Football at Ball State University: 1924-2001

Intercollegiate football was played in Muncie, Indiana for the first time in 1924, when the Hoosieroons of Ball Teachers College played their first game against the Indiana State Normal School and their first home game against Central Normal College. The Hoosieroons became the Cardinals of Ball Teachers College in 1927, and then Ball State Teachers College in 1929, and finally Ball State University in 1965. Over the course of the next 75 years, Ball State's football program grew from essentially a small college enterprise to its present status as a respected member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and a participant in NCAA Division I football. The echoes of cheering fans can be heard, even in an empty stadium. Using over 200 vintage photos, E. Bruce Geelhoed explores how football grew and developed at Ball State University. Spanning from 1924, when Ball Teachers College was a branch campus of the Indiana State Normal School, to the present day when Ball State is a comprehensive regional university, this book tells the stories of the players, coaches, and traditions that characterize this American pastime in Indiana.