[AstroJake09]

Hi all,

Being a University of Colorado history student and working with our football program, our past history always excites me. It is always a treat to find something from our early days in 1890 through the Byron White era of 1938, most everything else 1940 to present can be tracked down with relative ease. The older stuff is more tough. One item that is historically significant is a program or ticket from CU's Nov 10, 1934 homecoming game against Utah. This is the game in which the Buffaloes were born. Here is an item I recently got and a little history behnid it, hope all enjoy!

Prior to Nov 10, and with each year since 1890, the Buffaloes were known by a myriad of names but most commonly referred to as the "Silver and Gold" named so aptly after our school colors. However among other reasons, the name had frequently looked to be switched to something shorter. During the summer of 1934, the University held a contest to choose a new nickname for the team and by time the name was chosen in early November, Colorado was already 3-1-2 on the season. According to the Colorado Alumnus Magazine some names up for consideration were: Silver Helmets, Wolves, Eagles, Elks, Yellow Jackets, Greyhounds, Sour-Doughs, Big Horns, Frontiersmen, Fifty-Niners... Another popular entry was the Bison, otherwise, the Buffaloes.

On Nov 8, the winner was announced after some confusion, as Andrew Dickson, a type-setter from Boulder. His prize was $5. The new name had mixed feelings throughout the campus and community. An article that ran in the Ogden Standard-Examiner read,

Salute the University of Colorado Buffaloes! That's the new nickname by the university's football team, the name was chosen as the best five bushel basketsful submitted In a contest conducted by the student newspaper. For many years the Colorado eleven has gone nickname-less except when it was referred to as sliver and golds. This appellation, however, was regarded as too long to be practical. The campus did not welcome new nickname when it was announced today. Some students pointed out that Colorado will play the University of Utah Indians in a crucial game here Saturday and that, in former days Indians slaughtered Buffalo for their food. C. U. backers hope the parallel won't be carried out in the football field.

Colorado took the field that Saturday Nov 10, to a then packed stadium (Folsom Field), celebrating its ten year anniversary. An old Indian Head nickel was used for the coin toss with CU chosing tails (the side with the Buffalo) and although they lost the coin toss, they would not lose the game as they held off Utah 7-6. Colorado would finish the season at 6-1-2 and co-champion of the RMAC, most importantly however is that going forth from that game against Utah on that brisk November day, we would forever have our identity and would forever be the Buffaloes.