• Righteous Debuts (Winged Helmet, Michigan Stadium)

    The first of October is a special day in Michigan lore.  Two major milestones occurred on this day, eleven years apart: October 1, 1927.  The first game was in a sparkling new Michigan stadium, where U-M thumped Ohio Wesleyan 33-0.  Later that season temporary stands (borrowed from Ferry Field) were added to accommodate the crowds for the Navy and Ohio State games.  Here’s a look at a pristine Big House: October 1, 1938.  Fritz Crisler took the whistle on the western sideline for the first time on this day in 1938, and this was the debut of the iconic winged helmet: And thanks to the Michigan History Calendar, we also know that it was on this day in 1932 that the football program earned win #300 – a 26-0 shutout of Michigan State College in Ann Arbor. Follow MVictors on Twitter

  • Foiling the Spartan Pranksters (1949)

    [Update: Audio from This Week in Michigan Football history, discussing the ‘49 Spartan antics] Heading into 1949 season, Michigan was the two-time defending national champion and was riding a Yost-like 23-game winning streak.  First in their way in the quest for the third championship in a row was Michigan State College who were still a few years away from admission to the conference. This won’t shock anyone in Ann Arbor, but before that game played 62 years ago this Saturday, a group of MSC fans came to town ready to stir things up. They had mixed results. One group succeeded in sneaking into Michigan Stadium and used white paint to insert the initials ‘MSC’ in six-foot block letters at midfield.  They took the rest of the paint to deface the press box windows and give other parts of the stadium a white wash. Another group, apparently a crew of sixteen future leaders of men, set out to deliver a more complex prank. They actually carefully designed and built a structure that would seal off the iconic Engineering Arch on campus (left).  They constructed a wooden frame and created 60 cement blocks that when pieced together, would shut down the Arch. They actually rehearsed the prank and, according to reports, apparently could complete the stunt within seven minutes.  But shockingly, they…