Description
Program (3 ¾” by 4 ¾”
closed) for an athletic competition hosted by the Yale Athletic Association in
New Haven, Connecticut, printed by T.M. & T. and dated 1885. The text on the
front of the program reads Seventh Winter Meeting of the Yale Athletic
Association, Ladies’ Day in the Gymnasium, Saturday, March 14, 1885. There’s a
list of the officers and officials for the meet on the reverse, (all students
except the Referee—G.D. Baird of Amateur Athlete—and the Referee of Fencing—Capt.
Julius Koch). The inside pages list off the different competitions: Tug of War,
Running High Jump, High Kick, Fencing, Feather Weight Sparring, Parallel Bars, Standing
Broad Jump, Exhibition of Rowing by the Yale University Crew, Horizontal Bar, Standing
High Jump, Rope Climbing, and Feather Weight Sparring. The results of the
events are not given. I bet these young men put on a real special show for all
of the young women in attendance. I do wonder how the crew team showed off
their skills inside a gymnasium. The students on the rowing team were: Bow,
Charles S. Dodge; No. 2 Robert Appleton; No. 3 Henry W. Patten; No. 4 Alfred
Cowles, Jr.; No. 5 Frank G. Peters; No. 6 Charles B. Hobbs; No. 7 Richard S.
Storrs; and, Stroke, H.B. Flanders, Capt. This came out of a scrapbook
assembled by J. Arthur Atwood, Class of 1885, who is listed on the back as Vice
President of the Yale Athletic Association. The program card is in good condition
with light wear and soiling. Nice early Yale College sports related item!
