the eskimos club was formed for the 1909–10 season by sports promoter deacon white, from the remains of the amateur edmonton hockey club, and inherited its predecessor's membership in the alberta amateur hockey association (aaha). in 1909–10 and 1911–12 the club was loosely known as the "edmonton deacons", after edmonton sports promoter william deacon white. prior to the 1911–12 season the team officially adopted the name edmonton eskimos, influenced by deacon white's edmonton esquimaux rugby football club. the early eskimos played in the thistle rink, until it burned down in 1912.