1881 Kentucky State College football team
Sports in America
American colonists always had interest in sports like games, but due to the civil war did not have a lot of free time. In the 1890s, the development of sports started as sports teams were created. The 1920s are not only known as the roaring 20’s, but also the golden age of American sports. The 1930s sports were used as an escape of reality and represented a sign of hope for Americans. A lot of America's best athletes passed away due to World War II, but this was also the time that America was first involved in the olympics.
Sports at University of Kentucky
Before Football was the American gem it is today, no one really knew how to play. The first time a football actually appeared in the bluegrass was at Transylvania University, back then known as Kentucky University. The students bought a football and a rule book and began to play, however they were not playing the game correctly, and played a game that was more similar to soccer. The following year, University of Kentucky (formally known as Kentucky State College) students began to play against Transylvania students. UK was eventually beaten in 1903 by Transylvania at the Southern Championship Conference.These games were organized by students who were excited to just play the game, however, this did not workout too well for them moving forward and causing the forming of the University Athletic Council in 1920. A University of Kentucky student/football player, Richard C. Stroll, a student at the university from 1889 to 1894, was at a chapel service where the school's colors were being discussed; he happened to be wearing a blue and white neck tie that day. He then held it up, and that is how the University received its school colors. Due to the lack of reputation of sports at the University, funding was low causing the football coaches to coach all of the school’s sports.
Equality within Sports
In the 1950s, it began to become more common for African Americans to participate in sports. By the 1980’s gender equality in sports became huge. As most are well aware, UK is well known for its basketball team, however, the first basketball team at the University was actually a women's team. In the 1920’s, the University's coaches decided they were not longer ok with women athletes participating in competitive sports at the University, due to the lack of physical and mental stamina and womens sports were then banned at the University until 15 years later.
Notable Moments
UK’s first football win was on November 12th, 1881 against Transylvania University. On January 1st, 1951, Kentucky had its 289th win against Oklahoma during the Sugar Bowl. Kentucky was then named SEC champions.
1891 Kentucky State College Blue and Yellow football team
1892 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1893 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1894 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1895 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1896 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1897 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1898 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1899 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1900 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1902 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1904 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1905 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1906 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1908 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1909 Kentucky State College Blue and White football team
1910 Kentucky State College Wildcats football team
1911 Kentucky State College Wildcats football team
1912 Kentucky State College Wildcats football team
1913 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1914 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1915 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1916 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1917 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1918 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1919 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1920 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1921 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1922 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1923 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1924 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1926 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1928 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1929 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1938 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1940 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1942 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1944 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1945 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1946 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1948 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1949 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1950 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1951 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1952 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1953 Kentucky Wildcats football team
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1957 Kentucky Wildcats football team
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1961 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1966 Kentucky Wildcats football team
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1969 Kentucky Wildcats football team
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1972 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1979 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1981 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1982 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1983 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1984 Kentucky Wildcats football team
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1987 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1988 Kentucky Wildcats football team
1989 Kentucky Wildcats football team
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| 1881 Kentucky State College football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Independent |
| 1881 record | 1–2 |
| 1881 college football records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Richmond | – | 2 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgetown | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yale | – | 5 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Princeton | – | 7 | – | 0 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Penn State | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Columbian University | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dartmouth | – | 1 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Harvard | – | 6 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Massachusetts | – | 2 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky University | – | 2 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Columbia | – | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rutgers | – | 2 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stevens | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky State College | – | 1 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CCNY | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amherst | – | 0 | – | 3 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lewisburg | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MIT | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wesleyan | – | 0 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Randolph–Macon | – | 0 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | – | 0 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Penn | – | 0 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 1881 Kentucky State College football team represented Kentucky State College—now known as the University of Kentucky—in the 1881 college football season.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 12 | vs. Kentucky University | Lexington, KY (Battle On Broadway) | W 7¼–1 |
| November 19 | vs. Kentucky University | Lexington, KY | L 1–2 |
| December 3 | vs. Kentucky University | Lexington, KY | L 2½–3¾ |
References
Lee Eden, Bradford. "Encyclopedia Of Sports In America: A History From Foot Races To Extreme Sports2009337edited By Murry R. Nelson. Encyclopedia Of Sports In America: A History From Foot Races To Extreme Sports. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press 2009. , ISBN: 978 0 313 34790 0 £120.95/$175 2 Vols". Reference Reviews, vol 23, no. 7, 2009, pp. 46-47. Emerald, https://doi.org/10.1108/09504120910990425.
Stanley, Gregory Kent. Before Big Blue: Sports At The University Of Kentucky, 1880-1940. University Press Of Kentucky, 2015.
"Traditions | University Of Kentucky". Uky.Edu, 2021, https://www.uky.edu/see/traditions.
"Undefeated Since ’42: A Look Back At Transy’S Historic Role In Bringing Football To Kentucky - Transylvania University - 1780". 1780, 2021, https://www.transy.edu/1780/2020/04/undefeated-since-42-a-look-back-at-transys-historic-role-in-bringing-football-to-kentucky/.
"University Of Kentucky Athletic Association Records". Exploreuk.Uky.Edu, 2021, https://exploreuk.uky.edu/fa/findingaid/?id=xt73j9608b5m.
"10 To Remember From UK Football's First 600 Wins - University Of Kentucky Athletics". University Of Kentucky Athletics, 2021, https://ukathletics.com/news/2017/9/8/10-to-remember-from-uk-footballs-first-600-wins