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Dr. Gaines on the Football Decision
This an excerpt from the September 1954 edition of the W&L Alumni Magazine. The excerpt contains Dr. Gaines's explanation to the alumni and student body as to why D1 football at W&L will not be continued.
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Washington and Lee Football 2021 ODAC Championship Photo
This is a photo picturing the 2021 Washington and Lee Football Team on Wilson Field in Lexington, Va after defeating Ferrum College by a score of 28-24 to win the 2021 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship. The team and coaches are posing with the trophy and a sign saying "ODAC Champions 2021".
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The Board's Resolution
This is an excerpt taken from the September 1954 edition of the W&L Alumni Magazine. The excerpt details the reasons the W&L board stopped subsidizing athletics and disbanded the football team.
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Charlie Gummey '63
This is an image Charlie Gummey, class of 1963, who was a member of the undefeated 1961 football team and an All-American running back. Along with serving as team captain in football, he was also a team captain in lacrosse and swimming. In lacrosse he earned All-America honors as a midfielder, and in swimming he once held a school record as a member of the 400 medley relay team.
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Tony Perry '77
Tony Perry, class of 1977, was the first African American in school history to earn All-America honors and was the first person of color to be inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame at W&L. He earned his All-America honors as a receiver. Perry also competed in track & field and was an NCAA National qualifier.
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1961 Football Jersey
This jersey, number 33, was worn by 1961 Fullback John Norman. It is a size large and the majority of the jersey is blue. The numbers are in white and are located largely on the chest and back. They are also located on each shoulder area but smaller in size, and they are above two white strips. The W&L trident is also white and is located in small fashion below the neck of the jersey. The 1961 football team had an undefeated record of 9-0.
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Touchdown Club Award to the Outstanding Small College Team of the Year
The Touchdown Club of Washington D.C. gives out an award each year, known as "Timmie," for the most outstanding small college team of the year. The award was given in 1961 to W&L and head coach Lee McLaughlin. The bottom half of the trophy is the base stating what the award is and the top half is a small figurine of a kid running with a football.
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Commemorative Football Signed by 1961 Undefeated Football Team
This Wilson football was engraved to say "WASHINGTON & LEE UNIVERSITY UNDEFEATED 1961." Then the football was signed in pen by every member of the team that year. The 1961 football squad went undefeated, untied, and had double digit victories in eight of their nine games.
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Framed Photo of the 1961 Undefeated Football Team
This item is a framed photo of the 1961 undefeated and untied football squad. Along with the team photo, there is a list of all of the team members and positions beneath it. In the middle of the frame, beneath the team photo and between the names of team members, is a list of all the teams W&L defeated throughout the season. W&L scored double digit points in eight of their nine games, and held their opponents scoreless in four games.
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Leather Football Helmet
This leather football helmet was worn by one of the members of the 1905 football team. This specific helmet is called an 8-Spoke Leather Head Harness Helmet and it would typically have a chin strap attached to it. This helmet does not. The eight leather straps are sewn to a circular piece of leather at the top of the helmet. The bottom of the leather spokes are attached to a 1.5” leather band . Two ear flaps with four holes in each and a small neck protector complete the item.
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Leather Football Cleats
These leather cleats were worn by one of the members of the 1905 football team. They have a small stitched design on each side of the shoe and the pair are tied together via their white shoelaces.
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Gator Bowl Ticket
This is an image of a 1951 Gator Bowl Ticket. The annual Gator Bowl Game is played in Jacksonville, Florida on New Years Day. This particular game was to be played at 2:15 pm and featured a match up of the Washington and Lee University Generals versus the University of Wyoming Cowboys. The Cowboys won the game via a score of 20-7.
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Gator Bowl Photo
This image is of the Washington and Lee football team competing in the 1951 Gator Bowl against the University of Wyoming Cowboys. W&L became the first intercollegiate football program from the Commonwealth of Virginia to compete in a New Year's Day Bowl game. The Generals had to play without their All-American fullback, Walt Michaels, due to appendicitis, and they lost via a score of 20-7.
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Walt Michaels '51
This is an image of 1951 class member Walt Michaels. Michaels was an All-America football player who helped lead W&L to the 1951 Gator Bowl. Following his time at W&L Michaels played 10 seasons in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns, and earned All-Pro honors five times. After his playing career was over, Michaels began coaching and served as the Head Coach of the New York Jets from 1977-1982.
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1912 Victory Pennant
This pennant commemorates the 1912 victory over Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) via a score of 20-6. W&L along with their score is written in white text on the top half of the pennant and VPI with their score is written in orange text on the bottom half.
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1905 Football Brochure
This brochure has two pages highlighting the 1905 football team. The left page has a team photo and the name of each player listed beneath the photo. Then the right page has a list of the names of their coaches, captain, manager, starting lineup with position titles, and substitutes.
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1932 Football Keepsake
This football commemorates the 1932 win over University of Virginia via a score of 7-0. The football was painted and donated by class of 1934 member Amos Bolen. W&L is highlighted by blue paint around its letters and score.
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Washington and Lee, October 1955 Alumni Magazine Article: Football
This an article from the October 1955 edition of the W&L Alumni Magazine. The article details the state of the W&L football team going into their first full post-suspension season.
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Washington and Lee, March 1955 Alumni Magazine Article: Campus News
This an article from the March 1955 edition of the W&L Alumni Magazine. The article details the struggles and successes of the first W&L football coach, William Chipley, after the university decided to end subsided athletics.
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Washington and Lee, December 1954 Alumni Magazine Article: Athletics
This an article from the September 1954 edition of the W&L Alumni Magazine. The article details the state of W&L athletics following the stoppage of subsidized athletics.
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Washington and Lee, September 1954 Alumni Magazine Article: Football
This an article from the September 1954 edition of the W&L Alumni Magazine. The article details the reasons the administration stopped subsidizing athletics and disbanded the football team.
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Washington and Lee University Pennant
Blue felt pennant with white lettering that reads "Washington Lee" and includes an image of both George Washington and Robert E. Lee as well as the word "Generals" written beneath the image. Pennants such as this one would be waved by fans during football games around the 1950s when Washington and Lee University was competing in the NCAA Division 1 Southern Conference.