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9 ~ MISSOURI ~g~~ LAHOMA 0 ltANSAS !g~:SSOVRI 0 Ol element? The oldest U.S. football rivalry, Harvard-Yale, dates to 1875. Students, alumni Did Mizzou really and fans from both Ivy League schools gather annually forThe Game, whether it's played in Boston or New Haven, Conn. A 1911 University invent Homecoming? Missourian article acknowledged the rivalry: "The most impressive feature of a Yale-Harvard game is the meeting of the old 'grads' who hav,e come back to their college town to see the contest. BAC K I N 1911, when Chester Brewer invited Missouri unconsciously developed the idea After a few years this will be the case with the alumni to come home for the Missouri-Kansas way back in 1911." In 1936, he told another Missouri-Kansas game." But the Yale-Harvard football game, he couldn't have envisioned Missouri Student reporter that, according to game was not referred to as Homecoming. In that the event would become Mizzou's biggest records he and Bob Hill (former MU alumni fact, the Harvard Alumni Association did not annual tradition. director) had checked, Homecoming grew host its first Homecoming Weekend until 2009. Rather, Brewer, Mizzou's football coach from his 1911 idea. If the game was played against an alumni and athletic director, was trying to circumvent For years, third-party ammunition has team, does that count? The University of a problem. Until then, the Missouri-Kansas fueled debates about which university can Michigan tracks its Homecoming tradition to game had been held in Kansas City, Mo ., be credited with starting Homecoming. 1897, when the student athletic association attracting scores of alumni and generating Recognition from jeopardy! and Trivial Pursuit sponsored Alumni Games, during which the significant income for both schools. When is often touted as supporting evidence by varsity football team faced a squad of former the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Mizzou fans. And several previously published players . Beginning in 1900, Michigan began Association declared that conference games newspaper articles report that the NCAA playing a rival university for the event, but it would have to be played on college campuses, credits Mizzou with the first Homecoming - wasn't formally referred to as Homecoming. Brewer was concerned about whether alumni though NCAA librarian Ellen Summers says The first football program to include would make the trip to Columbia. Thus, his nothing in NCAA records definitively indicates "Homecoming" on the cover was in 1947- invitation for alumni to "come home" was a that Mizzou's 1911 Homecoming was the first. Similarly, Northern Illinois University traces call that drew a crowd of 9,000-plus. In the past decade, several universities have its first formal Homecoming to 1903, but the At the time, Brewer thought his idea was also challenged Mizzou's claim as the tradi school's football squad faced alumni, rather novel. I an early 1930s issue of The Missouri tion's birthplace. than intercollegiate, teams for the first 11 of Stude 'he"7spaper, Brewer was quoted: "As So did Mizzou ally invent Homecoming? these games. I re mb , Missouri was the first school to It depends. De · · g who should get credit Does Homecoming need to include a idea of an annual reunion on the boils down the efinition of Homecoming. football game or a parade? In 1908, Indiana e important football game, and lry Homecoming's defining University students planned a Gala Week, Fraser MacPherson estate courtesy of Guy MacPherson- 221 mzzor FALL 2011 HIS 0 1 6 3 8 OHLAHOMA ::sMISSOURI 6 MISSOVR:;: t described in a 1908 Indiana Daily Student initiations and the annual freshman-soph the University of Missouri might have been article as "a time of general homecoming omore pushball contest - a battle to push a credited because Mizzou has corroborating and reunions" that "helped to cement that large ball over the goal line. evidence: a photo of the 1911 game and his wonderful college spirit." The week centered What can Mizzou claim? The core ele torical evidence that can trace the tradition on the dedication of three new campus ments of most Homecoming celebrations through University of Missouri Archives. buildings but didn't include a football game. today - pep rallies, a parade, a bonfire and "At one time, Mizzou was given credit for In 1909, though, Gala Day moved to the a football game against an intercollegiate it," he says, "and then it became something Indiana-Purdue football rivalry game week opponent - were part of Mizzou's 1911 of an urban legend." end. In 1910, the event was officially called Homecoming event. In the days leading up Regardless of whether this can be Homecoming. A sticking point in the debate to the Nov. 25, 1911, game, several "mass considered the start of the modern for some, however, is Indiana's lack of a meetings of rooters" were held. According to Homecoming tradition, Mizzou has been Homecoming parade, which started in 1958. 1911 Columbia Tribune reports, more than 2,000 recognized for having one of the largest, What if the celebration wasn't continu people attended the Nov. 24 evening pep longest and best celebrations. The week of ous? Baylor invited alumni "to renew former rally, where they listened to speeches predict events has expanded to include a student associations and friendships, and catch the ing a victorious game and practiced old and talent show, a blood drive and community Baylor spirit again" during the Thanksgiving new cheers. Fans joined a torchlight parade service projects. The parade, which started 1909 weekend. The multiday celebration on the to start the evening ceremonies, which before 1911, and house decorations have Waco, Texas, campus included a band concert, included a bonfire on the practice field. become family-friendly events, attracting a soiree, class reunions, speeches, a parade and Other schools trace their Homecoming thousands of community members. a football game. However, Baylor didn't hold celebrations back to 1911-including the Additionally, in both 1999 and 2000, the another Homecoming until 1915, and it was University of Wisconsin- Madison and Council for Advancement and Support of 1934 before it became an annual event. Northwestern University. The conditions of Education named Mizzou's Homecoming Did Illinois beat Mizzou by a year? American higher education in the early 1900s the top in the nation. In 1910, two University of Illinois stu- were ripe for new Homecoming traditions "I don't know if it even matters whether dents urged the university's Council of popping up across the country. In A History of we were the first," Mccubbin says. "It's like Administration to sanction an annual American Higher Education, author John Thelin our journalism school. People don't attend homecoming, a holiday that "would afford calls 1890-1920 the "golden age of the college," because it's the oldest, but because it's the alumni and students the opportunity to a period when enrolling became increasingly best. We think we do Homecoming come into closer touch with each other," popular and attending was a badge of status. pretty well." Ill -Stephanie Detillier according to a 1910 Daily Illini article. Illinois' Also, during this time, campuses adopted version included a football game against institutional colors, mascots, alma maters, the University of Chicago, a baseball game college songs and alumni reunion events. against alumni all-stars, a mass meeting, Todd McCubbin, M Ed '95, executive direc performances by the HoBo Band, banquets, tor of the Mizzou Alumni Association, says M_U_Pr_esi_ FALL 2011 lllZZOll I 23