Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club


Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club was an early Canadian football-rugby union team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The team originated as the Edmonton Rugby Football Club in 1890 which played out of the Edmonton Exhibition Grounds. The team competed in the Alberta Rugby Football Union when it was created in 1898.
The Edmonton Rugby Football Club was renamed the Edmonton Esquimaux in 1908 and again as the Edmonton Eskimos in 1910. The AFRU became a component part of the Western Canada Rugby Football Union in 1911. The AFRU suspended operation from 1916 through 1918 due to World War 1.
The Edmonton Eskimos were AFRU and then WCFRU champions in 1921, earning the right to compete for the Grey Cup in the 9th Grey Cup championship game - the first time a Western Canadian team played in the game - losing 23–0 to the undefeated Toronto Argonauts. The team was renamed the Edmonton Elks in 1922 and represented the WCFRU in the 10th Grey Cup, losing 13–1 to the Queen's University Golden Gaels.
The team returned to the Eskimos name for the 1923 season, winning their third consecutive AFRU championship but failing to clinch the WCFRU championship. The Eskimos did not win the 1924 AFRU championship, and folded before the 1925 season.
The Eskimos team returned for the 1928 AFRU season, winning the AFRU championship for the sixth time in 14 seasons of competition.