Miami University - Recensio Yearbook (Oxford, OH)

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Miami Yip Yip Miami Yo Ro Boomerang Boomerang Ho Ang Ho Eureka Miami Sis Boom Bah Miami Varsity Rah Rah Rah. While the lyrics which cheer the Redskins have changed over the years, the spirit of Miami athletics today echoes the enthusiasm of days gone by. From the first football game with the University of Cincinnati in 1881, to the MAC title holders of 1976 -- athletics at Miami remain deeply rooted in tradition. At the start of Redskin athletic competition, the President of the University was more than an en- thusiastic fan; He was an impor- tant member of the starting line up. President Warfield is remem- bered for many contributions to the academic area of the university but his initiation of the athletic program may well be one of the most significant and lasting of his efforts. Along with Professor Brideman, President Warfield started the first football squad, and thus a great Miami tradition was born. Presi- dent Warfield was unable to par- ticipate in the first Redskin com- petition due to a knee injury, but his moral support led to a success- ful athletic program. Soon competi- tion would be limited solely to student, and faculty would be re- signed to the roles of coach and fans, but for a time, adminis- trators, professors, and students worked side by side on the football field as well as in the Classroom. At first, the goal of athletic com- petition was Viewed as a construc- tive valve for releasing the pres- sures of student life. Again, little has really changed from the cam- pus of 1881 to 1976. It was noticed that with the rise of organized sport, no more sheep were carried into the Classroom, no cattle were turned into Chapel and there wers no more racoon fights staged in the dorms. But soon the merits of intercol- legiate athletic competition were more fully recognized and the pro- gram moved into a higher realm of progress. By 1895, an athletic field was laid by a surveying class. A one-half mile track was prepared along with a baseball diamond and a football field. One year later, $25,000 was appropriated for a new gymna- sium. In 1899, the athletic associa- tion held a field day, with baseball, track and tennis adding to the growing list of Miami sports. The first full-time football coach joined the staff in 1906 and thus launched another Miami tradition. The Cradle of Coaches became a symbol of excellence, and the many avenues of competition were ex- panding to demonstrate the versa- tility of sports at Miami. By this time athletics had grown from a Redskin squad of professor student football enthusiasts, to en- compass both indoor and outdoor baseball, tennis, basketball, golf, track, wrestling, ping pong and womens basketball. Yes, Miami had a place for the woman athlete. In order to partici- pate in any sport, women had to meet certain standards of athletic proficiency, and in 1913, the female athlete was required to complete a five mile walk in one and one half hours. She was quite different from the Miami woman athlete of today, who can compete on any number of intercollegiate After Miami defeated Purdue for the nationwide upset of the year, the crowd advanced uptown to celebrate. Cradle of Coachee: fkneeling, leftI Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian, John Pont, Bo Schembechler, and Bill Mallory. Standing are John MCVay, Jim Root, Doc Urich, Carmen Cozza, Clive Rush, and Weeb Eubank. teams and strive for her own level of athletic competence. Although Miami places high values on the traditions that have developed since the first football game in 1881, Changes and prog- ress have been considerable. In terms of both function and size the $25,000 gymnasium has long been outgrown. Withrow Court, ' Millett Hall, Billings Natatorium and Phillips Hall are insufficient for the ever-expanding needs of athletic competition. With the ice arena nearing completion, the athlete has yet another facility in which lies the potential of set-

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This derbied group represents the Miami bicycle club, which was popular during the 1890's. Now that there are 4,000 bikes on cam- pus, there is no club. The STUDENT office was housed in Irvin Hall during the 1950's. The STUDENT moved to its present office when the Univer- sity Center opened in 1957. The Women's Recreation Associa- tion Lodge was built in 1936 on a 22 acre site off Oxford-Milford Road. The building is at present used by university organizations for workshops and seminars. The most important organiza- tions of Old Miami were the liter- ary societies. Founded in 1825, one year after the arrival of Miami's first students, The Erodelphian and the Union Literary Societies pre- dominated the extrawcurricular ac- tivities of the campus. Origionally, the members of these organiza- tions were men interested in ca- reers of law, teaching, or religion. The societies rounded out their course of preparation by develop- ing skills in debate and critical analysis. President Bishop aided the liter-a ary societies in their formative period by providing quarters in Old Miami. These rooms served as debate halls and meeting places for the groups. Each year, the societies accepted new members from among the student population, and invited well-known politicians and other important persons to accept membership in the organization. The Erodelphians, for example, were able to boost the memberw ship of Washington Irving, Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson. Great rivalry existed between the two groups. Not only did they Vie for student membership, but the societies also competed for greatest university recognition and favor. In order to advance their standing in this latter, the Union Literary Society commissioned Horace Harding to produce a portrait of President Bishop, which hung above the doorway totheir quar- ters. Consequently, the Erodeln phians were in a great quandery as to a course of action which would allow them to out do their rival so- ciety. They arranged for the mold- ing of a bust of the President, and thus managed to hold an equally favorable place with Bishop. During the first president's turn of office, the literary societies ob- tained a permit to become separate from the administration and the state. This action was not found to be desirable by several of: the fac- ulty members, and was the first time that the groups faced any major campus dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, the literary societies continued to hold a strong place in the lives of the Old Miami students. Discussions were held on the relevence and significance of classical literature, and devate of current affairs was a favorite soci- ety occurance. Each year, the Union and a Erodelphian groups sponsored exhibitions, at which time speakers from other parts of the country were invited. to spend time with the members. One major disagreement be- tween the societies and the admin- istration involved the scheduling of anniversary speakers. The uni- versity had had a regulation which stated that all Visiting guests to the campus were required to be ap- proved by the administration. Be- cause of the literary societies' in- dependence from Miami, they re fused to comply with the regula- tion, and therefore set the stage for a shaky rapport With the universi- ty. When, after three years of re fusal to submit to the newly emerg- ing Greek letter fraternities. Certainly, though, the literary societies had a great deal of influ- ence in the formation of present Miami organizations, most notably the fraternities. Like their Greek successors, the literary societies re- villed in secrecy, in pride for their group, and in the utilization of symbols, in this case roses,for the identification of the societies. When New Miami opened, the literary socieites had, for most purposes, lost their former stand- ing, and had been supplanted by the now-dominat fraternity sys- tem. However, the influence of these literary societies has been greatly felt by other campus groups. - Brad McConnell

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John Pont returns his lst col- legiate punt for a TD, in 1949. Pont held many records and was honored by having his jersey the first to be retired. DARING Nationally known for his Cheer- leading antics and his gate- crashing techniques, Harry S. Thobe, was also known as Miami's most devoted fan. TO EXCEL ting records and bringing fame to Miami. Throughout the history of ath- letic growth, a high-degree of ex- cellence has been achieved, and the trophies and placques lining the halls serve as convincing evi- dence. In 1952, sprinter James Gordon made Miami's name well-known for both athletics and academics. Bill Mullikan was another example, When eight years later he led the world's swimmers in the 200-meter breast stroke. Bob Schul as the Winner of the 5,000-meter race at Tokyo, in 1964 added to the grow- ing list of famous Miami athletes. The athletes of '76 are by no means outdone by their predecessors, as witnessed by the three Redskin football stars chosen in the pro draft. Miami remains rooted in the traditions stemming from the first football team: they remain unal- tered despite the growth and de- velopment of today's nearly- professional organization. - Chris Jahoda 11