Football, Past and Future

Around Christmastime 1964, I was in a group of 100 high school juniors who attended a Princeton open house at a St. Louis restaurant. We filed in, ready to hear about this legendary university far away and dreaming of an acceptance letter.

After brief introductory remarks, the alumnus in charge dimmed the lights and turned on the movie projector. The silent black-and-white film showed a series of highlights from Princeton’s most recent football season. And what a season it was! Undefeated Ivy League champs who manhandled Dartmouth (37–7), Penn (55–0), Yale (35–14), and anyone else who got in their way.

The highlights ended and the lights went on. Any questions? Why would there be? Who would want to go anywhere else? We filed out, left with an overwhelming feeling that we too wanted to be a part of this athletic juggernaut and to keep the party going.

Fifty-four years later, here we are again. A great feeling, once again happy to be a part of this magical place. Go Tigers!