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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].

Greg Lavigne

Greg-lavigne_6326 Name:  Greg Lavigne

Current Residence and Contact Information:

Cincinnati, OH

Graduating Class Year:

University of Michigan, Class of 2006

University of Michigan Law School, Class of 2009 

Pledge Class Year/Semester: Fall 2004

Employer / Occupation or Graduate School:

Attorney at Peck Shaffer and Williams, LLP

Career or Graduate School Overview:

After graduating from U of M's undergraduate program in Political Science, I began my JD at the U of M Law School.  I also enrolled in the A. Alfred Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning, and graduated in December of 2009 with my JD and a Master of Urban Planning degree.  During law school, I worked for the City of Seattle on transportation development strategies for the new light rail line, and took a summer association position at Peck Shaffer and Williams.  I am now an attorney with Peck Shaffer in our Cincinnati office, working primarily in municipal bonds and securities.

Personal Activities and Family Status:

I am living in Over-the-Rhine, a neighborhood in downtown Cincinnati.  I am involved in several local organizations that promote urban living and transforming Cincinnati into a leading metropolitan region.

Role in the Reestablishment of the Michigan Alpha Chapter:

Treasurer during colony status, and first President after the official refounding of the chapter.

Favorite Memory of Michigan Alpha:

The close friendships that I established with the Brothers and the important lessons I learned in leadership, community, and service.

Message for the Brothers About the 5 Year Anniversary of the Reestablishment of the Michigan Alpha Charter:

Take advantage of the incredible opportunity you have to be a part of a great organization and campus community.  Phi Delta Theta transformed my college experience, and I hope it does the same for each and every one of you as well.