Cup for the last two years, and this year he has essentially the same team back, including a great quarterback, Jackie Parker. The Saskatchewan Rough Riders, under Coach Frank Filchock, are a close second, principally because of the fine passing of Frank Tripucka, now in his fourth year with the club. Winnipeg's Blue Bombers are a half game behind Saskatchewan; Mississippi's Eagle Day combines with Bob McNamara of Minnesota and Bob Davenport of UCLA to give the Bombers a strong backfield. Freshman Coach Clem Crowe of the British Columbia Lions released Galiffa early in the season, and he has not yet found a replacement and is stuck down in fourth place. Last-place Calgary honored a U.S. tradition by firing its losing coach in mid-season. Otis Douglas, the new coach, has had no better results and will be lucky to better the four-won twelve-lost '55 mark.