1890s Harvard Sigma Alpha Epsilon Football Team

 An 1890s oversized albumin photo of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) society football team at Harvard.  Greek letter society teams usually played other chapters of the same society from other colleges. The SAE team from Harvard played the SAE teams from MIT and WPI (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) in the 1890s. MIT was played in 1893 (the year the chapter was established at Harvard) and in 1894 and then the game with WPI became what was considered the annual event. Records support that the Harvard team may only have played one game each year.

We believe this photo to be the 1893 Harvard team that defeated MIT 4 to 0 on Norton’s Field (at Harvard). The team likely had an edge over its competitor, as Josh Upton, who played for the University Eleven in 1889, ‘90 and ’92 was a member of SAE at the time (he was at Harvard until 1896) and was sure to help guide the team.

Throughout the 1890s I cannot find a record of the Harvard chapter of SAE losing a game, even in games with WPI, such as in 1895, when WPI openly used varsity players on their squad against Harvard (Harvard 6, Tech 0).

This photo is an interesting part of the college football story that most of us know little about, and fraternity photos are exceedingly difficult to find. I really like this photo. 

Note some of the well-worn football hand-me-down uniforms. Photo measures 13 3/8” x 10 3/8”.