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Michigan Alpha Centennial 1964

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    The Centennial Celebration 1964 jointly hosted by the Michigan Alpha Alumni Association and active chapter.

Homecoming 2013

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    Homecoming 2013 at 1437 Washtenaw.

Harmon BBQ 2013

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    BBQ at the chapter house to honor Tom Harmon '41.

Homecoming 2012

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    BBQ revives tradition attracting strong alumni attendance.

Mud Bowl

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    A PHOTO HISTORY OF THE MUD BOWL 1934 to 1997 ~ MICHIGAN'S GREATEST FRATERNITY ATHLETIC RIVALRY During the fall of 1934, Phi Delta Theta (PDT) active member E. Reed Low '37 challenged the "house across the street" (Sigma Alpha Epsilon -- SAE) to a friendly game of "touch" football on the morning of Homecoming in a little used valley in their side yard along South University. Low is considered the founder of the Mud Bowl. The men of PDT and SAE fought a close match which SAE narrowly won 8 - 6. Given the intense rivalry between the two fraternities which were located only a couple hundred feet apart, it was decided that the Mud Bowl would be an annual event. The Mud Bowl became a revered Homecoming tradition as PDT and SAE fiercely battled each year for nothing more than pride. In the early years, the game essentially was a rough intramural football match played on a field that was wetter and shorter than regulation. As the annual contest matured, it was decided that the challenge and entertainment value of the game could be enhanced by tilling the ground and flooding the field. Eventually, the Ann Arbor Fire Department contributed to making the mayhem on the field even more muddy by pouring approximately 10,000 gallons of water into the valley shortly before the game. By kickoff of games played in the 1970s through the 1990s, it was not uncommon for the mud to be more than one foot deep with water covering the west end of the "field." The PDT-SAE rivalry series in the Mud Bowled ended in 1997 after the 60th game between the two fraternities was played. The records about these 60 games are a combination of fact and myth, but no one disputes that this was the greatest fraternity athletic rivalry in the State of Michigan if not the entire nation. The Mud Bowl grew into such a spectacle that crowds numbering in the thousands showed up each year to witness the game. The game attracted coverage by Sports Illustrated, ESPN, ABC Sports as well as campus, Ann Arbor and Detroit media. The Mud Bowl became so popular that national brewing companies -- at first Stroh's, and then Miller -- sponsored the event. Of course, some people have speculated that the presence of sororities playing football, or speedball in some years, during the half-time may have garnered most of the great public interest in the event. Nonetheless the athleticism and intensity of the PDT-SAE matchups proved to be very entertaining for the fans. While the exact win-loss tally is subject to dispute, it is believed that PDT rightly boasts a few more victories in the series than SAE. Given that SAE hand picked the referees for each Mud Bowl, a PDT victory typically required overcoming the opposing players plus the men in stripes. For this reason, PDT's hard fought "losses" remain as much a source of pride as its many victories. If you have pictures or memories of the Mud Bowl to share with the Alumni Association's Heritage Project, please contact us at [email protected].

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PDT Team 149 Wins 2012-2013 All-Sports IM Fraternity League Championship
 
First Trophy Since 1984-85 School Year
PDT IM Champs 2012-2013

[Posted May 10, 2013]  The U of M Intramural Fraternity League features 25 teams that fiercely compete in more than 15 sports each season. Winning the top honors in this league requires a broad range of athletic talent and team disciple throughout the entire school year.

Michigan Alpha's active chapter is proud to report that Phi Delta Theta is once again on top among Greeks as it won the 2012-2013 All-Sports IM Championship Stevenson Cup. This marks the first top finish since the 1984-85 school year although PDT only narrowly fell short several times in recent years.

PDT won dodgeball and swimming while placing second in sand volleyball, broomball, inner tube water polo, and volleyball. The team made semi-finals in soccer, softball, and indoor soccer. 
 
IM Sports Chairman Zach Sprintz '15 said, "Phi Delt's focus on teamwork and participation enabled us to be highly competitive in nearly every sport. It's very challenging to win the Stevenson Cup because of the wide variety of sports. Winning the championship truly was a whole house effort."

PDT has been a perennial contender in the IM Fraternity League since its beginning. While the Alumni Association's records are far from complete, our archives verify 10 IM All-Sports Championships from the school years of 1937-38, 1970-71, 1974-75, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1982-83, 1984-85, and now, 2012-2013.

In this regard, the Alumni Association's archives from the 1940s through the early 1970s are quite limited, so we would greatly appreciate alums sharing their memories about past glories that undoubtedly took place during this time period. 
 
If you have old Sword & Shield newsletters or other documentation that shows achievements of the active chapter, please share them with the Alumni Association's Heritage Project.  
 
We are especially interested about filling in the blanks on the fraternity's history to prepare for Michigan Alpha's 150th anniversary in 2014.  The Alumni Association can be contacted e-mail at [email protected]. 

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