web
www.pdtumich.com

Michigan Alpha Centennial 1964

  • PDT MA Cen 7
    The Centennial Celebration 1964 jointly hosted by the Michigan Alpha Alumni Association and active chapter.

Homecoming 2013

  • PDT HC 13_993
    Homecoming 2013 at 1437 Washtenaw.

Harmon BBQ 2013

  • HBBQ9999999
    BBQ at the chapter house to honor Tom Harmon '41.

Homecoming 2012

  • 999
    BBQ revives tradition attracting strong alumni attendance.

Mud Bowl

  • F 998 90 MB 90
    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].

« | Main | »

[Republished on April 12, 2016 from the Phi Delta Theta General Headquarter's Web Site]

MICHIGAN ALPHA NAMED FRATERNITY OF THE YEAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
04.12.2016
Michigan Alpha

PDT_MA_fraternity_of_year_2016

On April 11, 2016, Phi Delta Theta at the University of Michigan was recognized at the Greek Life awards for their excellence in Greek Life and involvement in the University of Michigan community. Michigan Alpha won an award for Risk Management and was named the 2016 Fraternity of the Year. Pictured are current President Bernard Insalaco (right) and past President William Watkins accepting the awards.

Phi Delta Theta at University of Michigan has shown excellence in areas such as philanthropy, recruitment, risk management and Greek Life/campus involvement just to name a few. Michigan Alpha had the largest fraternity team at Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan this year and held a successful annual BoxCar Derby, raising funds and awareness for Ann Arbor Active Against ALS. In regards to recruitment, the chapter had its largest fall Phikeia class since re-founding in 2002 with 28 members and added 10 members in the winter semester. Phi Delta Theta was recognized for having outstanding Risk Management policies as well as strong involvement on campus.

This past year, Phi Delt has contributed to leadership roles in Wolverine Support Network, Dance Marathon, the largest student organization on campus, and a newly elected representative to Central Student Government. Finally, Michigan Alpha has excelled in the classroom, maintaining a chapter wide GPA that is higher than the all-male average at the University.

The brothers of Phi Delta Theta’s Michigan Alpha Chapter are extremely proud to accept these awards and hope to continue to pursue excellence in the coming years. 

Posted in Active Chapter |

|