Posted on Jul 22, 2004

Tackle this: A few facts about Union football
  • Opening drive: Union football kicked off in 1886, a year after President Chester A. Arthur (Class of 1848) finished his term.
  • Scoreboard: Since 1982, Union's Fighting Dutchmen have compiled a dominating record of 177-49-0 – a winning percentage of .783.
  • Title team: The Dutchmen have been invited to nine NCAA tournaments. They've also captured five ECAC titles.
  • Going deep: The team boasts five perfect regular season records and 23 consecutive non-losing seasons.
  • Crosstown rivals: The 118-year-old gridiron battle for the Dutchman's Shoes Trophy between Union and Rensselaer is the oldest collegiate football rivalry in New York state.
  • Pigskin vets: The oldest alums in the Fighting Dutchmen Gridiron Club are Charlie Snow and Dick Roberts, Class of 1950.
  • Top of the line(men): Two of the first five athletes inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame were football players Ken Whalen '49 and Rich Romer '88.
  • In the trenches: Frank Bailey Field is named for the Class of 1885 alum who was a longstanding College trustee, treasurer and benefactor. The $1.7 million stadium complex, inaugurated in 2002, seats 1,500.
  • Fall kickoff: The Dutchmen will face off against Kings Point during Homecoming Weekend this fall.