University of Denver - Kynewisbok Yearbook (Denver, CO)

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FIGHTING MINISTERS 23 mental teams. He also developed a varsity football team which became the inter-collegiate champions of Colo- rado and also made a reputable show- ing in the first inter-sectional game. The first night football game played in this section took place in 1902, and the first annual baseball game was be- tween the seniors and the faculty. The year 1904 was an outstanding one for the University in the field of athletics. To start the year, the tennis team was Colorado champion. The track team took second place in the inter-co11egi- ate meet, and the basketball squad was champion of the conference. These accomplishments were a real reward for C. S. Fowler, who was head coach that year. ln 1905, Dana M. Evans became the director of athletics, and though no championships were won that year, all of the teams made reputable showings. lt was in this year that the Hoyt field and stadium were completed, the larg- est west of the Mississippi, seating 8,000 spectators. From 1906 to 1911, the Bishops from Denver, who Were also called the Fighting Ministers, were coached by Iohn P. Koehler. He brought forth a championship football team in 1909, and in 1911, the baseball team tied Utah for highest team ranking. The football team in 1911, held Marquette university to a 0 to 0 tie in the biggest game in the history of the University. lt was during this time that football relations with the University of Colo- rado were severed due to some misun- derstanding between the two schools. However, in 1910 the schools resumed their rivalry. A lack of team and coaching mate- rial led to a lull in athletic supremacy for the University from 1911 to 1915. The coaching job was held by Thomas Barry, C. H. Wingender, H. G. Bucking- ham, and Iohn W. Pike, the latter an alumnus of the University. ln 1915, after breaking four confer- ence records' and tying one, lames Lyman Bingham, one of the outstand- ing track men of the conference, was sent to the Western lnter-collegiate meet in Chicago, where he tied for in- dividual honors With a first place in the hammer-throw and also in the discus. Bingham later returned to the University as director of athletics until 1923, when he was named president of the A. A. U. In 1916, Pike coached a team which, led by Lou Mahony, present director of athletics in the University of Denver, defeated Boulder 7 to 0. After this vic- tory Chancellor Buchtel presented to Mahony the red vest which is now a tradition at the University. 1917 saw the rise of a football team which gained possession of the conference championship. At the same time mili- tary training was established, which affected participation in athletics. lt was in the latter part of 1917 and the early part of 1918 that the first of the volunteer troops were formed at the

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22 ALMA MATER fence with their colors and handed it down to the juniors. This was the day for the many ceremonies honoring the Seniors. Conducted by Dean Howe unti1,his death, it has since been pre- sided over by Chancellor Duncan. The most outstanding celebration of the day took place in 1911, when such ri- valry arose between the seniors and Iuniors that a riot occurred and eleven students were suspended. Sophomore and Freshman rivalry has been anticipated by the annual fight between the two classes. lt was originally in the form of a color rush, when each class tried to secure posses- sion of the colors of the other class. Through the years this custom has changed so that each year a different type of contest is held. . Previous to 1908, the graduation cer- emonies took place in Trinity church. From that year to 1936 the exercises were held in the city auditorium, when a new custom was inaugurated, that of holding commencement on the cam- Chappell house, one of the outstanding art schools of the west. pus. This is as yet only an experiment, but it may develop into a tradition. Another traditional highlight was the annual High School Day. This fete was in the form of an all-city track meet and smoker to interest the boys in the University of Denver. Later in the evening the boys were entertained at dinner at the fraternity houses. Athletics at the University were first instituted in 1884, by a football game with a selected team of Rugby players, who won by a score of 25 to O. The next football game, and the first be- tween two college teams, was played on April ll, 1885. The clash was with Colorado College, and as no records were kept of the game, the outcome is unknown. F rom that time until 1894, interest in athletics waned, with few games played: however, the big event' of the sports calendar for that year was the women's football game, which was played on October 29, with no score recorded. Until 1898, the athletic teams were at a decided disadvantage, because of a lack of financial support. To remedy this and to arouse interest in this phase of college life, the University of Denver Athletic association was formed. This was an organization of men interested in the advancement of athletics, who gave time and energy to help the teams financially and to gain recognition as a definite part of school life. Despite the interest shown by the students, there were not enough men to warrant the formation of a football team. ln 1899, the first inter-collegiate track meet was held and afootball game between the prep school boys and the college boys. The next year was much the same story in athletics, but with the help of the Athletic associ- ation progress was made. ln 1901, Le- land was engaged as coach. His work, for the most part, was taken up with coaching various class and depart-

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24 ALMA MATER 'W Law library, where many weary hours are spent with Blackstone. University. The flu epidemic which swept the country did not miss the Uni- versity, and the effect of the entrance of the United States into War coupled with the illness made its mark on the classes and upon athletics. After the War the teams returned to a normal routine of training, and it was only two years until the football team, coached by Koonsrnan, was again on top with seven wins and no losses. ln l t given to the athletes of the University of Denver. Fred Dawson Was engaged as coach in l926, under whom Ed Haynes set two conference records which remain unbroken. Coach Percy Locey and Assistant Coach Clyde Hubbard came to Denver in l932, and together they produced championship teams in l933. ln the same year the baseball team took undisputed hold on that title un- der Lou Mahony. The latest addition to the coaching staff is William Saunders, who has coached the football team to second place in the conference. ln the life of every university there - f ' ' '- ffm - Elia 0,oa 'salt - Nl., A A a,n 0 0980 1 Y.. '37 law expounded in an '07 atmosphere. are other activities which are of inter- est to all students, though they may be in different fields. The University of Denver has never lacked this type of function since the first clubs were or- ganized beginning in l885 with the Phi Alpha literary society. As its name imports, this group was interested in literary works and carried their theme to the point of choosing cognomens for their members, which names lwere the titles of books and ranged from Don Quixote to Mrs. Wiggs, and were the source of interesting reviews, panto- mimes, and criticisms for the meetings. ln l89l, the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. W. C. A. were established on the campus. For many years these groups spon-