Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE PO By JEAN HILL News Editor The November 1, 1940, issue of The Gamecock said, "Carolina co eds trade idle coquetry for rea gridiron glamor and quit chasing men to chase pigskins as Tr Delta and Pi Beta Phi sisters lay down knitting to take up football for aid to Britain and Alpha Kap. pa ,Gamma's scholarship fund." Yes, those girls were about t< make their own kind, of history A week after that statement was published, Nov. 8, 1940, Meltor Field had a new experience women! Those two Carolina so rorities clashed in one of the firsi women's football games in his tory. Deward Brittain, one of the Tr Delta coaches has been giver credit,for originating, the idea o: a coed football game as a meanf of raising money. Many peoplf did a lot of vigorous work befor< the idea became a reality. Al Grygo and Paul League as sisted Brittain in guiding th< "Devastating Dames" of Delt Delta Delta, and Jim McKinney DeWitt Arrowsmith, and Tomm; Attaway taught their skill to th( "Luscious Lassies" of Pi Bett Phi Days and days of blood, sweat and a few tears were spent get ting the mighty teams in shape Eagle-eyed coaches watqhed care fully as the hopefuls went througl their paces, noting special talent and abilities of each rookiette. Special diets were planned fo the girls' training program. A meals, too, they were always un der the watchful eyes of thei coaches. By the Lime Lhe day of th "big game" rolled around the sis ters felt as though they ha( eaten, slept, talked, and playe Delta Delta Delta's backfield P1 Beta Phi team included Ka Edrerton. The half-bewildered WDER B kND P1 football for several years without pause. From the depths of Sims at any hour of the night could be heard, "-now, Betty, when the ball is snapped on 639, you run to the left and take the end out of play so Mary can get through-on 73, Jane is to go through right guard-What'll I do if she's bigger than me? just push harder than she does, honey." Petit blondes mumbled plays in their sleep, and quarterbacks wrote numbers in French books. Those girls could have given Notre Dame's Four Horsemen a few tips. That Friday at 8 p. m. slightly bruised representatives of Tri Delta and Pi Beta Phi trotted onto Melton Field, dressed ir bright, unpaddqd "uniforms," de termined to win or cry. Cheeri went up from 15 cents-admis. sion crowds, led by members ol the Carolina faculty. Male sponsors clutched posiem in their dainty fists and roote< enthusiastically from the side. lines. Pi Phi coaches disclosed before hand that their team would us( L "a feminine version of the Notr( Dame shift, with special varia tions along swing-time footbal lines." Brittain promised that hi Tri Delts would display a "tricky fast, wide-open game." "The fracas may turn into i ipunting and passing duel betweer Pi Phi Sara Rushton and Tri 7 Delt Jane Crum. These tw< t well-known athletes will opposo -Jeach other from fullback posi r tions," The Gamecock reported. As it turned out, Doris Nash *trim Pi Phi halfback, caught i pass and ran 60 yards for 1 i touchdown early in the game I which proved to be the only scor for he frst owde Bow ga ePakJhsnLai ia ye,J maei 0lGyo oeo h oc OWL.- - PHIS M Pi Beta Phi's star of the football with Carolina coaA of the evening by either She later was side-lined w turned ankle. During timi water-boys, converted into ' der-boys," ran out with ma repairs for the "furious figh The game attracted natioi interes.t. The Gamecock sa the following issue, NoN i "Every big-time news-gati 1;organization in the country here to send stories and pi< lof the game to their newsp Associated Press flew a pl , rapher from Atlanta; Wide iPhotos had a local represen t send over 30 pictures to ,I York; International News S had a photographer here, between the sorority amnd ne Crum. Maxine Forbes nd TRI 'DELT AKE HIST first Powder Bowl game, Sarah Rushto h Al Grygo, then a university student. team. Paramount News was represented' th a with a movie photographer get-,i outs ting real action shots for the news reels." t ke-up' Every big-time newspaper in < ters. the East carried pictures of the' -wide history-making event. Stars of 1 id in the game, Doris Nash, Kat Edger-. -. 15, ton, Sara Rushton, Jane Crum, ering Maxine Forbes, and Lavinia was Lyles, had their faces plastered tures all o%Le' the nation's papers. ipers. "As a result of all this puh otog- licity, the coeds now are swamped .ative with fan mail from all over the tative East. Miss Nash has received New three letters to (late. One from rvice a midshipman at Annapolis sug-i1 and gested a game between Navy and Pi Phi. Another from a Morgan-I town, N. C., high school football player betrayed the lovelight, which must have shined from thei eyes Of the AcintillaUting itLlei halfback when she took off on her touchdown jaunt early in the! game," the paper said. Th e u "Ude uw v wus iiuC played again until 1945, when it was renewed to raise money for! the McKissick scholarship fund. S Once again Pi Phi and TriDl Stook the field, that time coached1 ~" by Buck Isom and Dutch Brembs' on the Luscious Lassies' bench b and Buddy Miller and Skimp Harrison for Delta Delta Delta.j In the 1945 battle, Dale Hood of Pi Phi scored and Jo Seideman -booted the extra point, taking the game 7-0. That year another sorority, a Kappa Delta, entered the festivi ties in full swing. They rounded up enough midshipman hats and, coats to form a drill platoon, named it the KD Corsets, and madle a fancy show at the half. Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity .handled peanuts and cokes and sold programs which gave the te olayers names, home town, height, weig-ht, and tar of hair and eyes.1 S ORY i, talks over the principles of The third game of the series .as played the following year .ith Pi Phi winning again, that ime by a score of 20-0. The lassic was not renewed this year, ut it is not forgotten, and there re many who wouldn't mind see ng a little feminine football every -ear-aren't there? Alma Mater The Alma Mater of Carolina vas adopted after The Gamecock >ecame a part of the university ife. It was written by Dr. G. k. Wauchope, a member of the nglish department faculty. We hail thee, Carolina, and sing thy high praise. With loyal devotion, remen bering days. When proudly we sought thee, thy children to be; Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee! Since Pilgrims of learning, we entered thy walls, And found dearest comrades in thy classic halls, We've honored and loved thee, as sons faithfully: Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee' Fair Shrine of High Honor and Truth thou shalt still Blaze forth as a beacon, thy mission fulfill; And be crowned by all hearts, in a new .iubilee: Here's a health, Carolina, forever to thee'