Hall of Fame
On a cold, wet Saturday afternoon at Varsity Stadium, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues captured the inaugural Vanier Cup with a 14-7 victory over the University of Alberta Golden Bears in the 1965 College Bowl.
Future Toronto Argonaut standouts Gerry Sternberg and Mike Eben led the way, with each scoring a touchdown in the victory. Sternberg finished the afternoon with 85 yards rushing and was named the first Ted Morris Memorial Trophy winner as the most valuable player.
The tremendous team effort was also well supported on the sidelines by a coaching staff that included head coach Dalt White, and assistants Ron Murphy, John McManus and Tom Watt.
The Vanier Cup, named in honour of Canada's then Governor-General Georges Vanier, was presented in person by Georges Vanier to U of T football team co-captains Bryce Taylor and Bob Pampe.
The Vanier Cup victory 1965 was also significant in that it became the third time the Varsity Blues had captured a Canadian football first. In 1898 U of T won the inaugural Yates Cup, before then going on to be the first football club to put their name on the Grey Cup, which is now awarded to the Canadian Football League champion.
In addition to the significant contribution the members of the 1965 team made to Canadian university football history, the players went on to be business, education, medical and legal leaders nationally and internationally.
