1895 ISU Football Team

To access the photograph "I895 ISU Football Team," please visit the Illinois State University History Archive
          Sports at Illinois State are a big deal to the students, faculty, and anyone who is a part of the ISU community. As a freshman here at Illinois State, one of the first things I noticed when I moved on campus was the amount of pride students have for their school. As I continued to walk around, I noticed things like sculptures, plaques, and monuments all showing off ISU traditions. This picture of the 1895 football team does just this. The first thing I noticed about the picture was the football labeled 1895. This automatically gives me a sense of pride being a part of a school that has been around for so long. The football is also labeled “ISNU” standing for Illinois State Normal University, which has obviously changed today. Back then, having Normal be a part of the name of the University shows how much the town influenced the school. The black and white quality of the photo also gives a feeling of tradition to the school. Under the football is a piece of paper, listing all the scores and teams played for that season. The list includes five winning scores and two losing scores. The 1895 team consisted of twenty-two players and only one coach. The faces of the players tell me two things about their team. A few of the players have serious faces, giving off the impression that they take pride in their team and work hard. Some of the other players have a smile on their faces, showing that they enjoy playing for Illinois State. Overall, the picture shows the pride and tradition created in Normal.  -- Becca Albecht