Calgary Stampeders - Franchise History

Franchise History

The first time a Calgary team took the field in Canadian football was in 1891 when they faced Edmonton in a home-and-away series. The following years saw the formation of several Calgary-based football teams starting with the Calgary Tigers of the Alberta Rugby Football Union in 1908. This was followed by the likes of Canucks, the 50th Battalion, Altomahs, Tigers for the second time and later the Bronks.

Organized football in Calgary dates back to 1909 with the emergence of the Calgary Tigers in the newly-formed Alberta Rugby Union. The Tigers were a dominant force in provincial football for four years as they captured the Western Canadian Crown in 1911. In 1915 the Tigers gave way to a new team in Calgary — the Calgary Canucks — that only played until 1919, because of World War I. An official league was never formed. In 1923 football returned to Calgary. The "Fiftieth Battalion" was formed, named for the 50th Battalion, CEF, whose veterans' association provided organization support. In 1924 the Fiftieth won the Alberta title but was downed by Winnipeg in the Western final.

In 1924 football in Calgary took a four-year hiatus until the Tigers resurfaced in 1928, and made history that year with the first forward pass in Canadian football. In 1931 the Calgary Altomahs began a four-year existence, playing at the 2,000-seat Mewata Stadium. By 1935 the Altomahs had given way to the Calgary Bronks. In 1935, they became part of the Western Interprovincial Football Union. In 1938 the Bronks took the league championship. Senior football in Calgary ended in 1940 when World War II began.

The Stampeders were officially born on September 29, 1945 and they took their name from the annual Calgary Stampede held in Calgary. The Calgary Stampede is an annual ten-day rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Stampede goes back to 1886. In their very first game played on October 22 at Mewata Stadium they beat the Regina Roughriders 12–0 before 4,000 fans in attendance. It was a taste of success to come that decade under the direction of head coach Les Lear and talented stars such as Woody Strode, Paul Rowe, Keith Spaith, Dave Berry, Normie Kwong and Ezzert "Sugarfoot" Anderson.

Grey Cup: In 1948, the Stamps fans who made the trip to Toronto were responsible for turning the Grey Cup into the week-long party it is today. Several faithful travelled by train to Toronto and a classic bit of Grey Cup folklore is Calgary alderman Don Mackay riding a horse into the lobby of the Royal York Hotel.