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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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Alumni Association Mourns the Loss of Brother Don Lund '45

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[Posted December 11, 2013]  If the definition of the term "Michigan Man" had to be summarized in two words, those words could be "Don Lund."

Brother Don Lund '45 spent the majority of his storied life in athletics in Michigan. From his days as a star student athlete at Detroit Southeastern High School and U of M to a professional player with the Detroit Tigers, championship winning U of M baseball coach and finally a top administrator in the U of M Athletic Department, Lund demonstrated integrity, ingenuity, fierce competitiveness and strong loyalty to Michigan.

The Alumni Association mourns the loss of one of Michigan Alpha's greatest Michigan Men who died peacefully on December 10 at his home in Ann Arbor at the age of 90. Brother Lund's life was lived as well as it was long (http://www.mlive.com/business/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2013/12/michigan_detroit_tigers_legend.html#incart_m-rpt-2).

Brother Lund had an outstanding collegiate and professional career in athletics. He earned a remarkable nine varsity letters in three sports -- football, basketball and baseball -- at U of M. After college, Brother Lund played professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Detroit Tigers.

Following his successful playing days, he went into coaching and finally sports administration. As U of M head baseball coach, Brother Lund led the Wolverines to a NCAA World Series Championship in 1962 (Michigan's last national championship in baseball) and was named NCAA Coach of the Year.

He was an assistant coach and director of the Detroit Tiger's farm team system during the 1968 World Series Championship year. Brother Lund finished his illustrious sports career as U of M's Associate Athletic Director under Don Canham. He was the recipient of numerous accolades including the Michigan Hall of Honor in 1984 and Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1987.

In August of 2013, the Alumni Association and Michigan Alpha active chapter honored Lund by including him in the newly established Harmon-Chappuis-Lund Award which is annually awarded to the most valuable team player for Michigan Alpha's active chapter IM sports program.

Brother Lund was a very loyal supporter of Michigan Alpha over many years as an attendee of events such as Founders Day, participant in the Heritage Project and donor to the Annual Fund. He will be deeply missed by the Alumni Association and anyone who had the privilege to know him.

In coelo quies est Brother Lund.

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