The 2009 football season marked the 100th anniversary of when Michigan and Minnesota first played for The Little Brown Jug. Early in that year I started on a quest to find out everything I could about the old trophy. I reviewed the legends, interviewed writers, equipment managers, coaches and pored through newspapers, pottery experts, photos and other accounts on the history. Here’s what I learned:
Chapter 1: What Really Happened in the 1930s
Chapter 2: Spinning Myths
Chapter 3: Getting it Right
Chapter 4: 2013: A Space Quandary (solved! see above)
Chapter 5: Red Wing Roots
Chapter 6: Is the Greatest Trophy in College Sports a Fake?
Chapter 7: Open Questions
Chapter 8: Doc Cooke and the Real Origins of the Rivalry
Chapter 9: Gophers Here, Gophers There – When Michigan played Minnesota Twice
Chapter 10: How It Started: Minnesota Madmen 6, Michigan Machine 6
Chapter 11: A Righteous Sip, and Why Michigan Bought the Jug
Chapter 12: Making It Official—Jil Gordon & Painting the Little Brown Jug
Chapter 13: 40,000 Jugs—Financial Analysis from 1903
Chapter 14: 1903 Ticket Stub Found!
Chapter 15: Five Myths and Misconceptions: The Little Brown Jug
Chapter 16: On the Precipice (1903) | Little Brown Jug Lore
3 Comments
Anonymous
love the videos man keep it up and go blue
Alan L Knaus
I went to his lecture last night at the Observatory. He’s an entertaining speaker with a great program. I didn’t realize he was also the creator of the M Victors blog. Fun lecture from a nice guy!
Brad Poulos
Watched the online lecture. Wonderfull and educational experience. Please do more of these. Go Blue!