2008 Woodie Awards
Living at the 'Mont
History of sports
by Tim Suda
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: Features
The Quad used to be a few athletic fields. The current student center was once the gymnasium with full basketball courts. In Piedmont's early days, the campus didn't look the same as it does today. Along with the upcoming possible conference change, sports have changed over time.
Many people know that the Quad was used as a soccer field. But in the early 1920s and 30s, it was also a football field. That's right, Piedmont once had a football team.
The team lasted for at least two-and-a-half decades. Piedmont Hall of Fame inductees for football include Dr. Harry B. Forester, for whom the athletic field complex is named, and William E. Purcell, for whom Purcell Hall dormitory is named.
Football is not the only sport that used to exist. Piedmont actually had a traveling women's gymnastics team in the early 1900s. These women didn't perform on modern balance beams or swing from bars, but instead competed with what is now often called tumbling. Props like batons and hoops were very popular and necessary in gymnastics teams at the time.
There is also the women's track team of the 1970s. Piedmont no longer has a track team, but instead has a cross-country team.
Many of these sports teams were not known as the Lions. In fact, the first mascot was the Owl. The Owl was chosen because it matched the name of the current student newspaper of the college. The name was later changed to the Mountain Lions by vote of the student assembly in 1921. It was then shortened to just Lions.
Some famous Lions played sports not typically associated with them. For instance, Johnny "The Big Cat" Mize, for whom the Athletic Center is named, didn't just play baseball. Granted, Mize did play in the major leagues for 15 years. At Piedmont, he was inducted into our Hall of Fame for not only baseball, but also basketball. As it turns out, Mize was a good basketball player in the late 30s.
Mize isn't the only one, though. William L. Loudermilk, the first Loudermilk as a student at Piedmont, didn't just play baseball. The current baseball complex is named for his family. However, he also was a great basketball player in the late 1940s.
Sports here at Piedmont have changed so much already and will most likely continue to change, especially if and when we change conferences.
Many people know that the Quad was used as a soccer field. But in the early 1920s and 30s, it was also a football field. That's right, Piedmont once had a football team.
The team lasted for at least two-and-a-half decades. Piedmont Hall of Fame inductees for football include Dr. Harry B. Forester, for whom the athletic field complex is named, and William E. Purcell, for whom Purcell Hall dormitory is named.
Football is not the only sport that used to exist. Piedmont actually had a traveling women's gymnastics team in the early 1900s. These women didn't perform on modern balance beams or swing from bars, but instead competed with what is now often called tumbling. Props like batons and hoops were very popular and necessary in gymnastics teams at the time.
There is also the women's track team of the 1970s. Piedmont no longer has a track team, but instead has a cross-country team.
Many of these sports teams were not known as the Lions. In fact, the first mascot was the Owl. The Owl was chosen because it matched the name of the current student newspaper of the college. The name was later changed to the Mountain Lions by vote of the student assembly in 1921. It was then shortened to just Lions.
Some famous Lions played sports not typically associated with them. For instance, Johnny "The Big Cat" Mize, for whom the Athletic Center is named, didn't just play baseball. Granted, Mize did play in the major leagues for 15 years. At Piedmont, he was inducted into our Hall of Fame for not only baseball, but also basketball. As it turns out, Mize was a good basketball player in the late 30s.
Mize isn't the only one, though. William L. Loudermilk, the first Loudermilk as a student at Piedmont, didn't just play baseball. The current baseball complex is named for his family. However, he also was a great basketball player in the late 1940s.
Sports here at Piedmont have changed so much already and will most likely continue to change, especially if and when we change conferences.
Be the first to comment on this story