The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus. Rutgers is famously known for being the "Birthplace of College Football," as it hosted the first ever intercollegiate football game on November 6, 1869, in which Rutgers defeated a team from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) with a score of 6 runs to 4.
Among the first American schools that participate in intercollegiate athletics, Rutgers currently fields 24 teams in the Big Ten Conference, which participates in Division I competition, as sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the following sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, track and field, swimming and diving, wrestling, and volleyball. The athletic programs compete under the name "Scarlet Knights", after the Rutgers University mascot, Sir Henry, that was chosen in 1955 by the student body.
The Rutgers campuses in Newark and Camden also participate in intercollegiate competition — under the names "Scarlet Raiders" and "Scarlet Raptors", respectively — in NCAA Division III.Rutgers–Newark Scarlet Raiders , website of the Department of Athletics, Rutgers–Newark. Retrieved January 25, 2007.
Athletic heritage
Rutgers was among the first American institutions to engage in intercollegiate athletics. Organized sports at Rutgers started with the Rutgers Men's Crew Team in 1864. In addition, the university participated in a small circle of schools that included Yale University, Columbia University and long-time rival, Princeton University (then called The College of New Jersey). The four schools met at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in Manhattan on October 19, 1873, to establish a set of rules governing their intercollegiate competition, and particularly to codify the new game of football. Though invited, Harvard University chose not to attend. In the early years of intercollegiate athletics, the circle of schools that participated in these athletic events were located solely in the American Northeast. However, by the turn of the century, colleges and universities across the United States also began to participate.
The first intercollegiate athletic event at Rutgers was a baseball game on May 2, 1866, against Princeton in which they suffered a 40–2 loss. Rutgers University is often referred to as The Birthplace of College Football as the first intercollegiate football game was held on College Field between Rutgers and Princeton on November 6, 1869, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The game was played on a plot of ground where the present-day College Avenue Gymnasium now stands (although the game was based more on soccer than on rugby, unlike the current version of American football, which takes its rules from a rugby-based framework). Rutgers won the game, with a score of 6 goals to Princeton's 4. (roughly 36-24 currently). According to Parke H. Davis, the 1869 Rutgers football team shared the national title with Princeton.College Football Past National Championships at the National Collegiate Athletic Association website. Retrieved December 29, 2006.
For much of its athletic history starting in 1866, Rutgers remained unaffiliated with any formal athletic conference and was classified as "independent". From 1946 to 1951, the university was a member of the Middle Three Conference, along with Lafayette and Lehigh. Rutgers considered petitioning to join the Ivy League at the formation of that conference in 1954. Published by the Harvard Crimson October 28, 1953. Access November 15, 2011 From 1958 to 1961, Rutgers was a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference. From 1976 to 1995, Rutgers was a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference for most sports while being an Eastern Independent in football.
Rutgers remained independent until 1991 when it joined the Big East Conference for football. All sports programs at Rutgers subsequently became affiliated with the Big East in 1995.Rutgers at BigEast.org (Official Site of the Big East Conference). Published by the Big East Conference (no further authorship information available). Retrieved January 12, 2007. On July 1, 2014, Rutgers became a member of the Big Ten athletic conference, after paying an $11.5 million exit fee to the American Athletic Conference (which formed as a result of the splitting of the Big East Conference).
While in the Big East, the Scarlet Knights won four conference tournament titles: men's soccer (1997), baseball (2000, 2007), and women's basketball (2007). Several other teams have won regular season titles, but failed to win the conference's championship tournament.Big East Championship Records published by the Big East Athletic Conference. Retrieved August 8, 2006. Recently, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team has achieved success on the gridiron after several years of losing seasons. They were invited to the Insight Bowl on December 27, 2005, but lost 45 to 40 against Arizona State. This was Rutgers' first bowl appearance since a December 16, 1978, loss against Arizona State. The score of the game was 34 to 18 at the Garden State Bowl against ASU (which was the first bowl game in which Rutgers was a participant). In 2006, the Scarlet Knights were invited to the inaugural Texas Bowl, in Houston, Texas, in which they defeated the Kansas State Wildcats 37 to 10. On January 5, 2008, Rutgers faced Ball State in the International Bowl held in Toronto, making it their third straight bowl game for the first time in the program's history. They won the game 52–30. Following the 2008 regular season, Rutgers was invited to the Papajohns.com Bowl, where on December 29, 2008, they defeated the North Carolina State University Wolfpack by a score of 29 to 23 for their third straight bowl win. On December 19, 2009, the Scarlet Knights won their fourth straight bowl game by defeating the University of Central Florida 45–28 in the St. Petersburg Bowl. On December 20, 2011, Rutgers faced Iowa State in the Pinstripe Bowl and beat them 27 to 13. On December 28, 2013, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights faced the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, which they lost 16 to 29. On December 26, 2014, Rutgers played in the Quick Lane Bowl vs the North Carolina Tar Heels in a 40–21 victory. On December 31, 2021, The Scarlet Knights lost to Wake Forest 38–10 in the Taxslayer Gator Bowl. On December 28, 2023, Rutgers played in their most recent bowl game, winning against the Miami Hurricanes in the 13th Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe bowl, Final Score being 31-24.
