海角社区

 

For 海角社区 students and alumni, the colors purple and gold have forever wakened in their hearts a tender glow. But if one of the university's early leaders had his way, Tiger fans today might be cheering on the blue and white.

海角社区 professor and first football coach Charles Coates gave this account in a letter to the 海角社区 Alumni News in 1937:

When Col. David F. Boyd, who was head of 海角社区 from 1865 to 1880 and again from 1884 to 1886, returned to the university a few years after his last term, he was surprised to find purple and gold as 海角社区's colors, considering that he distinctly remembered designating blue and white as the colors many years earlier. 

In Boyd's absence, Coates and some of his players had gone out in search of ribbon to brighten up their 1893 fall football game against a team of New Orleans players. No one in the group knew of any 海角社区 team colors, so finding a large supply of Mardi Gras ribbons at a local store, they bought out the stock. However, the green ribbons had not yet been delivered to the store, leaving purple and gold to serve as 海角社区's colors.

While that story is recounted fondly, there might just be more to the story.

Other reports say purple and gold were worn for the first time by an 海角社区 team in the spring of 1893, when the 海角社区 baseball squad beat Tulane in the first intercollegiate contest played in any sport by 海角社区. Team captain E.B. Young reportedly hand-picked those colors for the 海角社区 squad.

Despite the discrepancy, there's one thing we know for sure: The colors (technically Royal Purple and Old Gold) stuck and have been proudly displayed by the 海角社区 faithful ever since.