Edmonton Eskimos

The Edmonton Eskimos are a FOOTBALL team from EDMONTON, Alta. They began play in 1910 and participated in the first 2 East-West GREY CUP games, losing to the University of Toronto in 1921 and Queen's University the following year. The Eskimos competed on and off throughout the 1920s and 1930s and were reborn as a publicly owned enterprise in 1948, after which they recorded more Grey Cup appearances and victories than any other team in Canadian football's modern era. In 1952 they lost to Toronto in the Dominion final, but 2 years later, led by Jackie PARKER, Johnny BRIGHT and Normie KWONG, they defeated the Montreal Alouettes in 3 straight Grey Cups (1954, 1955, 1956). The remnants of this fine squad lost to Ottawa in the 1960 Grey Cup and the club faded during the ensuing decade. Coach Ray Jauch helped return the Eskimos to power in the early 1970s, winning 3 straight Western Conference titles (1973, 1974, 1975) and one Grey Cup (1975).

Under his successor, Hugh Campbell, the Eskimos made the 1978 move into Commonwealth Stadium (eventually expanded to hold over 60 000) and became one of the great dynasties of Canadian sport, winning a Western Conference title for each year of Campbell's tenure (1977-82) and an unprecedented 5 consecutive Grey Cups (1978-82). Jackie Parker was head coach 1983-87, when Joe Faragalli took over, and in 1986 Campbell returned as general manager. The Eskimos defeated Toronto in the 1987 Grey Cup game, by many accounts the most exciting ever played. Following a one-sided loss to Winnipeg in the 1990 Grey Cup game, Campbell hired his old quarterback with Saskatchewan, Ron LANCASTER, as head coach. In a rematch with Winnipeg in 1993, Lancaster led Edmonton to its 11th Grey Cup. The Eskimos appeared again at the Grey Cup in 1996, losing to Toronto 43-37. In 1998 Lancaster left Edmonton to coach the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The team's most recent Grey Cup appearances were against long-time rivals, the MONTREAL ALOUETTES. Although the Alouettes defeated them in 2002, they won the Cup in 2003 by a score of 34-22 at Regina and, most recently, in 2005 with a dramatic overtime victory of 38-35 at Vancouver. The Eskimos' currently have 13 Grey Cup championships. The team plays its home games at Commonwealth Stadium, an outdoor stadium that seats 60 081, and their colours are green and gold.

Author DEREK DRAGER

Links to Other Sites
Edmonton Eskimos
The official website for the Edmonton Eskimos CFL football team.

Boyhood dream came true for Moon
Article about legendary football star Warren Moon. From canoe.ca.

Review: Never Give up on Your Dream
A review of the autobiography "Never Give up on Your Dream" by award-winning football player Warren Moon. From thestar.com.

sportsnet.ca
Check out the sportsnet.ca website for the latest sports news and videos.