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History of the Odds & Evens


Odd vs. Evens Volleyball Game, circa 1920s, Jewell Genevieve Cooper Scrapbook

History

There is a rich history of women's athletics at FSU, tracing back to our early years as the West Florida Seminary. In 1899, while coeducational, students established an athletic association to which every student belonged. By early 1901, the college had football, baseball and track teams for male students. During the 1902-03 school year, two basketball teams were formed from the female students. In the 1903 yearbook the female basketball teams were simply called "Basket Ball Team" and "Second Team".

In 1905, Florida State College became an all-women institution and the name was changed to Florida Female College. In October of 1905, a new Athletic Association was formed and every student was required to join. Sports offered at this time were basketball, tennis, field hockey, and croquet. The November 1906 Talisman (p. 36) states that two new basketball teams were organized. The first public game of basketball at Florida Female College took place on November 24th, 1906 under the team names of the Cockle Burs and the Prickley Pears. These two teams played a series of games “to determine the championship of the college” with the Prickley Pears becoming the “Regular College Team”. Shortly after this win, the team received challenges from both Stetson University and Rollins College, marking the start of a small intercollegiate sports network.

The intercollegiate games caused university admin some concern. Faculty members decided that when the Spring 1909 basketball season ended, no further public games would be allowed due to the lack of decorum the games promoted. According to the May 1909 Talisman, students once again formed basketball teams and sub-teams to play against each other, this time under the names Stars and Crescents. Also in 1909, the school’s name was again changed from Florida Female College to Florida State College for Women.

By 1912, Florida State College for Women was offering field hockey, water polo, and tennis tournaments. There were also 40 regular basketball players that were divided evenly into the Stars and Crescents. There were two “first” teams and two “sub-teams”. Six games total were organized: three against the first teams of either side and three against the sub-teams. The Crescents won the first team games and the Stars won the sub-team games.

In 1913, the teams were reorganized by class and this is where the history of the Odds and Evens begins. The teams were sub-freshman and juniors against sophomores and seniors. They were formally called Junior-Fresh-Sub-Fresh I and Senior-Soph-Sub-Fresh II, often abbreviated as JFSI and SSSII. On April 13th, 1913, the first Field Day was held. Field Day would become a longstanding tradition at FSCW.

The first record of these new class teams being referred to as “odd and even classes” is from the October 30 1915 issue of the Florida Flambeau. Within two years, the Odds & Evens became official team names and a new tradition began at Florida State College for Women. Between 1916 and 1920, the Westcott gates and fountain were gifted by the Even and Odd classes respectively. The classes of 1916 and 1918 gave the gates; 1915 and 1917 gave the fountain. Other traditions began during this time, including Demonstration Days, Color Rush, and the Thanksgiving Day Basketball Game and Feast.

In 1924, a group of Odds create Spirogira, an Odd Honor Society. Members are chosen from Odd classes based on leadership and service. The Evens follow closely after and in 1930, Evens create Esteren, an Even Honor Society. In 1948, these societies merged to become the Garnet Key Honor Society.

1954 marks the end of Odd & Even athletics. A more expanded program was established and was simply called Women’s Athletics.

Florida State College Catalogue 1900-1901, p. 82.
The Argo, 1900-1901, p. 85.
The Argo, 1903, p. 66.
Faculty Senate Minutes, December 1905
The Talisman, November 1906, p. 36.
The Talisman, January 1907, p. 38.
The Talisman, April 1907, p. 36.
Faculty Senate Minutes, January 1909
The Talisman, May 1909, p. 36.
Flastacowo, 1913, p. 138.
Flastacowo, 1914, p. 107.
"College Athletics." Florida Flambeau, 30 October 1915, p. 01.
"Senior Demonstration", Florida Flambeau, 20 November 1915, p. 01.

Related Collections

Jewell Genevieve Cooper Scrapbook
Victoria J. Lewis Scrapbook

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