Calgarian recalls 1948 Grey Cup train ride

There are some wild parties being planned for the Grey Cup final in Toronto this weekend, but one man has seen it all before.

In 1948, Calgary's Bill Galiardi travelled there on a train packed with Stampeders fans, booze and horses.

They all rode across the country to the game in Toronto and Bill played accordian in a band the whole way there.

"It was a gathering place, you know," he said. "Everyone was in there, they fought to get in there. And, you know, I was young in those days, and there was no such thing as looking at my watch, 'Ya, I've been playing here for two, three hours' I loved it."

Galiardi, now87, still remembers it perfectly.

The Stamps won their firstGrey Cup that year, defeating the Ottawa Rough Riders 12-7.

Listen to his full interview with CBC's The Homestretch by playing the audio located above.