UH Football Programs

Summary Information
Historical note
Scope and Contents note
Administrative Information
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Controlled Access Headings
Collection Inventory

Summary Information

Repository:: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Hamilton Library
Title:: UH Football Programs
ID:: Manuscript.A2011:018
Date [bulk]:: Bulk, 1970-2000
Date [inclusive]:: 1930-2000
Extent:: 3.0 Linear feet: 3 record center Boxes
General Physical Description note:: Generally in good condition.
Repository Information:: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library / 2550 McCarthy Mall / Honolulu, HI. 96822 / Email: archives@hawaii.edu / Phone: (808) 956-9762
Language:: English

Preferred Citation note

[item], University of Hawaiʻi Football Programs, University Archives and Manuscripts Department, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library.

Historical note

The University of Hawaiʻi was established in 1907 as a land grant college originally named College of Agriculture and Mechanic Art of the Territory of Hawaiʻi, temporarily “located on Young Street, near Victoria Street (neighboring what is now the Admiral Richard Thomas Square)” (Kobayashi, 3). In 1909, the first football team was formed, called the “Fighting Deans” (UH Athletics) and included three faculty members (Kamins, 10). Due to the isolation of the islands from the rest of the mainland U.S., Hawaiʻi was forced to play with local high schools and military and club teams for the first eight years of its existence (UH Athletics).

Meanwhile, in 1911, the Territorial Legislature “amended the Act of Establishment in several particulars. The name of the college was changed” to the College of Hawaiʻi (Dean, 9). By 1912, land in the lower end of Mānoa Valley had been cleared and the college, including several “temporary” wooden buildings, were moved from Young Street to their permanent location in Mānoa (Kamins, 14).

The year 1920 marked two important events. First, the school was again renamed, this time to the University of Hawaiʻi (Dean, 12-13). Second, the Deans played their first intercollegiate game on Christmas Day against the University of Nevada, Reno in Mōʻiliʻili. Unfortunately, they lost, 14-0 (UH Athletics).

During a game played at home against Oregon State in 1923, a rainbow appeared over the gridiron. It was already late in the game and neither team had scored. With the appearance of the rainbow, the Deans were able to score and hold the lead until the end, winning the game. Reporters later wrote about the experience, nicknaming the team the “Rainbows” and the name stuck. A belief was also born from this experience that if a rainbow appeared over the University during a game, the Rainbows could not be defeated.

By the mid 1920s, Hawaiʻi‘s football team had developed into a major powerhouse. Around this time the Honolulu Stadium—affectionately known as Termite Palace—was built in Mōʻiliʻili as their homefield.

The 1930s saw the team continue its success; however, the bombing of Pearl Harbor and subsequent breakout of World War II put a temporary halt to further games until 1946, after the war.

Following this interlude, the Rainbows resumed their record of accomplishment for many years. Nevertheless, facing financial problems after three seasons of losses in 1961, the Board of Athletic Control abolished the football program. This absence only lasted one year as the team was reorganized in 1962 under the urging of Young Suk Ko, the new athletics director.

The mid 1970s saw further changes to the football team. Their nickname was altered to the “Rainbow Warriors,” and a new, much larger, homefield was built in Pearl City, named Aloha Stadium. Aloha Stadium has continued to see the Warriors find success on the football field for several decades. (UH Athletics)

Sources:

Dean, Arthur L. “Historical Sketch of the University of Hawaiʻi: The Commencement Address Delivered on June 7, 1926, at the University of Hawaiʻi by Arthur Lyman Dean, Ph.D., President of the University from June, 1914, to Feb. 1, 1927.” University of Hawaiʻi, Occasional Papers, No. 5. [Honolulu]: The University of Hawaiʻi, 1927.

“History of UH Football.” University of Hawaiʻi Athletics Department website. Accessed on 22 May 2012.

Kamins, Robert M. and Robert E. Potter. “Mālamalama: A History of the University of Hawaiʻi.” [Honolulu]: University of Hawaiʻi Press, 1998.

Kobayashi, Victor (ed.). “Building a Rainbow: A History of the Buildings and Grounds of the University of Hawaiʻi‘s Mānoa Campus.” [Honolululu]: University of Hawaiʻi Press, 1983.

Scope and Contents note

This collection consists of game programs from the University of Hawaiʻi‘s football team, the Warriors. Most of the programs are from the home games, although a few away games are also represented in the collection. While the team was formed in 1909, there are no programs earlier than 1930. The bulk date from the years between 1970 and 2000.

A link is provided in the inventory to an image of the front cover of each issue.

Administrative Information

Publication Information

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Hamilton Library 2550 McCarthy Mall Honolulu, HI, 96822

Restrictions

Material with personal information may be redacted by the Archives staff. Some fragile items may need to be handled by the staff only. Use of audiovisual material may require the production of listening or viewing copies.

Copyright notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in this collection, their descendants, or the repository if copyright has been signed over, as stipulated by United States copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user to determine any copyright restrictions, obtain written permission, and pay any fees necessary for the reproduction or proposed use of the materials.

Literary Rights Notice

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Hawaiʻi Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the researcher.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Derek Inouchi, Media Relations Director of UH’s Athletic Department, donated the duplicate copies of the football programs that the Department had collected from various donors to the University Archives in 2011.