The 1984 Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers and builder Bill Watchorn will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will induct their 1984 Grey Cup championship team and longtime board member Bill Watchorn into their Hall of Fame later this year.
Winnipeg defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 72nd Grey Cup in front of 60,081 fans at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton by a score of 47-17. The victory ended an 18-year drought during which the Blue Bombers failed to earn a berth in the CFL’s title game.
Veteran quarterback Tom Clements was named the game’s Most Valuable Player as Winnipeg erupted for 27 points in the second quarter. The Tiger-Cats had Dieter Brock under centre, who played for the Blue Bombers from 1974 to 1983 and remains the franchise’s all-time leading passer.
Winnipeg’s head coach was Cal Murphy, who was named the league’s Coach of the Year that season, with running back Willard Reaves winning Most Outstanding Player. Other CFL all-stars on the team included receiver Joe Poplawski, offensive linemen John Bonk, Chris Walby, and Nick Bastaja, edge rusher Tyrone Jones, linebacker Aaron Brown, and defensive backs Ken Hailey and David Shaw.
“We’re thrilled to see that the 1984 Grey Cup team will be honoured at the Blue Bombers Gala,” said team president and CEO Wade Miller in a statement. “That team provided a memorable victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats that season and helped secure the eighth championship in franchise history.”
Watchorn served as a board member for the Winnipeg Football Club from 2006 to 2015, including a term as chairperson from 2010 to 2012. He will be entering the Hall of Fame’s builder category.
“Congratulations also to Bill Watchorn for his selection as a builder in the Winnipeg Football Club’s Hall of Fame,” said Miller. “The chairpersons and members of our board put in countless hours volunteering for the club and Bill’s work during his days on the board and as chairperson were invaluable to the franchise.”
The inductees will be honoured on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at the team’s annual gala in support of amateur football. They will also be recognized at the club’s game on Friday, Oct. 11 against the Toronto Argonauts.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2-5) will visit the Toronto Argonauts (3-3) on Saturday, July 27 with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. EDT.
