St. John's Rugby Football Club

The St. John's Rugby Football Club was a Canadian football team in Winnipeg, Manitoba, formed in October 1887, that played in the Manitoba Rugby Football Union and Western Canada Rugby Football Union between 1892 and 1932.[1] The team was founded by students of St. John's College, but as information about this team has been mostly lost to history, it seems that the football team was not officially associated with the college (as mention of the team is not found in any of the school's official history). There was a St. John's Royalists junior football team, but no information links it to the MRFU club.[2][3][4]

St.John's Rugby Football Club
Founded1892
Folded1932
Based inWinnipeg, Manitoba
LeagueManitoba Rugby Football Union
Western Canada Rugby Football Union
League titles13 league championships

The St. John's Rugby Football Club was a very successful team, having won 13 MRFU championships in the 31 seasons they played.

While the St. John's Rugby Football Club did merge with new Winnipeg Rugby Football Club in 1932, the team is not part of the official history or records of Winnipeg's current team: the Blue Bombers.[5]

MRFU season-by-season

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Season G W L T PF PA Pts Finish Playoffs
1892 4 3 1 0 40 28 6 1st MRFU Champion
1893 4 3 0 1 48 3 7 1st MRFU Champion
1894 4 1 3 0 31 42 0 2nd
1895 4 3 1 0 39 16 6 1st MRFU Champion
1896 3 2 1 0 34 23 4 1st MRFU Champion
1897 5 3 2 0 38 69 6 1st 3-way tie - no champion
1898 5 5 0 0 55 24 10 1st MRFU Champion
1899 6 5 1 0 83 29 10 1st MRFU Champion
1900 6 2 3 1 23 39 5 2nd
1901 6 2 4 0 35 49 4 2nd
1902 4 0 4 0 37 68 0 3rd
1903 4 1 3 0 29 78 2 3rd
1904 4 3 1 0 43 20 6 1st - tied lost MRFU playoff to Winnipeg Rowing Club, 20-8
1905 2 0 2 0 3 50 0 4th
1906 4 1 3 0 8 52 6 3rd
1907 4 1 3 0 21 55 2 2nd
1908 5 3 1 1 64 43 7 1st MRFU Champion
1909 4 3 1 0 38 35 6 1st MRFU Champion
1910 4 1 3 0 28 61 2 2nd
1911 4 1 3 0 24 61 2 2nd
1912 5 1 3 1 28 54 3 2nd
1913 4 2 2 0 32 51 4 1st - tied Won MRFU playoff over Winnipeg Tammany Tigers, 23–8, lost MRFU final to Winnipeg Rowing Club, 13-2
1914 did not play
1915 no league play
1916 to 1918 suspended due to the Great War
1919 3 0 3 0 1 36 0 3rd
1920 to 1924 did not play
1925 6 1 5 0 17 57 2 4th
1926 6 4 2 0 63 27 8 1st - tied Won MRFU Championship playoff over Winnipeg Victorias, 14–5, lost west semi final to Regina, 13-5
1927 4 0 4 0 10 55 0 3rd
1928 5 3 1 1 43 28 7 2nd Tri-City Rugby Football League - lost west final to Regina, 12-1
1929 4 2 2 0 42 35 4 1st - tied Won MRFU Championship playoff over Winnipeg Tammany Tigers, 10–1, lost west semi final to Regina, 19-3
1930 4 4 0 0 75 5 8 1st MRFU Champion, lost west playoff to Regina, 23-0
1931 3 3 0 0 29 5 6 1st MRFU Champion, lost west semi final to Regina, 47-5
1932 6 5 0 1 101 13 11 1st MRFU Champion, lost west semi final to Regina, 9-1

References

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