The Winnipeg Rugby Football Club was established in 1879, the same year rugby was first played in Manitoba, and is now celebrating its 80th Anniversary as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Although the Winnipeg Rugby Football Club changed codes from “rugby union” to “gridiron football”, their roots were in rugby – which is the foundation for Canadian and American football today. In 1935, the “Winnipegs” were the first Western team to win the Grey Cup – which was originally presented to Canada’s amateur rugby football champion.
Rugby Union Football was first played on the Canadian prairies in the late 1870’s. The Winnipeg Rugby Football Club, organized in 1879, was the first club in Manitoba. In 1888 St. John’s College and the Royal School of Infantry/90th Regiment (now known as the Royal Winnipeg Rifles) joined the Winnipeg RFC to form the Manitoba Rugby League, the forerunner to the Manitoba Rugby Football Union which was founded in 1892. Prairies’ rugby was limited to Winnipeg until the North West Mounted Police (Regina) and Moosomin (SK) clubs formed to challenge the Winnipeg‐based sides. The first interprovincial play in the West took place in October of 1890 when the North West Mounted Police came to Winnipeg, and were defeated by the Winnipeg RFC 39‐4 (news coverage at the time by the Manitoba Free Press nicknamed the visitors the “Roughriders” – possibly the origin of the Saskatchewan Roughriders name).
Rugby football was played in what became Alberta and Saskatchewan by 1890, and by 1907 the new provinces had organized their own competitions and adopted the rules of the Canadian Rugby Union. The three prairie unions formed the Western Canada Rugby Football Union in 1911, but were not allowed to compete for the Grey Cup (donated by Governor General Earl Grey in 1909 for the winner of the Dominion of Canada’s amateur rugby football championship) until 1921.
Under the direction of R.M. (Dick) Mahoney, the community‐owned Winnipeg Football Club began operations on June 10, 1930 following the reorganization of the financial difficulties of the Tammany Tigers. In 1933, the Winnipeg Football Club amalgamated with St. John’s (of the Manitoba Rugby Union) to form the ‘Pegs. The “Winnipegs” became the first team from
Western Canada to win the Grey Cup in 1935, when they travelled to Hamilton and defeated the Hamilton Tigers 18‐12. In 1935, Winnipeg Tribune sports writer Vince Leah referred to the Winnipegs as the “Blue Bombers”, which was soon adopted as the new name for the club.
Numerous Winnipeg Blue Bombers have played representative rugby for their province or country – including current well‐known veterans such as centre #60 Obby Khan (Ontario) and defensive tackle #97 Doug Brown (British Columbia and Canada).
Rugby Union Football was first played on the Canadian prairies in the late 1870’s. The Winnipeg Rugby Football Club, organized in 1879, was the first club in Manitoba. In 1888 St. John’s College and the Royal School of Infantry/90th Regiment (now known as the Royal Winnipeg Rifles) joined the Winnipeg RFC to form the Manitoba Rugby League, the forerunner to the Manitoba Rugby Football Union which was founded in 1892. Prairies’ rugby was limited to Winnipeg until the North West Mounted Police (Regina) and Moosomin (SK) clubs formed to challenge the Winnipeg‐based sides. The first interprovincial play in the West took place in October of 1890 when the North West Mounted Police came to Winnipeg, and were defeated by the Winnipeg RFC 39‐4 (news coverage at the time by the Manitoba Free Press nicknamed the visitors the “Roughriders” – possibly the origin of the Saskatchewan Roughriders name).
Rugby football was played in what became Alberta and Saskatchewan by 1890, and by 1907 the new provinces had organized their own competitions and adopted the rules of the Canadian Rugby Union. The three prairie unions formed the Western Canada Rugby Football Union in 1911, but were not allowed to compete for the Grey Cup (donated by Governor General Earl Grey in 1909 for the winner of the Dominion of Canada’s amateur rugby football championship) until 1921.
Under the direction of R.M. (Dick) Mahoney, the community‐owned Winnipeg Football Club began operations on June 10, 1930 following the reorganization of the financial difficulties of the Tammany Tigers. In 1933, the Winnipeg Football Club amalgamated with St. John’s (of the Manitoba Rugby Union) to form the ‘Pegs. The “Winnipegs” became the first team from
Western Canada to win the Grey Cup in 1935, when they travelled to Hamilton and defeated the Hamilton Tigers 18‐12. In 1935, Winnipeg Tribune sports writer Vince Leah referred to the Winnipegs as the “Blue Bombers”, which was soon adopted as the new name for the club.
Numerous Winnipeg Blue Bombers have played representative rugby for their province or country – including current well‐known veterans such as centre #60 Obby Khan (Ontario) and defensive tackle #97 Doug Brown (British Columbia and Canada).