[between 1910 and 1920?] Univ. of Wyoming cheerleaders
Univ. of Wyoming cheerleaders
It’s no secret that the Rocky Mountain West is a hotbed of football fandom. After all, the Mile-High City is home to a rather beloved professional football team whose fans stretch far beyond the Front Range.
Besides the the Denver Broncos, the Rocky Mountain West is home to some pretty solid college football programs, with the University of Colorado Boulder Buffaloes, the University of Northern Colorado Bears, the Colorado State University Rams, the Air Force Academy Falcons and the University of Wyoming Cowboys or “Pokes.” And that’s where the young women pictured in today’s Wow Photo Wednesday (Rh-718) led the crowds in school spirit sometime between 1910-1920.
Located in Laramie, the University of Wyoming has only had a football program since 1892 and played its home games on Corbett Field until 1950, when War Memorial Stadium was built.
As the Cowboys are playing at home, they’re playing at the highest-elevation Division I FBS stadium (7,215 feet above sea level). By way of comparison, Folsom Field in Boulder is a mere 5,360 feet above sea level while the Air Force Academy is more like 6,621 feet above sea level.
But it’s not just the elevation that makes this picture stand out to the modern viewer. If you take a moment to compare the cheerleaders of this era to the cheerleaders of today, some obvious differences stand out. First off, their attire is less suited for athletic movements than the outfits the cheerleaders of today wear. Besides social taboos against showing excessive skin, it’s pretty clear that these women were probably not doing cartwheels or making human pyramids in these long dresses, flats, and floppy hats.
You’ll also notice that the second cheerleader from the right is holding a small, presumably-toy-but-very-realistic, pistol in her hand. That’s a prop that’s unlikely to appear at War Memorial or any other college football stadium anytime soon.
But, whatever the differences, it’s pretty clear that the Wyoming cheerleaders of yesteryear are enjoying the festive atmosphere of college game day every bit as much as we’re still enjoying it today. And, for the record, the Pokes are currently 2-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play for the 2017 season.
Go Pokes!
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