When was the term “Illini” first applied to the Universitys Athletics teams?
Application of the term specifically in reference to athletic teams seems to have been first by secondhand accounts of University athletic teams. The earliest reference in the Illio appears to be one mention in the summary of the 1907 football season. The term gained greater frequency in the next decade, especially during the 1914, 1915, and 1916 football seasons. Daily Illini articles and football programs prior to these dates do not extensively cite the term, at least to the extent of our staff’s knowledge. Other terms, such as the “Indians,” “our men,” “Orange and Blue,” and the “homecomers” were sometimes applied to the team, none in a consistent fashion, except for “Illinois” and “Varsity”. These documents provide some examples from the period: • In a 1898 Football Program (pdf, 177KB) the team is referred to simply as “The University of Illinois Football Team.” • In the 1914 Homecoming Program (pdf, 257KB), the team appears to be without an nickname, as several terms are mentione
