Other Sports

Besides the older sports like baseball, football and baseball, there are many other sports here at Brockport. The majority of them were established on a permanent basis in the years after WWII, when the college became large enough to support a greater variety of sports. Unfortunately time & space preclude a look at them all, but hopefully this section will give an idea at least of some of these fine sports.

Soccer

Soccer started at Brockport in Fall 1931 with a Freshman team playing in a local soccer league against mostly high school teams. By the early 1940s the team was playing on the collegiate level against opponents like the University of Rochester and Oswego. Ernest Tuttle was the coach at that time, but during WWII the sport drops out of sight, doubtless because of the shortage of men.

Coach A. Huntley Parker and his players, 1950s

Coach A. Huntley Parker and his players, 1950s

At the game in the 1950s. Coach Parker, Brockport's most successful soccer coach, is second from left.
In the 1948-1949 school year soccer reappeared and in a short time became one of the most prominent and successful sports at Brockport, and continues today. Typical of the writeups at the time was this one from the 1951 Saga,

"Under the capable tutelege of Coach Huntley "Pud" Parker, the 1951 Golden Eagles flew to glorious heights and scored six straight victories to become the first undefeated and untied soccer teams at State. The Parkermen upheld their national reputations as one of the finest squads in the country with the announcement that Gene Orbaker, who performed at left halfback, was selected on the first eleven on the All-American soccer team."

Tennis

Varsity Tennis Team, 1941 Saga.
The catalog of 1900 mentions that there were several "lawn-courts" for tennis, but the first team seems to have been organized in 1930. The 1941 team pictured above played against against opponents from Oswego, Niagara Extension, Mechanics Institute (now R.I.T.), and the University of Rochester. The sport disappeared after 1942 to come back in 1956 under the coaching of Eric Steel, English professor & colorful personality at the college.

Track & Field

Our first track & field team, 1949 Saga.
The earliest mention of track and field events occurs in 1896, when a "Field Day" was held at the school. This event took place for several years, a typical one being a meet at which Brockport Normal, Avon High School and Genesee Wesleyan Seminary competed in: 100 and 200 yard dashes, 220 yard low hurdles, 1/4, 1/2 and mile runs, running broad and high jumps, hammer throw, shot put, pole vault, relay race, and in that era of bicycling enthusiasm there were naturally enough two bicycle races, a one mile and a two mile. Field Days seem to have died out around the turn of the century and despite attempts in the 1930s to organize a team, it wasn't until 1949 that both the track and field team, and the cross country team, first appeared. That first year the "cindermen" did quite well despite a late start and won both of their two meets! The cross country team won three out of five, making favorable beginnings for both teams.

Wrestling

"Lefty" McIntyre & Don Murray, circa 1970.
One of the more recent additions to Brockport's sports roster, wrestling has been one the most successful of our sports in competition, first under Coach "Lefty" McIntyre and then under Coach Don Murray. Of their first year the 1963 Saga says that,

"New to the winter sports roster this year was the wrestling team coached by Mr. McIntyre. An extremely enthusiastic coach, he shaped the team into one worthy of the overflowing crowdsthat attended the home meets. A record of being undefeated at home is one of which the Eagles can be very proud...

Return to Men's Sports
Return to Archives Home Page

http://www.brockport.edu/~library1/mens4.htm
Last modified on March 2, 2000jq
Send Comments & Questions

8/25/00 to date vistors=

[counter]