According to the Middlebury College yearbook in 1900,
Track and field sports have always held a place among Middlebury’s athletics. This was the usual method of proving class superiority in the earlier days. But . . . there was no organization. Not until ’84 do we find any record of an annual field-day. College records were established and broken during the next few years, but not until ’90 do we find any real display of interest along this branch of athletics. Then Professor Howard offered a prize of $5.00 for every New England Intercollegiate record broken, and suitable prizes for the breakers of Middlebury records. . . A pleasing feature of the field-day meets was the college supper which always followed. 1
INTRAMURAL TRACK MEETS HELD
In 1886, the first intramural track meets were held. According to the Middlebury College Newsletter (Autumn 1975), the College also sponsored such unusual athletic events as “the triple jump, potato sack race, the half-mile dash by moonlight, the 50-yard dash backwards (record: 7 ½ seconds), and the 100-yard slow bicycle race (record: 4 minutes, 20 seconds.”
GRANDSTAND AND RUNNING TRACK BUILT
According to Stameshkin, “In 1897 the college built a grandstand and cinder running track on the athletic field west of the Old Stone Row, then invited students from nearby prep schools to compete with one another during the annual field day sports events” (The Town’s College, 268).
FIRST INTERCOLLEGIATE TRACK MEET HELD
In 1910, the first intercollegiate track meet was held with St. Lawrence. The event was held during Junior week in May. The Panters were defeated by the Saints in a game that ended 82-35 in St. Lawrence’s favor.
The following documents, drawn from late-nineteenth-century College yearbooks, reflect the importance of track and field events at Middlebury prior to 1900.
Notes
1. The Laurea [Middlebury College yearbook], 1900, p. 158.