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The New ASU Story:
Athletes


The first organized competitive sport was baseball (1891), followed by football (1896) and then women's basketball (1899). Most early games were played against the local high schools, but the “Big Game” against the University of Arizona football team was first played in 1899. Competitive sports were also played between ASU classes, and intramural and recreational sports were also offered. ASU sports teams were nicknamed the Normals, the Bulldogs (1922), and the Sun Devils (1946) and they were members of the Border Conference (1931), the Western Athletic Conference (1962), and finally the Pacific Athletic Conference, now recognized as the PAC-10 (1978). Support for women's sports scholarships and sport teams improved greatly when in 1972 the Title IX clause prohibited sex discrimination in federally financed programs.

Click any image below or its brief caption to see a larger version of the image and the complete caption. Items marked with an * have additional explanatory text included with the larger image.


 Tempe Normal School Baseball Team, 1907 Tempe State Teachers College Bulldogs Baseball Team, 1929-30 'N' patch
* Tempe Normal School Baseball Team
1907
Tempe State Teachers College
Bulldogs Baseball Team
1929-30
“N” patch
Artifact #290
Sun Devils Baseball, 1965 Baseball Recent History, 1998 First Football Team, The Normals, 1896-97
Sun Devils Baseball Team
1965
Baseball Recent History
1998
* First Football Team,
The Normals
1896-97
Normal School of Arizona Wins, 1899 Tempe State Teachers College Bulldogs, 1933 Frank Kush carried by ASU team, 1965
* Normal School
of Arizona Wins
1899
Tempe State Teachers
College Bulldogs
1933
* Frank Kush
carried by ASU team
1965
Eddie Carr life pass (1928) Bowl game results Homecoming pin
Eddie Carr life pass (1928)
Artifact #690
Bowl game results
(3 pages)
Homecoming pin
Artifact #124
Rose Bowl Victory, 1987 Normal Women's Basketball Team, 1899 Normal Women's Basketball Team with Coach Frederick Irish, 1907
Rose Bowl Victory
1987
* Normal Women's
Basketball Team
1899
* Normal Women's Basketball Team
with Coach Frederick Irish
1907
ASU Women's Basketball Team, 1970s Basketball Recent History, 1997-98 Normal School Tennis Club, 1907
ASU Women's
Basketball Team
1970s
Basketball Recent History
1997-98
* Normal School
Tennis Club
1907
Tennis, 1904 Normal Men's Tennis Team, 1914 'T' patch
Tennis,
1904
* Normal Men's Tennis Team,
1914
“T” patch
Artifact #290
Sargsian wins Pac-10, 1995 ASU Men's Tennis brief history and team results, 1998/1999 Tempe Normal School Women's Tennis Inter-class game, 1910s
* Sargsian wins Pac-10
January 18, 1995
ASU Men's Tennis brief
history and team results
1998/1999
Tempe Normal School
Women's Tennis
Inter-class game
1910s
Arizona State Teachers College Women's Tennis Team, 1930s Anne Pittman, ASU Women's Tennis Coach, 1974 Tennis Recent History, 1998/1999
* Arizona State
Teachers College
Women's Tennis Team
1930s
Anne Pittman, ASU
Women's Tennis Coach
Jan. 23, 1974
Tennis Recent History
1998/1999
Tempe Normal School Men's Basketball Team State Champions, 1918 U of A vs. ASU Basketball, 1950s ASU Basketball in the Last Decade, 1998/1999
* Tempe Normal School
Men's Basketball Team,
State Champions
1918
U of A vs. ASU
Basketball
1950s
ASU Basketball
in the Last Decade
1998/1999
The Tempe Normal Student, 1908 Tempe Normal School Track Team, 1911-12
The Tempe Normal
Student
(2 pages)
November 6, 1908
