Track and field
Intercollegiate Competition
An intercollegiate track and field league was formed in 1903, consisting of Mount Allison, Acadia and the University of New Brunswick (UNB), and annual contests were held between the three schools between 1903 and 1910. It was felt by Mount Allison’s organizers in 1904 that the team should send three competitors in each of the nine scheduled events. This was challenging because there were just 70 to 80 male University students enrolled at the time, and also because the track meet was held in Saint John near the end of the school semester, on 4 June 1904.
By 1911, male students at Mount Allison had the option of playing and competing in several intercollegiate spring sports, in addition to track and field. Basketball, association football and baseball were all played at the varsity level in spring 1911, and male tennis matches were played on campus by 1913. The Sackville Tribune newspaper, on 12 January 1911, noted that interest in track and field at Mount Allison had been dwindling, and declared:
"... for several years past there has been quite a feeling in favor of the abolishing of track sports."
Despite the variety of sports at the time, Mount Allison continued to field competitors and compete with success against outside track teams. In September 1912, four members of Mount Allison’s varsity track team claimed victory in the first Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition in Halifax, against Dalhousie, Kings and Acadia. The exhibition, which did not hold any field events, featured the 220 yards, 440 yards, one mile and one mile relay races. The following year, the 100 yard race was added, and Mount Allison won the overall competition again.
Mount Allison University track team, ca. 1911-12
Mount Allison University track team, 1912
Home and Topics - Galleries - Timeline - Maps
Copyright - Footnotes - Credits - Technical Information - Feedback
© 2008 Mount Allison University Archives
Sackville, New Brunswick
All Rights Reserved
Maintained by the Mount Allison University Archives
This project was funded by the Marjorie Young Bell Endowment Fund