UCA FOOTBALL

1908-2002

                Football began at UCA, formerly the Arkansas State Normal School, the same year the Normal officially opened, 1908.  The first coach was O.D. Longstreth, and his assistant coach was W.O. Wilson.  Coach Longstreth’s 1908 team had fifteen players, and they are as follows: Harold Hamilton, George Longstreth, Zeno Holt, Joe Herring, Clarence Sherin, Oscar Smith, Bruce Frizzell, Earnest Douglass, Aubrey Adney, E.L. Wray, W.H. Malloch, Martin Downing, Monroe Campbell, Clarence Renfrow, and Edgar Holliman. 

              The colors for UCA were decided that first year, and according to an article in the November 24^th, 1908 edition of the Log Cabin Democrat, were said to be purple and silver.  The article also reported that nearly all Arkansas State Normal School students were wearing the newly adopted colors. Today the official colors for all UCA sports teams are purple and gray. 

              Even though the colors of UCA sports teams were decided on early in its existence, the same cannot be said of its mascot, the Bears.  It wasn’t until 1920 that the UCA athletic teams had a mascot.  According to Dr. Ted Worley, author of A History of The Arkansas State Teachers College, the UCA teams from 1908-1919 were referred to by many names, including: Tutors, Teachers, Pedagogues, Pea-Pickers and Normalites.  In 1920 the Bears became the mascot for the teams.  However, it wasn’t until April 7, 1921 that the teams were called “Bears” in print.  Dr. Worley also quoted sources as saying the Bear was an appropriate symbol for the school because Arkansas’ nickname was the “Bear State.” 

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