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30. Flare-Ups, Pile-Ups, and a Move to Oust the Commissioner
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W hen the bells tolled for New Year’s Day 1955, it was pretty much the same old story for Bert Bell. The familiar Canadian situation just wouldn’t go away—only this time it took more twists and turns than one of Crazy Legs Hirsch’s touchdown runs. On January 22, after hosting representatives from Canada’s Big Four at the Racquet Club in Philadelphia, the commissioner announced that they had “laid the groundwork for a permanent peace” that would end the bodysnatching of professional football players on both sides of the border. Bell was optimistic because the Big Four consisted of the Canadian League’s prestigious eastern franchises—Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto—the clubs that would probably be most influential with their counterparts. “The problem requires a little more study and we will try to work out a solution,” Bell explained. “Neither the Canadian representatives or myself clearly know how many players are involved.” Bell also disclosed that he had met with representatives of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats the previous July and had been led to understand that at least six of the nine Canadian teams were in a peaceful mood. On January 24, though, a Canadian Western Conference official called peace plans with the NFL “just good propaganda.” Another Canadian official said,“Toronto Argonauts already have them on the run, so let’s strike while the iron is hot.” Brian Cooper, the president of the Big Four, immediately threatened to have the Argonauts’ operators replaced because he said that three-fourths of the league were in favor of making peace. Toronto had persistently refused to surrender any of its players who were under contract to NFL teams. The following day, Bell confirmed that he had made a verbal agreement with the Edmonton Eskimos, the only Canadian team that had never taken a football player under contract to an NFL club. 30. Flare-Ups, Pile-Ups, and a Move to Oust the Commissioner 212 • Chapter 30 “I agreed that pending the results of our peace negotiations with the remaining Canadian football teams that no NFL members would make overtures to players already under contract to Edmonton,” the commissioner explained. As the annual owners’ meetings unfolded at the Hotel Warwick in New York City, it was obvious that Bell was not pleased with the progress of a possible truce. He reiterated that the Canadians would find a friendly reception if they wanted to discuss the issue but stressed that the NFL owners were prepared to meet any challenge to protect their own interests, if necessary. On February 1, Bell held a four-hour meeting with representatives of the rebel Toronto Argonauts. He advised them to settle their own Canadian football problems before attempting to reach a peace agreement with the NFL and urged them to work toward the appointment of a commissioner with powers to speak for all Canadian football. On February 25, the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins signed “no raiding agreements” with three Canadian teams, a move hailed by Bell as “a step in the right direction.” The Eagles signed pacts with Edmonton and Winnipeg, while the Redskins ended their feud with Calgary. It was expected that future peace settlements would be made with similar club-by-club arrangements. Then it all came apart on March 17, when Bell issued a statement that said, in part, “If Canadian pro footballers want warfare, they’re going to get it.” Bell was outraged to learn that Toronto had recently signed two NFL players under contract to the Detroit Lions and that the Ottawa Rough Riders had done the same with a player under option to the Cleveland Browns. “I have tried everything within reason to bring about peace between Canada and the United States but it is obvious that Canadians cannot control their own teams,” the commissioner lamented. Bell also disclosed that he had just had a heated telephone exchange with Ottawa’s J. P. McCaffrey during which he told the Rough Riders’ manager that he was “out of line” in signing Cleveland’s lineman Tom King. “King was only under option,” McCaffrey replied. “You know that’s wrong,” said Bell. “Well, Toronto has four U.S. players and we have to keep up with them,” McCaffrey answered. On March 28, the club owners met in an executive session at the Hotel Warwick in New York to discuss and approve Bell’s “squeeze play” against Canadian clubs. The meeting actually was requested by Detroit after Bell [44.201...