The 1949 Edmonton Eskimos season was the first season in the current franchise's history after several other Edmonton teams played under the same moniker but were unrelated. The team finished in 3rd place in the WIFU with a 4–10 record and missed the playoffs.
| 1949 Edmonton Eskimos season | |
|---|---|
| General manager | Al Anderson |
| Head coach | Annis Stukus |
| Home field | Clarke Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 4–10 |
| Division place | 3rd, WIFU |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Team formation
editOn December 13, 1948, a group of Edmonton businessmen, led by Bob Bradburn, met and formed board of directors for a revived Edmonton Eskimos football team. The club's inaugural directors included Lucien Maynard, Bud Marquardt, and Walter Mackenzie.[1] On January 23, 1949, the Eskimos were admitted into the Western Interprovincial Football Union after the city's decade long absence from the league.[2] Toronto sportswriter and former Argonaut back Annis Stukus was named head coach the following month. He was chosen over Cincinnati Bearcats football coach Ray Nolting due to his knowledge of the Canadian game.[3]
Stukus brought his brother Bill to serve as the team's first quarterback and rounded out the backfield with U.S. imports Chuck Fenenbock, Pat West, and Earl Elsey. When the University of Alberta shut down its football program, Stukus added three more backs (Harry Irving, Peter Lougheed, and Harry Hobbs). Linemen included Andy Marefos, Bill Radovich, Lou Mogul, Nate Shore, Ken Moore, Gene Kiniski, Steve Paproski, John Dlugos, Nick Albert, and Jack Baldwin and Dimitri Goloubef, Jim MacRae, Bruce Pirt, Don Loucks, and Harry Bunting were the team's ends.[4]
Regular season
editStandings
edit| Team | GP | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Stampeders | 14 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 270 | 77 | 26 |
| Regina Roughriders | 14 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 235 | 102 | 18 |
| Edmonton Eskimos | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 93 | 235 | 8 |
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 74 | 258 | 4 |
Schedule
edit| Week | Game | Date | Opponent | Results | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | Record | ||||||
| 1 | 1 | Mon, Sept 5 | Calgary Stampeders | L 6–20 | 0–1 | Clarke Stadium | 11,123 |
| 2 | 2 | Sat, Sept 10 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | W 14–11 | 1–1 | Clarke Stadium | 6,500 |
| 2 | 3 | Mon, Sept 12 | Regina Roughriders | L 0–12 | 1–2 | Clarke Stadium | 6,000 |
| 3 | 4 | Sat, Sept 17 | at Regina Roughriders | L 1–13 | 1–3 | Taylor Field | 4,000 |
| 3 | 5 | Mon, Sept 19 | at Winnipeg Blue Bombers | W 10–3 | 2–3 | Osborne Stadium | 4,000 |
| 4 | 6 | Sat, Sept 24 | at Calgary Stampeders | L 5–41 | 2–4 | Mewata Stadium | 9,000 |
| 5 | 7 | Sat, Oct 1 | Calgary Stampeders | L 8–12 | 2–5 | Clarke Stadium | 10,000 |
| 6 | 8 | Sat, Oct 8 | at Winnipeg Blue Bombers | L 6–8 | 2–6 | Osborne Stadium | 4,000 |
| 6 | 9 | Mon, Oct 10 | at Regina Roughriders | W 12–11 | 3–6 | Taylor Field | 3,000 |
| 7 | 10 | Sat, Oct 15 | at Calgary Stampeders | L 6–31 | 3–7 | Mewata Stadium | 8,000 |
| 8 | 11 | Sat, Oct 22 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers | W 13–6 | 4–7 | Clarke Stadium | 7,000 |
| 8 | 12 | Mon, Oct 24 | Regina Roughriders | L 11–29 | 4–8 | Clarke Stadium | 5,000 |
| 9 | 13 | Sat, Oct 29 | at Calgary Stampeders | L 0–27 | 4–9 | Mewata Stadium | 6,700 |
| 9 | 14 | Mon, Oct 31 | Calgary Stampeders | L 1–11 | 4–10 | Clarke Stadium | |
References
edit- ^ "Edmonton Plans Gridiron Entry". The Calgary Herald. December 14, 1948. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Edmonton in Football - West Seeks Rule Changes". The Leader-Post. January 24, 1949. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Stukus To Coach Edmonton". The Calgary Herald. February 22, 1949. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Esks' Backfield Solid, But Line Worries Stuke". The Calgary Herald. August 13, 1949. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "CFL.ca - Official Site of the Canadian Football League". Archived from the original on 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
- ^ "1949 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". www.cfl.ca. Archived from the original on 15 January 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ "1949 Edmonton Eskimos (WIFU) - Pro Football Archives".