A History of Athletics at Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College, a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, boasts a rich athletic history that has evolved alongside the institution itself. From informal student-organized activities to the establishment of varsity teams and participation in national conferences, Bowdoin's commitment to athletics has been a constant thread throughout its history.
Early Days: Informal Athletics and the Rise of Gymnastics
Prior to the 1860s, physical training and athletics at Bowdoin were largely informal, driven by the students themselves. This changed in 1860 when the College Commons on Bath Road was converted into a gymnasium. William C. Dole, an ex-prize fighter, was hired to provide private instruction in gymnastics, marking the beginning of a more structured approach to physical activity.
Dudley Sargent succeeded Mr. Dole in 1870 and further promoted physical training, emphasizing the connection between good health and physical activity. Nathaniel Whittier continued this advancement of physical education after being appointed Director of the Gymnasium in 1886. The location of the gymnasium also evolved, moving from the College Commons to the lower level of Memorial Hall, then to the first Sargent Gymnasium (later the Heating Plant), and finally to Sargent Gymnasium and the Hyde Athletic Building, demonstrating a continuous upgrade and expansion of athletic facilities.
The Emergence of Organized Sports
Organized sports began to take shape at Bowdoin around the same time as formal gymnastics instruction. To manage the growing interest in intercollegiate athletics, an Advisory Athletic Committee was formed in 1891. This committee consisted of the Director of the Gymnasium, one faculty member, two alumni, and five students. The Athletic Council's composition was revised in 1901 to include two professors, five alumni, and five students, and a new Athletic Council constitution was ratified.
In June 1935, a significant shift occurred when the Governing Boards abolished the Athletic Council, granting full control of athletic policy to the College President. This change centralized the decision-making process regarding athletics within the college administration.
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Athletics During World War II
Bowdoin's athletic program faced considerable challenges during the 1940s due to World War II. With many students being drafted into military service, the college struggled to maintain full teams. As President Kenneth C.M. Sills noted, the College primarily comprised those under 18 and those not accepted for service. Despite these difficulties, Bowdoin managed to keep competition alive in sports like baseball, track, swimming, tennis, and basketball.
Bowdoin was still able to compete with other colleges by building teams that were solely comprised of non-military students. Bowdoin was the only college to be represented by a team composed wholly of civilians at one important New England swimming meet.
Service members were often seen around campus after the Naval Air Station in Brunswick officially opened on April 15, 1943. At the time, Bowdoin’s fraternities were the centers of intramural athletic competition.
Women's Athletics: Breaking Barriers
Women's athletics at Bowdoin have a long history, beginning with the first classes of women at the College. In 1971, after nearly 180 years as a men's college, Bowdoin admitted its first class of women. Women’s sports at Bowdoin began within a year of coeducation. The 1972-73 academic year saw the fielding of two varsity women’s teams: field hockey and swimming (with women also participating on the men’s swim team). By the 1978-79 academic year, the College hosted ten women’s teams.
Sally LaPointe, the first female coach and overseer of women’s athletics, played a vital role in encouraging and tracking the development of women’s sports. However, progress wasn't always easy. Volunteer women’s basketball coach Richard (Dick) Mersereau had to advocate for his team to play full-time in Morrell Gymnasium, the same facility used by the men's team, rather than in the older, less desirable Sargent Gymnasium.
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Overall, embodying the identity of either a female athlete or a person connected to women’s athletics at Bowdoin in the 1970’s involved great opportunities and some significant challenges.
NESCAC and CBB: Defining Rivalries
Bowdoin College is a founding member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), established in 1971. The college also participates in the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium (CBB), an athletic conference and inter-library exchange with Bates College and Colby College.
The college's biggest rival is Colby College. Bates College is another big in-state conference rival. Historically, the University of Maine was a football rival during the Maine State Series era. Bates and Bowdoin have been traditional rivals in football since they first met in 1889. As of 2021, Bowdoin and Bates have competed in 123 football games, making it the 10th longest NCAA Division III rivalry. The Bowdoin men's hockey team also has a historic rivalry with Colby.
Since 1965, Bowdoin, Bates, and Colby compete annually in the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Championship to be the best NESCAC school in Maine; Bowdoin has won the CBB championship 20 times, the most of all three schools. Prior to the CBB Championship, the three schools competed with Maine for the State Championship. Bowdoin won the State Championship nine times.
Bowdoin Polar Bears: Teams and Facilities
Bowdoin College teams are known as the Polar Bears. The mascot for all Bowdoin College athletic teams is the Polar bear, generally referred to in the plural, i.e., "The Polar Bears". The uniform color is white. The fight song, Forward The White, was composed by Kenneth A.
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Bowdoin College currently fields teams in fourteen men's sports and sixteen women's sports. All Bowdoin Polar Bears sports teams compete in NCAA Division III, and 25 of 30 teams compete in the NESCAC.
Most Bowdoin Polar Bears teams have on-campus facilities, and most are located on the south side of campus, including Sidney J. Watson Arena for ice hockey; Howard F. Ryan Field for field hockey and lacrosse; Pickard Field for baseball, soccer, softball, and rugby; Lubin Family Squash Center for squash; LeRoy Greason Pool for swimming and diving; and Farley Field House for indoor track and field. Whittier Field is located on the east side of campus. Morrell Gymnasium is located at the center of campus. Principal athletic facilities include Whittier Field (capacity: 9,000), Morrell Gymnasium (1,500), Sidney J.
Notable Alumni
Bowdoin College has a long history of athletes who have competed in the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Matthew D. Branche was a four-sport varsity athlete in track, basketball, tennis and football. He excelled in high hurdles, low hurdles and the high jump, placing first in all three events at the Maine State track meet in 1948. Branche was not only a World War II veteran but was also one of the first people to be recognized was a great African American athlete at Bowdoin.
Bowdoin College first fielded a varsity baseball team in 1867. Seven Bowdoin College alumnus have played in Major League Baseball.
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