EXPANSIVE YEARS AT TECH 1940-1959The growth of sports programs

“I’M A RAMBLIN’ WRECK FROM GEORGIA TECH…”

Over the years, Tech has become well known for it’s sports programs. In the 1940’s and 1950’s, many athletic programs were built up on campus, leading to SEC Championships and helped to increase sports revenue. In addition, the progress of the athletic department began to reshape the national view of Tech as simply a trade school with a football team, to more of a well rounded college with a variety of sports programs. Sports around through these years include: Baseball, Basketball, Cross-Country, Football, Cheerleading, Golf, Track, Tennis, and Swimming.

FOOTBALL 1940-1959Football has, for a long time, brought in the most fans and revenue to the athletic program. The team has been SEC Football Champions in 1939, 1943, 1951, and in 1952, when they were also National Champions. They attended the Orange Bowl in 1940, the Cotton Bowl in 1943, and the Rose Bowl in 1944. Bobby Dodd coached the Yellow Jackets to a 31-game winning streak in 1951 to 1953. Our team won eight consecutive bowl games and six high-profile bowls in a six-year period. (1952-56) The Football program has had a very impressive history and has given our school something to be proud of and helped GT become more nationally known, bringing in students from other states.

FOOTBALL CONTINUED… The Yellow Jackets

Football Team has been the honored numerous times and has pushed our school to achieve high academic standings as well as high athletic standings. The team has brought our school closer together and raised the level of school pride and spirit.

Basketball and Baseball were being built up through these years to helpbring to the school a more well-roundedgroup of teams and activities. Thesesports also brought in a revenue to helpgreaten school strength and change the school from an engineering schoolto a school with more variety.

Cross-Country, Tennis, and Swimming were all sports to win national championships,again bringing attention to Georgia Tech, broadening our variety of sports and attracting athletes of high standing towardsour school and everything it had to offer at the time.

FRAT LIFE IN THE 40’S AND 50’S. “Social Life at Tech may be found in numerous

places and on numerous occasions. As on most college campuses the social fraternity is the leader in the promotion of social activities among themselves and as a group through the Interfraternity Council. …” Blue Print, 1940.

Frat Life was a very big part of the campus, bringing together students here and making student life more well-rounded, taking some of the focus off of engineering and onto the social scene. There were a total of 23 Fraternities operating on campus, holding dances and school-wide functions throughout the years.

YELLOW JACKET SPIRIT.

“…Whether it be a Jacket on the field of battle against an opposing team or a Jacket in the stands yelling his heart out, they all have that fire of spirit which comes from love of alma mater and the right kind of leadership.” Blue Print, 1940.

Yellow Jacket spirit and pride has been a constant over the years, turning into a tradition that incoming students look forward to being a part of.

CLUBS IN THE 40’S AND 50’S Some Clubs and Activities

available were: Camera Club, YMCA, Glee

Singers, ANAK, Yearbook, Ceramics society, Debate team, Radio club, Architectural Society, Cinema Club, Co-Op Club, Yellow Jacket Club, and the Bulldog Club.

These clubs and societies were responsible for events such as the cake race, tennis tournaments, homecoming decorating committees, bowling tournaments, and many different dances.

CONCLUSION

These twenty years were the beginning of an expansive period in Georgia Tech’s history. Tech began appealing to a wider variety of people and athletics began to take a bigger role in school activities and functions. Prospective students started looking at Georgia Tech as a more well-rounded school with more options than just engineering and this is the basis of expansion for the following decades.