## MAKING AN IMPRESSION NATIONALLY. ## MAKING A DIFFERNCE LOCALLY.
> **AS ANOTHER YEAR OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL KICKS-OFF**, we wanted to recognize a major force in Birmingham - the SEC - as they gear up for their 70th anniversary in Birmingham.> To understand the history of the SEC, you need to understand a bit about Southern football. When football was starting to gain traction at schools over the nation, the South started thinking such an association with their schools would be beneficial for the economy. From there, the first Southern football game was in 1881 at Kentucky State (now University of Kentucky), where they beat Kentucky University (now Transylvania University) 7.5 to 1. The following year, Alabama, A & M College of Alabama (Auburn), Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt started to get their football programs rolling. After that, LSU, Arkansas, Texas A & M, Mississippi A & M (now Mississippi State) and Florida followed suit in that order. > Representatives came together from seven schools in 1894 to create the forefather of the SEC called the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). Dr. William Dudley, a chemistry professor at Vanderbilt, stated it was created in order to give structure and jurisdiction over all collegiate sports. Following that meeting, 12 more schools were included in the SIAA.>
> The SIAA stuck around through the 1920 season, and then there was a dispute regarding several regulations. It had also grown to 30 members which created issues when trying to award one true victor. After that, 18 schools left the SIAA to create the Southern Intercollegiate Conference in 1921 and the SIAA turned into a conference for small schools. It faded out in 1942.> The Southern Conference grew to 23 colleges by 1932 and once again, became too large to manage. University of Georgia English professor Dr. S.V. Sanford, who had led the creation of the Southern Conference had to convince 13 schools west and south of the Appalachian mountains to reinvent themselves as the Southeastern Conference. Those original members of the SEC–Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Sewanee, Tennessee, Tulane, Vanderbilt–began to play in 1933.> During the 20s, 30s and 40s as more and more Northern cities began to aquire professional teams, the South was more-or-less excluded. This helped Southern college football to gain more popularity and intensity from the local fan bases.> Sewanee pulled out from the SEC in 1940, Georgia Tech in 1964, and Tulane the following year. Arkansas and South Carolina joined in 1990, and Missouri and Texas A & M joined in 2012.> From it’s forefather the SIAA in 1894 to the modern SEC as we know it now, the SEC has dominated 9 out of the last 14 national champions, closed two of the largest TV contracts in college football history and then created its own network in 2014. The SEC is a force to be reckoned with.
### ***KNOW YOUR TEAMS’ COLORS****Believe it or not, some schools aren’t exactly sure where their colors can be attributed, and have become myth. Here’s just a few of the ones we feel more confident about.*GEORGIA## The University of Georgia’s literary magazine declared the school’s colors to be “old gold, black, and crimson.” After a loss to Georgia Tech they dropped the gold. Their first coach said gold was too similar to yellow, and yellow was ‘cowardice’. True too their bitter rivalry, Georgia Tech’s choice of old gold and white came from their desire to mock the Dawgs former color choice.KENTUCKY## There was confusion in which shade of blue should represent the Cats. It was Letterman Richard C. Stoll who pulled off his neck-tie to show it to his fellow students. Its color became their color- royal blue.TENNESSEE## The unique shade of color came from the daisies that grew wild on The Hill that overlooks Neyalnd stadium.ALABAMA## The crimson came from a Southern Belle from New Orleans who sponsored an event the school’s cadets were competing in. She wore her favorite color- crimson to compliment their black and gray uniforms. It stuck.AUBURN## Auburn chose their colors right before a game with Georgia. Auburn’s first coach Dr. George Petrie needed to quickly tell a reporter what their colors were for publicity. He was an alum of UVA. So Virginia’s orange and blue were selected. OLE MISS## It was a football manager who contributed the Blue and Red after their coach A.L. Bondurant couldn’t decide. The reason- the two best football teams at the time were bitter rivals. He chose Yale’s Blue and Harvard’s Red to represent the spirit of harmony in bringing these colors togther.courtesy: secsportsfan.com, thesportshistorian.com, SEC
### ***HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW THE SEC?