The Vancouver Meralomas football team was a Canadian football team that played in the British Columbia Rugby Football Union and the Western Canada Rugby Football Union from 1926 to 1938.[1][2][3][4] The team was part of the popular and successful Meraloma Club.[5][6] The Meralomas also fielded championship junior football sides for many decades.
| Founded | 1926 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 1938 |
| Based in | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| League | British Columbia Rugby Football Union Western Canada Rugby Football Union |
| Nickname(s) | the Lomas |
| League titles | 5 league championships |
The Meralomas were a very successful team, winning 5 championships in 13 seasons.
In 1926 the Meralomas were awarded the Harry Duker Cup for being Senior City Champions. In 1927 the team entered the Senior City League for the second time, winning the Harry Duker Cup again, but lost the Provincial Championship.[7] Additionally, the team was a magnet for the best junior talent in Vancouver, benefiting from their rival's, the New Westminster Dodekas,[8] program.[9][10]
BCRFU season-by-season
edit| Season | G | W | L | T | PF | PA | Pts | Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 15 | 3 | 2nd | |
| 1927 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 92 | 43 | 8 | 1st | Lost BCRFU Championship final to University of British Columbia Varsity, 8-5 |
| 1928 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 89 | 61 | 6 | 2nd | |
| 1929 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 90 | 54 | 7 | 3rd | |
| 1930 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 30 | 12 | 1st | Won BCRFU Championship, lost west final to Regina, 17-0 & 4-0 |
| 1931 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 45 | 66 | 5 | 4th | |
| 1932 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 91 | 41 | 10 | 1st | Won BCRFU Championship, lost west semi final to Calgary Altomahs, 11-10 total points (6-5 & 4–6) |
| 1933 | Won BCRFU Championship by beating Vancouver Athletic Club 2 games to 1, New Westminster Dodekas 2 games to 0, and Vancouver Athletic Club in a final, 12–5; lost west semi final to Calgary Altomahs, 13-11 | ||||||||
| 1934 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 19 | 10 | 1st | Won BCRFU Championship, won west semi final over University of Alberta Golden Bears (5-0 & 8–6), lost west final to Regina (2-22 & 2–7) |
| 1935 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 61 | 33 | 6 | 1st | Won BCRFU Championship, lost west semi final to Calgary Bronks, 14-0 |
| 1936 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 82 | 36 | 10 | 1st - tied | Lost BCRFU playoff to Vancouver Athletic Club Wolves, 7-0 |
| 1937 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 43 | 58 | 7 | 2nd | |
| 1938 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 115 | 0 | 4th |
References
edit- ^ The Meraloma Club
- ^ Meraloma - Football (Past Section)
- ^ Early Meraloma Football History
- ^ Canada's Least Known Early Football Unions
- ^ Established in 1923 as a swim club the Meraloma Club was originally named the Mermaid Athletic Club before adding canadian football, rugby union and other sports. With the inclusion of new sports came the development of a new name. By taking "Mer" from the original Mermaids name and adding "al" from alpha, "om" from omega (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet) and "a" from "always" that was interpreted to mean "Mermaids, first, last and always"; reflected in the club motto "Once a Meraloma, Always a Meraloma". Thus, the Mermaid Athletic Club became the Meraloma Club.
- ^ Once a Mermaid
- ^ The Meraloma Club
- ^ Named for the Greek word dodeca, or twelve, being the players on a football side.
- ^ The Dodekas were a Kitsilano based team which had won the junior football league for three straight seasons, usually by wide margins, and this was their first venture into better competition. After losing their first game to the Meralomas, the still junior-aged Dodekas won all others to capture the trophy. Several members of the Dodekas joined the Meralomas after they had passed the junior age limit.
- ^ Meraloma - Football (Past Section)