-
First Intercollegiate Athletics Competition
On August 3, 1852, the first intercollegiate athletics competition was a student organized rowing competition between Yale and Harvard. It took place in Winnipesaukee, NH, and Harvard prevailed over Yale in the Regatta. This occurred a decade before the two rivals would play each other in football. The event is significant because it marked the first time two colleges played each other in athletics and spurred more competition between schools in other sports to follow. -
First Intercollegiate Baseball Game
On Friday, July 1, 1859, the first intercollegiate baseball game (Williams vs. Amherst) was held in Pittsfield, MA. Amherst was victorious 73-32. The game was played under "Boston" rules. It is significant because started the Williams–Amherst rivalry and led the way for consistent regulation of and uniforms in college basketball. -
First Multi-University Regatta
On July 26, 1859, the first multi-university regatta was held in Worchester's Lake Quinsigamond. Conducted with a style that is more closely aligned to how the races are participated in today. America's oldest multi-intercollegiate competition (Harvard, Yale, and Brown with Harvard winning) which paved the way for future regattas. Many spectators, betting and festivities and increasing sports' popularity. -
First Morrill Land Grant College Act
The act was passed, allowing granted land to states to establish colleges that included agriculture, engineering and military tactics in their offerings. Significant because it opened the door to public higher education in America and allowed colleges to become more competitive with other schools in recruitment of students. Athletics became a way that schools would get students to come to their schools. -
First Intercollegiate Football Game
On November 6, 1869, the first intercollegiate football game, Rutgers vs. Princeton, took place in New Brunswick, NJ. Rutgers beat Princeton. Rules different—could not carry or throw ball. Nonetheless, sparked an interest in college football. -
First Intercollegiate Track and Field Association
The group was called the Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletics of America, or IC4A. The following year the first annual national competition –the USA Track and Field Championships were held. These events secured track and field as a national sport and led to the development of international competitions. -
Meeting/Precursor to the Big Ten Conference
The meeting between university officials representing seven colleges met in Chicago to develop parameters for eligibility, participation, scheduling, and funding. Set principles to regulate collegiate sports. Must be full-time student in good standing to compete. Soon after, later, joined by Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State and Michigan (returned) and conference was called "The Big Ten." -
First Intercollegiate Ice Hockey Game
The game (Johns Hopkins vs. Yale) as played in Baltimore, MD. It ended in a 2-2 tie. Helped pioneer hockey as a college sport, though ironically, Hopkins no longer plays except at the club level. Spurred further interest in intercollegiate sports. -
First Concrete Stadium
Harvard built the first freestanding concrete football stadium. Significant because it increased football's popularity and changed how the game was played. Too many injuries from violent played led to the adoption of the pass and other changes which made the game safer. -
Roosevelt Emergency Football Meeting
Football exploded in terms of popularity leading to a frightening number of serious injuries. Played like rugby, football was very dangerous. 18 collegiate players died and more than 140 were seriously injured in one season. President Theodore Roosevelt held an emergency meeting with university administrators at the White House to fix these issues and revise the rules to make the game safer. This led to game being played as we know it. -
Meeting/Precursor to NCAA Formation
Another meeting takes place at NYU with people from 13 different institutions to discuss lack of safety and lack of governance of intercollegiate athletics. The meeting was run in NYC by the NYU Chancelor Henry MacCracken. They settled on the need to develop an organization with structure and integrity. Relevant to the times because it changed the game. Significant because led to formation of NCAA. -
Development of Big Ten
The Big Ten began to develop and enforce more stringent conference rules. It was decided that a coach at a Big Ten school must be a full-time employee. Example: Field Yost, football coach for Michigan, did not support this since he had external businesses. Coach Yost convinced the board of regents at the University of Michigan to leave the Big Ten for 11 years. Paved way for college coaches to command huge salaries, while players earn nothing. -
Formation of the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS)
On March 31, 1906, collaboration with the ideas from these two meetings, 62 members formed the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). Relevant because it reformed the rules and regulations of collegiate sports and was created to address safety concerns of Roosevelt's son's injury playing football at Harvard. Significant because created a spirit of good sportsmanship that persisted over time. -
IAAUS Constitution
It laid the groundwork for intercollegiate amateur sport: "An amateur sportsman is one who engages in sports for the physical, mental, or social benefits he derives therefrom, and to who the sport is an avocation. Any college athlete who takes pay for participation in athletics does not meet this definition of amateurism." Also no scholarship allowed. Became pure goal of athlete who works hard for no external reward or for material gratification; sports without ego. -
Formation of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
The IAAUS is renamed the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Relevant because represented care and assistance of student athlete. Its first national championship event was the National College Track and Field Championship in 1921. Significant because huge revenue making organization that also impacted sports with new regulations, such as naming Division 1,2, and 3 schools.