* Tempe Normal School
Track Team
1911-12
Race to the finish, 1940s ASU Track and Field National Champions, 1977 Tempe Normal School
Race to the finish
1940s
* ASU Track and Field
National Champions
1977
Tempe Normal School
Artifact #289
Bulldog Mascot Pin From Normals to Sun Devils, 1987 Sparky Pin
Bulldog Mascot Pin
Artifact #96
From Normals
to Sun Devils
April 20, 1987
Sparky Pin
Artifact #644
Tempe Normal School Women's Baseball Team, 1922 Bulldog Decal Women's Baseball, 1934-35
* Tempe Normal School
Women's Baseball Team
1922
Bulldog Decal
Artifact #158
Women's Baseball
1934-35
Arizona State Teachers College Softball Team, 1938 ASU Softball, 1960s Softball Recent History, 1998
* Arizona State Teachers
College Softball Team
1938
* ASU Softball
1960s
Softball Recent History
1998
Volleyball, 1950s Volleyball Recent History, 1999
* Volleyball
1950s
Volleyball Recent History
1999
Tempe State Teachers College Archers, 1934-35 ASU Archery, 1967 Margaret Klann, ASU Archery Coach, 1977
* Tempe State
Teachers College Archers
1934-35
ASU Archery
November 7, 1967
Margaret Klann,
ASU Archery Coach
January 25, 1977
Tempe State Teachers College Women's Golf with Coach Sellah, 1930s Women's Golf Recent History, 1997/1998
* Tempe State Teachers College
Women's Golf with
Coach Sellah
1930s
Women's Golf Recent History
(2 pages)
1997/1998
Tempe State Teachers College Men's Golf Team, 1932 Tempe State Teachers College Belt Buckle Men's Golf Recent History, 1999
* Tempe State Teachers College
Men's Golf Team
1932
Tempe State Teachers College
Belt Buckle
Artifact #1J
Men's Golf Recent History
(2 pages)
1999
Field Hockey, 1932 ASU Women's Track Team, 1977-79
* Field Hockey
1932
* ASU Women's Track Team
1977-79
Wrestling Recent History, 1998/1999 ASU Wrestling Champions, 1988
* Wrestling Recent History
(2 pages)
1998/1999
* ASU Wrestling Champions
1988
Mascot Pete the Bulldog, 1938 Cheerleaders at Homecoming, 1948 Sun Angel Foundation, 1946
* Mascot Pete
the Bulldog
1938
* Cheerleaders
at Homecoming
1948
* Sun Angel
Foundation
1946
Arizona State College Men's Swim Team, 1958/1959 Arizona State College Belt Buckle Swimming Recent History, 1998/1999
* Arizona State College
Men's Swim Team
1958/1959
Arizona State College
Belt Buckle
Artifact #1I
Swimming Recent History
(2 pages)
1998/1999
Arizona State College Gymnastics Team, 1956 Men's Gymnastics Recent History, 1998 Badminton Recent History, 1992-1993
* Arizona State College
Gymnastics Team
1956
Men's Gymnastics
Recent History
1998
* Badminton
Recent History
1992-1993
ASU Women's Gymnastics Team, 1977-78 Women's Gymnastics Recent History, 1998
* ASU Women's
Gymnastics Team
1977-78
Women's Gymnastics
Recent History
1998
ASU Women's Swim Team, 1978
* ASU Women's Swim Team
1978
Cross Country Recent History, 1995 Soccer Recent History, 1999
* Cross Country
Recent History
1995
* Soccer Recent History
1999


For a list of ASU Coaches, 1896-present, please visit:
http://www.thesundevils.com/trads/asu-trads-coaches.html

Go to the Sun Devils web site for in-depth recent information on all sports and traditions.
http://www.thesundevils.com


University Archives
Department of Archives and Manuscripts
ASU Library
Last updated: December, 2001
Send questions or comments to archives@mainex1.asu.edu
Title Page / Introduction / Chronology / Academic Freedom: Academic Programs, Research / Campus Lives: Campus Scenes, Student Organizations, Athletes / Leadership / Community, Collaboration and Partnership / Landmarks / Bibliography & Links / Credits