Edmonton Eskimos

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Edmonton Eskimos
Image:CFL Eskimos.gif Image:EDMONTON ESKIMOS.jpg
Division	Image:West.gif West Division
Founded	1949
Home field	Commonwealth Stadium
Based in	Edmonton, Alberta
Colours	Green and Gold
League	Canadian Football League
Head coach	Danny Maciocia
General manager	Hugh Campbell

The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian Football League team based in Edmonton, Alberta.

1 Team facts
2 Franchise history
- 2.1 Origin of Uniform
- 2.2 Wall of Honour
3 Players of note
4 See also
5 External links

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Team facts

Founded: 1949, although other teams named the Edmonton Eskimos existed 1895 to 1923 and 1929 to 1939.

Formerly known as: Esquimaux 1897 to 1910

Helmet design: Yellow background, with a gold "EE" monogram on a green oval

Uniform colours: Green, Gold, Black and White.

Past uniform colours: Blue and White 1938 to 1939, Black and Yellow 1907 to 1937

Stadia: Clarke Stadium (1954-1978), Commonwealth Stadium (1978-present)

Western regular season championships: 22 -- 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003

Grey Cup finals appearances: 22 -- 1952 (lost), 1954 (won), 1955 (won), 1956 (won), 1960 (lost), 1973 (lost), 1974 (lost), 1975 (won), 1977 (lost), 1978 (won), 1979 (won), 1980 (won), 1981 (won), 1982 (won), 1986 (lost), 1987 (won), 1990 (lost), 1993 (won), 1996 (lost), 2002 (lost), 2003 (won), 2005 (won)

Grey Cup Championships: 13 -- 1954-56, 75, 78-82, 87, 93, 03, 05

Main Rivals: Calgary Stampeders

2006 Regular Season Record: 0 wins, 0 losses, 0 ties (See 2006 CFL season).

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Franchise history

Edmonton played its first series of organized games with the formation of the Alberta Rugby Football Union in 1895. In 1897 the name Esquimaux was adopted. In 1910 the club was officially named the Edmonton Eskimos. Since 1978 the Eskimos have played their home games in Commonwealth Stadium, which is now the only natural grass field in the CFL. They are one of the most successful teams in Canadian football history, having won the Grey Cup more than any other team except the Toronto Argonauts, and being the run-away leader in attendance for many years.

The team holds many impressive records, including five consecutive Grey Cup wins (1978 to 1982), and 34 consecutive years and counting in the playoffs (1972 to 2005), a record no other North American professional team (regardless of sport) has equalled. Former Eskimos have figured prominently in Alberta political life: past players include two provincial premiers (E. Peter Lougheed and Donald Getty), a mayor of Edmonton (Bill Smith), and a lieutenant-governor (Norman Kwong).

During the glory years of the late 70's and early 80's, the Edmonton Eskimos won five Grey Cup championships in a row. No other team in the CFL, since Edmonton re-enetered the CFL in 1949, has even won three in row, let alone five.

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Origin of Uniform

The current uniform colours, green and gold, were adopted when they received uniforms from the University of Alberta Golden Bears football team, which was dormant due to a lack of competition in 1949. The colours have remained since that time, and the Golden Bears maintain them to this day as well.

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Wall of Honour

The Eskimos have a policy of honouring the players who have best represented the team on the field; similar to a team retiring a number, the Eskimos keep the number in circulation, although the number is hung on the edge of the cement separating the upper and lower decks of Commonwealth Stadium for all to see and admire.

Numbers so honoured as of 2006: