1908 football team (EWU archives)
A Century
Making
in the
By Brian Lynn
On Sept. 8, 2012, the Eastern Washington University Eagles football team traveled to Pullman, Wash., to battle the Washington State University Cougars. It was the first gridiron matchup of the two Inland Empire teams in more than 100 years. Much has changed in the past century. In 1907, Washington State College beat Cheney State Normal School 46-0, and in 1908, they bested the EWU predecessors 73-0. At the turn of the century, the university catered mostly to women seeking certification in education. The football team topped out at 16 players, many of which were high-school-aged boys from the surrounding rural area; leather helmets and lightly padded pants were the extent of protection and games were played on a grass field. Fast-forward 104 years, and EWU football features a 94-man roster, state-of-the-art equipment, training facilities and the nation’s only red Sprinturf. The athletes, equipment and field aren’t the only things to change – the pace of the game and scores have too. 1908 football player (EWU archives)
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E ASTERN: FALL 2012