In 1897 men's basketball is introduced at Michigan State Normal School. The inaugural team went 2–1. 1897–98 was the first season of basketball at the school, which would become Eastern Michigan University Eagles men's basketball team. L.P. Whitcomb was elected the basketball manager at the same meeting that basketball became an official school sport.[1]
1897–98 Michigan State Normal Normalites men's basketball | |
---|---|
Conference | Independent |
Record | 2–1 |
Head coach |
|
Home arena | Gymnasium |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/1898MSNCMensbball.jpg/220px-1898MSNCMensbball.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/1898_Michigan_State_Normal_College_Gymnasium.jpg/220px-1898_Michigan_State_Normal_College_Gymnasium.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/L.P._Whitcomb_Michigan_State_Normal_College_Men%27s_Basketball_Manager_1898.jpg/220px-L.P._Whitcomb_Michigan_State_Normal_College_Men%27s_Basketball_Manager_1898.jpg)
Roster
editNumber | Name | Position | Class | Hometown | Games Played |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
John W. Mitchell | Forward | Junior | Ida, MI | 1 | |
Walter J. Rankin | Forward | Junior | Ray, MI | 1 | |
Earl Reid | Guard | Sophomore | Alpine, MI | 1 | |
Benjamin J. Watters | Guard | Senior | Marlette, MI | 1 | |
Fred Q. Gorten | Center | Sophomore | Ypsilanti, MI | 1 |
Schedule
editDate time, TV |
Rank# | Opponent# | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-conference regular season | |||||||||||
March 4, 1898* |
at Detroit Y.M.C.A | L 0-2 | 0-1 |
Gymnasium Detroit, MI | |||||||
March 15, 1898* |
at Detroit Y.M.C.A | W 4-0 | 1–1 |
(2,000-2,500) Detroit, MI | |||||||
March 1898* |
Olivet | W 1-0 (Real score unknown) | 2-1 |
Gymnasium Ypsilanti, MI | |||||||
1898* |
Albion | Gymnasium Ypsilanti, MI | |||||||||
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in Eastern Time. |
Game Notes
editMarch 4, 1898
editThe Eastern Michigan school newspaper wrote that the game was played in Detroit, MI. The Media Guide shows the game was a home game.
March 15, 1898
editEMU led 2-0 at the half. Two minutes into the 2nd half EMU scored to make it 4-0. Then had to leave to "catch their train" and the game was ended.[6]
References
edit- ^ "Detroit Free Press 06 Mar 1898, page Page 19". Detroit Free Press. March 6, 1898. p. 19. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
- ^ "Eastern Michigan Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved February 14, 2019.
- ^ The Aurora: Senior Class Annual (V ed.). Ypsilanti: Press of the Commercial. 1898.
- ^ "The Normal College News". Retrieved December 18, 2023.
- ^ "Michigan State Normal Year Book, 1897-1898". Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ "Big Meet and Crowd". Detroit Free Press. March 16, 1898. Retrieved April 5, 2024.