1954-66 And The Return of Rutgers Spring Football

[Source]

Although Rutgers was never invited to join the Ivy League they followed their lead regarding no post season play and the dropping of spring football practice starting in 1954.

The April 19, 1967 Targum reported, “Last December, the upcoming seniors on the football team went to see Dr. John Bateman, the Knight football mentor. They asked him if it would be possible to have spring football practice. What they asked for however, was not the usual type of spring practice. As Dr. Bateman stated, ‘The players knew from the start that they couldn’t have practices while school was in session because it would interfere with spring sports which they did not want to do; they volunteered to give up the first 10 days of their summer vacation…. the fellows took the initiative and are going to be doing it on their own time; this shows dedication.’”

Spring practice within the school year returned in April of 1974.

 

[Source]

And the very first football "spring practice" was 1873 when both the football and baseball team players of Rutgers were out in the spring practicing.

 

[29PAS]

If spring practices were during the school year in the late 60's and we could have gone to see them, they would have had to compete with watching lacrosse games at The Heights, crew on the Raritan and launching roundish vegetables off a College Ave fraternity roof. All of those involved beer.

 

[Source]

If spring practices were during the school year in the late 60's and we could have gone to see them, they would have had to compete with watching lacrosse games at The Heights, crew on the Raritan and launching roundish vegetables off a College Ave fraternity roof. All of those involved beer.

"We can do anything we want! We're college students!"
- Donald "Boon" Schoenstein

 

[29PAS]

"Oh boy, this is great!"
Flounder