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California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Athletic Department Records
0001
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Title: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Athletic Department Records
Creator:
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Athletic Department
Identifier/Call Number: 0001
Contributing Institution:
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Special Collections and Archives
Language of Material: English
Physical Description:
26.6 Linear Feet
(39 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1950-2017
Abstract: Cal Poly Pomona's athletics program began 1939 when the school formed a baseball team. In the following decades, a number
of sports have been introduced for both men and women including basketball, track, cross country, volleyball, and tennis.
The collection includes photographs, papers, memorabilia, and audiovisual recordings documenting the students, staff, and
various teams that have participated in Cal Poly Pomona's athletic programs.
The processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid was funded by the generous support of the National
Historical Publications and Records Commission.
Advance notice required for access.
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository
and the copyright holder.
[Box/folder# or item name], California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Athletic Department Records, Collection no. 0001,
University Archives, Special Collections and Archives, University Library, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Most of the photographs, memorabilia, and audiovisual materials in the collection were transferred by the Athletic Department
to the University Archives in June 2000. The letterman's jacket and letterman's blanket were donated to the University Archives
by alumnus John Leedom in 1995. The basketball jersey was donated to the University Archives by alumnus Ernest Gee in 1996.
The track and field jersey was donated to the University Archives by alumnus Steve Love in 1996. Other materials were gathered
from University Archives files.
Cal Poly Pomona's athletics program dates back to 1939, when the school—then known as the Voorhis Unit of Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo—formed a baseball team. The Voorhis Unit was established in 1938 at the former site of the Voorhis School for Boys
in San Dimas, California as the southern satellite campus for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The baseball team played against local
high schools and junior colleges until 1943, when Cal Poly abruptly closed the campus in response to declining war-time enrollment.
The campus reopened in fall of 1946, reintroduced baseball, and soon added football, basketball, track, and tennis to the
athletics program. Before the war-time closure, the campus and its teams used the same nickname as San Luis Obispo: Cal Poly
Mustangs. By early 1947, the San Dimas students lobbied for a name change to differentiate themselves from the main campus.
The name change movement gained traction and the students voted that September to become the Broncos, the name Cal Poly Pomona
students and alumni are known by to the present day.
In 1951, Cal Poly became a member of the SCIA (Southern California Independent Association) league. Through the 1950s and
1960s, Cal Poly would introduce swimming, wrestling, soccer, water polo, golf, gymnastics and cross country programs. In 1966,
Cal Poly became a member of the CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) Conference, part of the National Collegiate
Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II. That same year, the school would officially separate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
and became the 16th campus to join the California State College System.
Cal Poly Pomona admitted its first female students in 1961, although it would take several years for women's sports teams
to be included in the athletics program. Women's cross country, tennis, and volleyball teams were formed first. By the early
1970s, there were women's field hockey, basketball, swimming, badminton, softball, and track and field teams. A co-ed volleyball
team was formed in 1969 in addition to the men's and women's teams.
Several notable student athletes have come out Cal Poly Pomona. Track and field team member Chi Cheng set world records in
the 200-meter hurdles and in the 100-meter hurdles and won a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City. Football
player Jim Zorn went on to play and coach for National Football League (NFL) teams. Other alumni have gone on to play for
professional teams in the United States and abroad. Distinguished Cal Poly Pomona coaches include John Scolinos, who was appointed
head baseball coach in 1962, served as pitching coach for the U.S. Olympic team in 1984, and retired as the winningest coach
in NCAA Division II history, and Darlene May, who coached women's basketball in the 1980s and won three national championships.
The collection includes photographs of Cal Poly Pomona athletics teams, coaches, staff, and people and events related to the
Athletic Department; information guides for Cal Poly Pomona varsity teams, clippings, news releases, and other paper records;
memorabilia; and audiovisual materials.
The collection is arranged in the following series: 1. Photographs; 2. Papers; 3. Memorabilia; 4. Audiovisual Materials.
The collection was processed by Jeffrey Nelson and Emily Chavarria under the supervision of Alexis Adkins in 2017.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona - Athletic Department
College sports
Photographs