Vassar Yesterday

Vassar Yesterday

By Vassar Quarterly

The online Vassar Encyclopedia notes that although football “has never exactly been a sport central to Vassar student life,” the fall semester of 1962 saw “the Vassar campus [become] impassioned by the sport — at least the ‘touch’ version.” This photograph accompanied an above-the-fold front-page article in the November 17, 1962 edition of the Poughkeepsie Journal titled “Vassar Challenges Kennedys to Touch Football Contest.” The article described a match between “the Vassar eleven” and a team comprised of male faculty members. (The game ended in a 12-12 tie.) Pictured here are, from left to right: Barbara Currier Bell ’63; Heather Ross ’63; Joe D. Burchfield, instructor in physics; Elizabeth Wilbur Miner ’63; and John E. Austin, instructor in English. “Vassar College’s touch football team today issued a challenge to the Kennedy family in Washington: play us,” the article says. “The Kennedy family, particularly the Attorney General, has been depicted as being adept at touch football. ‘We’ll take them on any time,’ Miss Wilbur happily declared.” — T.H.

Have a comment about this article? Email vq@vassar.edu