***# **1) Which SEC school has a primary and secondary football stadium?**A. South Carolina
B. Missouri
C. Arkansas
# **2) Who is the only person to win a Heisman, coach a Heisman winner, and coach a national championship team?**A. Johnny Majors
B. Steve Spurrier
C. Bobby Dodd
# **3) How many sponsored sports does the SEC include?**A. 18
B. 21
C. 24
# **4) Which SEC school has the largest football stadium?**A. Texas A&M
B. Tennessee
C. Alabama
# **5) Who has won the most National Championships in Men’s Indoor Track and Field?**A. Arkansas
B. Tennessee
C. Florida
# **6) The first Iron Bowl was played:**A. at Legion Field
B. in Lakeview
C. in Montgomery
# **7) Which location in Birmingham has never housed the SEC HQ?:**A. The Redmont Hotel
B. Riverchase Galleria Tower
C. The City Federal Building
# **8) Which is the only SEC school to have a men’s and women’s basketball arena?:**A. Kentucky
B. Tennessee
C. Texas A&M
## **1) C. 2) B. 3) B. 4) A. 5) B. 6) B. 7) C. 8) A.**
### ***SEC TIMELINE*****Dec 8, 1932**
At the annual Southern Conference meeting in Knoxville, the 13 members west and south of the Appalachian Mountains reorganized as the SEC.**Fall, 1933**
Coach Frank Thomas leads Alabama (5-0-1) to the first SEC football championship title with a 7-0 win over Vanderbilt.
**< 1942**
Georgia’s Frank Sinkwich becomes the first SEC player to win the Heisman.**1948**
The SEC office relocates to Birmingham because of its central location.
**< Oct 20, 1951**
The AL-TN football game in Legion Field becomes the first televised event in SEC history. Tennessee would win 27-13, and go on to win the National Championship.**1958**
Alabama hires Bear Bryant from Texas A&M. The Tide is 5-4-1 in his first year.**1964**
Georgia Tech withdraws from SEC.
**< 1965**
Kentucky football’s Nate Northington becomes the first African American athlete to receive a football scholarship at an SEC institution.**1972**
After his 42nd year as head coach, Adolph Rupp retires after taking Kentucky to the Elite-8.**1974**
At only 22, Pat Summit is named Head Coach at Tennessee. Women’s basketball is not yet an NCAA-sanctioned sport.**July 1983**
The SEC signs an agreement with the Turner Broadcasting System to begin airing a football “Game of the Week” in the fall of 1984.**July 1991**
The University of Arkansas and University of South Carolina join the SEC as 11th and 12th members. Roy Kramer guides the conference into two divisons with a championship game.
**< Dec 5, 1992**
The SEC hosts the nation’s first Division 1A conference football championship at Legion Field in Birmingham. Alabama defeats Florida.**Feb 25, 1994**
SEC members vote to play the 1994 and 1995 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta’s Georgia Dome.**2002**
One legend succeeds another, as Mike Slive takes over as Commissioner from Roy Kramer. The SEC is primed, and will explode to unparalleled success in the coming years. **Jan 2011**
Auburn defeats Oregon 22-19 in the BCS Championship game, giving the league an unprecedented fifth consecutive BCS National Championship. The SEC moves to 7-0 in BCS Championship games.**Summer, 2012**
Texas A&M (13th member) and Missouri (14th member) officially become members of the SEC.
**< Aug 14, 2014**
The SEC Network, a multi-platform network, which will air SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year, launches.**2014**
The SEC sends a NCAA-record 12 teams to participate in postseason bowl games.
**< 2016**
The SEC sees 12 players selected in the First Round of the NFL Draft, which ties the SEC and all-time national record.
