Hilltopper Heritage

Letter Sweaters

Citation: Alum and former coach Ed. Stansbury related these memories in a letter to Sue Lynn McDaniel, Oct. 19, 2005.

Sue Lynn McDaniel,
University Archivist and Records Officer
Associate Professor, Library Special Collections
Bowling Green, KY 42101

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Dear Sue Lynn:

You keep the donor form. I will never get tired of working with people from Western.

I played football my freshmen year but didn't play enough to make a letter. I was too busy working on campus to play enough to get a letter. Later on Mr. Diddle got me a less demanding job which provided time to practice and play in games - football, basketball and baseball. My first letter was for basketball '26-'27. From then on I received sweater, letters and a jacket. I will try to explain how it worked.

My first letter (white) was for basketball, '26-'27 season. I don't remember any thing about red letters. They didn't give jackets or pull over sweaters early on. Early on, one had to provide the garment and have the letter attached. That caused a problem -- Guys attached their letters to all shapes and colors of garments. This force[d] the change to garments with the letter attached.

Beginning in 1928 freshmen could no longer play on the varsity, they had their own schedule in basketball only. Their award was a light pull over red sweater with the small white numerals across the chest the year they won it. This practice lasted one year.

In the '26 '27 school year as in football I participated in base ball, but not enough to get a letter. Had to work too much. As indicated above Mr. Diddle got me a job early on in the bookstore. I made my work schedule to permit time for athletes. [sic]

From '27 on I participated and won awards in football, basketball and football.

After the miss fire on issuing letters, after '27-'28 they started issuing pull over sweaters (red) white letter in front and a white one inch ring around the sleeve to indicate the years of participation. It was in '28-'29 they first issued the jackets. All along the cost was a problem. WW2 ended the practice of such awards. Since the war the increase in numbers of scholarships has made such awards impossible. In the last few years the W-Club has provide[d] for jacket awards, some of us have purchased the jacket. It is nothing like the jacket.

The small football charm was given to the members of the 1928 championship football team. Most of us purchased a chain to wear the football charm and let our girl friend wear it.

During my time, as a student and latter [sic] as coach there were no choices. First a letter, then a pullover sweater and then the jacket. It is possible there were choices, but I don't believe it. I never heard of a fourth letter or a blanket. No body ever received two sweaters or two jackets. Between the mix you just received a "letter". I had a sack full of letters.

In passing. Before 1927 all football home games were played at the Warren County Fair Grounds. Call and I will tell you an interesting story. The first home game played on campus (now the Ivan Wilson Art Center) was in 1927. The first homecoming was in 1927. Dr. Cherry didn't care for football, but did support it in 1921 and forward, when he hired Mr. L.T. Smith. He called football a "necessary evil."

Sincerely,
Ed. Stansbury

See also - Edgar Stansbury