Repository: UIHistories Project: Dedication - Memorial Stadium Drive Book #1 [PAGE 9]

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GIVE THE TEAMS A CHANCE TO STAY IN THE BIG LEAGUE

LOOKING THE FACTS IN THE FACE.

The record of the University of Illinois in the Western Conference is as follows: BASEBALL. Illinois won the Conference championship in 1900, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1911, 1914, 1915, tied for first in 1909 and in other years was invariably the runner-up. In 1902, Coach Huff's team played an eastern schedule, defeating Yale, Princeton, West Point, and Pennsylvania, losing to Harvard 2 to 1. In 1911 the Illinois team won every game it played. In 1911 it lost one out of fifteen games; in 1915 and 1916 one game each year was lost. Of the Conference games which it has played, 287 in number, it has won 213, lost 73, and tied 3.

BASKETBALL.

Before the coming of Ralph Jones as coach in 1913 Illinois had had little success in basketball. In 1914 it was second in the Conference rating. In 1915 it was champion. In 1916 it tied for second place. In 1917 it tied for first place. In 1918, 1919, 1920, and 1921 its showing was fair. ' TRACK. Conference supremacy in the big meet in six out of fifteen years—that is the record of Illinois. The Western Conference Intercollegiate outdoor meet was won four times, and in two other years Illinois led the Conference universities when an outside team won first honors. In 1918 Illinois placed second, and in 1919 third in the meet. Of the ten indoor Conference meets which have been held, Illinois has won four and placed second, four times. From 1906 to 1915, Illinois lost only one outdoor meet. Of the 41 outdoor dual meets, the University has won 34 and lost 7. Of t>e 31 indoor meets, Illinois has won 24, lost 5, and tied 2. •i FOOTBALL. A tie with Minnesota for the championship in 1910 was the best record of the Illinois football team up to the coming of Robert Zuppke in 1913. In 1914 with a famous team Illinois won the Conference championship, defeating Indiana, Ohio, Northwestern, Chicago, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. In 1915 it tied for the championship with Minnesota. In 1916 it defeated Minnesota's famous team, which would otherwise have tied for the championship with Ohio. In 1917 it was defeated only by Minnesota and Ohio. In 1918 it won the championship, not being scored upon by a Conference team. In 1919, playing an unusually hard schedule of seven Conference games, Illinois won the undisputed championship by defeating the strong Ohio State team in the final game of the season. FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS AT ONE TIME. Football, baseball, track and field athletic, and basketball teams from the University of Illinois in 1915 were the undisputed champions of the Western Intercollegiate Conference. Baseball and track championships had been won in 1914. The football team had established a clean-cut title to first honors the same year. The basketball team followed by winning every one of its twelve games. This record is without parallel in the history of intercollegiate athletics.

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ILLINOIS FIELD, CROWDED IN 1916.

AND WHAT MAY WE EXPECT NEXT FALL? IRST and Fourth streets and John street and Armory avenue marked the boundary of the old fair grounds where Illinois played her first football game. That was 'way back in '90. The first game resulted in a 16 to 0 victory for Illinois Wesleyan. The second game was a 62 to 0 walkaway for Purdue, but in the Thanksgiving game Illinois carried off the honors from Illinois Wesleyan by the decisive score of 12 to 6. Illinois Field of the present day was a baseball grounds in '88. There was no fence around it, and tags were sold for admission. In the spring of '91 the first athletic field was constructed. That was within the boundaries of the present field. The first building of the University had stood there, and the ruins were present at that time. The stone of that foundation was used as a basis for the new baseball diamond, covered with six inches of dirt. Illinois has the best baseball diamond in the Conference because the stone from the foundation of this building makes the diamond drain well. A wooden fence was used to enclose this field. Money for the lumber was donated by students, faculty, and business men of the Twin Cities. The first track was constructed with cinders donated by the Champaign Water Works, owned by William B. McKinley. G. Huff was in the line-up for the first football game, played there in 1892. Bleachers three tiers high were erected on one side to take care of the crowd, but the group of spectators proved so small that the crowd followed the team up and down the field, crowding in upon the players. Since that time the field has been enlarged several times. In 1903 the total capacity was 2,000. In 1914 the west bleachers were built and other additions extended the capacity to 13,000. Twenty thousand tickets, including 3,000 standing room admissions were sold for the Ohio game of Nov. 7, 1920. In the fight for tickets steps to prevent scalping had to be taken. Illinois has an enrollment of over 8,000 this year. Fully a thousand more are expected to register next fall. Our alumni number 42,000 at present. The next graduation will increase that number by nearly a thousand.