School spirit
Colors and prior mascots
Rutgers University's school color is scarlet. Initially, students sought to make orange the school color, citing Rutgers' Dutch heritage and in reference to the Prince of Orange. The Daily Targum first proposed that scarlet be adopted in May 1869, claiming that it was a striking color and because scarlet ribbon was easily obtained. During the first intercollegiate football game with Princeton on November 6, 1869, the players from Rutgers wore scarlet-colored turbans and handkerchiefs to distinguish them as a team from the Princeton players. The Board of Trustees officially made scarlet the school colors in 1900.
In its early days, Rutgers athletes were known informally as "The Scarlet" in reference to the school color, or as "Queensmen" in reference to the institution's first name, Queen's College. In 1925, the mascot was changed to Chanticleer, a fighting rooster from the medieval fable Reynard the Fox (Le Roman de Renart) which was used by Geoffrey Chaucer in the Canterbury Tales. At the time, the student humor magazine at Rutgers was called Chanticleer, and one of its early arts editors, Ozzie Nelson (later of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet fame), was quarterback of the Rutgers team from 1924 to 1926.Scarlet Letter 1924 (Rutgers University yearbook), Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey The Chanticleer mascot was unveiled at a football game against Lafayette College, in which Lafayette was also introducing a new mascot, a leopard.
However, the choice of Chanticleer as a mascot was often the subject of ridicule because of its association with "being chicken". In 1955, the mascot was changed to the Scarlet Knight after a campus-wide election, beating out other contenders such as "Queensmen", the "Scarlet", the "Red Lions", the "Redmen" and the "Flying Dutchmen."Series of articles in the spring of 1955 issues of the Rutgers Targum (then printed weekly), the Rutgers University campus newspaper. Microfilm records v.94:no.36-v.104:no.58 Apr 17,1953-Dec 5,1972, Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey Earlier proposed nicknames included "Pioneers" and "Cannoneers". When Harvey Harman, then coach of the football team, was asked why he supported changing the Rutgers mascot, he was quoted as saying, "You can call it the Chanticleer, you can call it a fighting cock, you can call it any damn thing you want, but everybody knows it's a chicken."Quoted in the Rutgers Targum (April 8, 1955). Microfilm records v.94:no.36-v.104:no.58 Apr 17,1953-Dec 5,1972 (1 roll) Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
Current mascot Sir Henry, the Scarlet Knight is the current mascot of the team. Coach Harman is said to have bought the first "Scarlet Knight" mascot costume for the 1955 season, which was to be his final season as football coach at Rutgers.Editorial in the Rutgers Targum (September 9, 1955). Microfilm records v.94:no.36-v.104:no.58 Apr 17, 1953-Dec 5, 1972 (1 roll) Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
The student that wears the Scarlet Knight costume remains anonymous, and may not admit to being the scarlet knight during his term. Rutgers clubs that seek to rent the Scarlet Knight may do so for 75 dollars.
School songs and chants Several school songs are connected with the school's athletic heritage. The alma mater of Rutgers University is "On the Banks of the Old Raritan", with words written by Howard Fullerton (Rutgers Class of 1874) and adapted to the old Scottish melody "On the Banks of the Old Dundee."George J. Lukac (ed.), Aloud to Alma Mater. (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1966), 70–73. (no ISBN) It is typically performed at the close of athletic events by the university's marching band, the Marching Scarlet Knights (also called "The Pride of New Jersey"), at Rutgers University Glee Club concerts, commencement and other important school events. The university's fight song, "The Bells Must Ring", is performed often during athletic events especially in recognition of notable scores. Written in 1931 for entry in a student song contest, pianist Richard M. Hadden (Rutgers Class of 1932) composed the song with W. E. Sanford (Rutgers Class of 1930). Between the verses of the fight song, the spirit chant is rhythmically shouted.Richard M. Hadden RC'32, November 20, 1910 – July 9, 2003: Composer of "The Bells Must Ring" at Rutgers Alumni News, published by Rutgers University Office of Alumni Relations (no further authorship information available). Retrieved January 12, 2007.
This chant is one of many recited during Rutgers athletic events. Another popular chant, where one side of the crowd yells out "R" and the other "U" antiphonally, is often performed. The original spirit chant used at Rutgers was "Rah! Rah! Rah! Bow-wow-wow! Rutgers!" However, it has not been performed in the modern era.Scarlet Letter 1890 (Rutgers University yearbook), Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries, New Brunswick, New Jersey.