Project Editor: Drew Hartley, History 470: Digital History, Spring 2008

First Sport at UNL: (1883/4)

In 1883 the first collegiate baseball team was formed at the University of Nebraska. Not only was this baseball squad the first baseball team at U.N.L., it was also the first ever collegiate sport to be established at Nebraska. There were three teams of "nines" which participated at three different levels (Sombrero, 280). The Varsity, which was the best of the three teams of nine. The Junior Varsity was next, and followed by a team that was made up of the players left over from the other two squads. During this short season, the three teams competed against each other in front of small on campus grounds. The first game between the Varsity team and the JV team resulted in a score of 31-23. The Varsity team won the game, but the game was cut short because the game brat broke during play. In the 1884 season there were no intercollegiate games scheduled, but a few short years later Nebraska played its first intercollegiate baseball game. It was during the 1889 season when Nebraska had its first intercollegiate schedule. The team finished 1-3 on the season, beating Doane College and then losing twice to Ulysses University.

Photo of 1987/88 Baseball Team